Image as Storytelling
DVB102 | Week 3 | #oneperday19 | Images 6 - 10
For this week... We looked at comic strips!
Our task was to do a 5-panel story based on a memory from our highschool years, with a focus of using pens as the traditional medium for experimentation.
What's The Story?
During the first week of grade 8, I was playing 'tag / tiggy' with my group of friends. At some point, I got tagged and went for a run around the school. Since this happened quite quickly, I recall from the corner of my eye that I ran pass someone chewing and blowing bubblegum which I realised later when I had gum all over me...
... I suppose the story is rather "slice of life" and comedic / light-hearted. Not necessarily a lesson in the end though.
The Sticky Situation (B/W)
Scroll down to see process, comments and rationale etc.
Also scroll further to see the coloured version!
MATERIALS
A4 Derwent Academy 120gsm Visual Art Diary
Staedtler Mars Lumograph HB Pencil
Faber Castell Eraser + 30cm Ruler
Pilot G-2 0.38 Pen
Artline 200 Fine 0.4
Faber Castell PITT artist Black 199*** pens S and F
EXTRA INFO
Scanned via Printer || B/W adjusted in Snapseed iPad app
TECHNIQUES
Inking | Line Shading (Dark to Light)
PROCESS
- I began planning by breaking down the story into 5-panels
- From here, I did an initial rough sketch (scroll to very bottom of post to see)
- On a new page, I ruled up the panel structures
- I then made the panel borders thicker by filling them in with the Faber Castell black pens
- For each panel, I sketched out the details I roughly planned in the initial
- Once the sketch was done, I created the lineart
- This was done by outlining (going over the sketch) with the Pilot Pen
- As I outlined, I coloured in shadows and added shadings
- I also went over some lines 2+ times to thicken them to add some line-thickness variation
SUCCESSES - WHAT I THINK I DID WELL!
Overall, I think I did well with the amount of details/lines in the comic. I am also satisfied with how I communicated the story from location/setting, facial expressions and interactions. Oh! also, the little details like the sound effects or arrows/dashes for movements.
FAILS - WHAT I THINK TO IMPROVE ON!
I wouldn't necessarily say there were any fails but there are indeed things which I can improve on! Anatomy is something I could improve on such as how skinny limbs can be in proportion to the characters and perhaps actually drawing hands + fingers (though in this case, the hands were rather a stylistic choice...?)
RATIONALE
The reason why I wanted variation in the thickness of lines is to give effect that the comic was drawn with a pen at varying pressure levels. The pen I used was thin and so, I had to build it up. Another reason is for shadowing in some places such as the speech bubbles to make them stand out better.
The little sound effect and dash details were used to show movement such as running, turning around as well as the directions too!
Regarding stylistic choice, I intended my comic to be like a manga? Though, not normal human-anatomy of anime characters but rather the "chibi" style. "Chibi" is best described as "head bigger than the bodies" or simply, bobble-heads which are meant to make small and cute version of the characters (think Funko-Pop Vinyls!). It is also less drawing load. Here, I went with "semi-chibi" as the way I drew the legs and arms is much longer than what is expected for a "chibi."
IMAGE 1
"Tag! You're It!"
RATIONALE
For this first panel, I wanted to introduce the reader to the context. I did a few things.
For this first panel, I wanted to introduce the reader to the context. I did a few things.
The dialogue, "Tag! You're It" sets the story where the characters are playing a game and are outside since the game is not exactly an in-door game. I further showed the outdoor with the grass in the background, as well as the brick wall on the right.
The setting is within a school as shown by the characters wearing the same clothes which can be assumed as uniforms. The school setting is also supported by the game of tag too.
I added the arrows and exclamation mark to show the surprised expression + reaction of the character when they have been tagged.
IMAGE 2
I got turned around and... no-one...?
RATIONALE
Within this panel, I did a "POV" from the character who got tagged. In the previous panel, they turned around as an reaction and this panel is intended to show what they see which is: no one.
I showed a cloud bubble as insight into the character's thoughts and an actual speech bubble of what was said out loud. I also kept some consistency (?) such as the brick walls for the setting as well as attempting some perspective which leads up to future panels. There are 2 brick walls, meaning many paths to go which makes us think, where is the other character? how will this character find them?
For perspective, I did line shading from light to dark for distances.
IMAGE 3 - 4
I ran straight ahead, I passed 2 girls...
RATIONALE
As seen, I kept the brick wall as our character runs pass it. Here, we have 2 new characters. Though, they are minor background characters.
I added dashes + arrow to show movement of running. The lines above the head of one of the minor characters is to show chatter because they are talking to the girl who is blowing gum. I did not add any text because their conversation is not vital to the comic.
When our character runs pass, we have a close-up panel of the minor characters to show their reactions. The one talking is just seen turning their head casually, looking and pointing to our character who just ran passed.
The girl blowing gum however, upgrades from her status of being a "minor" character, the pop details are to show the popping of the bubblegum and her shocked expression along with it. The dashes are to show shocked/fidget movement.
IMAGE 5
It was the moment I realised... [insert "my day is ruined" meme]
RATIONALE
I ended the comic with me noticing the gum on me and being panicky/confused.
I showed this through our character's expression and bits of gum on her (though, hard to decipher - see coloured version)
The reason why there is no speech bubble despite the dialogue, was an attempt to dramatise quite literally, "out of box" because the character is yelling. The pointy lines around are to dramatise too. I'm not sure how to explain it but they're like lightning strikes?
The circles around the character are mainly tears, the smaller circles atop is to show sweat because panick...
The Sticky Situation (Coloured)
I also wanted to experiement with colour! Though, to not risk ruining the original B/W version of this comic, I printed out the scanned-copy to colour!
Scroll down for materials, process and rationale
MATERIALS (COLOURS ONLY)
Copic Ciao Marker R32
Faber Castell PITT artist penS
- B104
- B112
- B132
- B171
- B180
- B272
EXTRA INFO
Scanned via Printer (again) || Colour adjusted in Snapseed iPad app
RATIONALE
Aside from wanting to experiment with colour, I actually created this version to better (and clearly) show the bubblegum within the story. The comic overall is quite jam-packed with detail and small details like the gum are harder to identity unless colour-coded.
Initial Rough Plan and Pencil Sketch
