This Is Kinda Sketchy: Visual Storytelling 1: Final Project

For the last 5 weeks of Vis1 we were working on our final projects for the class which was to make a minimum of a 3 page comic taken to full color. But being the over achiever I am, I wrote a 6 page script. In order to see this project to completion I decided to go with a very simple, graphic, cartoony style. I really enjoyed it but I would defiantly describe it as different from my usual style. although that's just me, maybe I'm over thinking it.

Same as my Advanced Inking final, I'll show the full final first then go through the steps to show process, changes, and decision making

Ok so first I wrote out a script and did some design sketches.

This is an early EARLY draft of what the sea monster would look like. hang tight there are several revisions to come before the final.

Here is the first pass at thumbnails. Really loose, just trying to figure out shots and compositions. It is almost hilarious to compare these to the finals.

Needless to say, this is not the monster that made it into the final. I wanted to go with a serpentine sea monster originally because I felt it would feel more eire and threatening than a more aquatic looking creature, but I was wrong, so I changed it for a more octopus based creature. Also I got rid of the insert panel, because I felt it took away from the moment and was unnecessary.

Next Draft

I went in and refined the drawing of the boat so that the perspective was accurate.

I recomposed panel 4 so that the pilot is now framed by the doorway while talking to Reece

I was encouraged to add fish swimming away from the monster in panel 6. because without the fish fleeing there is no reason for the diver to turn and see the shark coming at him.

I made the shark moment bigger.

Clearly the biggest change, now we have a sea monster! BUT It's still not menacing. It's just sitting there...

Better but still to recognizable as just an octopus.

Okay! now we're talking!

Inks.

I made my inks using primarily a pentel brush pen and technical pens.

I really enjoyed the ink work on this page. from the splatter on the middle panel to the solid black bars in the last panel. I am really proud of how well this comic works in just black and white, even though color does help in the end.

And again with the color to talk about the color choices.

I wanted to start with a blue/orange color scheme that slowly slides into the green/red color scheme of the creature. Also, the story gets progressively darker.

The layout below is how it would be viewed in a printed comic with each level representing a page turn.