In a traditional illustration process a rough color sketch like this could be used as a guide for a more finished painting. In a photographic illustration process, it’s a guide for the type of props to be made.

Michael Lokensgaard applies a base coat of paint on the three pigs he sculpted from poymer clay. He based the expression and body positions of the pigs on Walter Wick’s original drawing above.

Randy Gilman details a wolf he sculpted from polymer clay. Gilman also fabricated the wood, straw, and brick house parts depicted in the sketch.

Wick arranges objects along a strip of minature landscape made by Gilman, which, like the other custom props, closely conforms to Wick’s sketch.

Finally, Wick arranges custom props together with a selection of minatures from his collection. The props are angled for optimum effect, photographed in groupings, and later rearranged in Photoshop. A computer monitor (right) allows Wick to see what the camera (above out of view) sees in real time.