Illustration & Visual Narrative - Final Assignment : Animated Webcomic

04.12.2024 - 05.01.2025 (Week 11 - Week 15)

Brenda Wynn (0372128)

Illustration & Visual Narrative / Bachelors of Design (Hons) in Creative Media / Taylor's University

Final Assignment : Animated Webcomic

JUMP LINKS

LECTURES

Week 11

Mr. Hafiz explained about the assignment to us. Starting on what we have to design, the criteria that we had to meet for this assignment, the transitions that we had to incorporate in our comic page, etc.

Week 12

On week 12, Mr. Hafiz explained to us about comic transitions, closure, Scott McCloud's transitions, etc. We have also learned much more about how to make a good comic and how we should incorporate the transitions and compositions to the scene or story of the comic.

Figure 1.1.1 online lecture (12/12/2024, week 12)

Week 14

Christmas break

Week 15

Mr. Hafiz explained on how we should trace our images and showed an example for animation.

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INSTRUCTIONS

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TASK

We were assigned to make a comic cover, and a one-page comic to The Monkey's Paw story. Which we will animate after we finished digitizing our comic cover and page. To start, I first gathered some references to start sketching my comic cover and one-page comic. I have also looked at Dave McKean's covers as reference, and I especially liked the "Black Dog : The Dreams of Paul Nash" cover. Here are the references I gathered and the sketches I made:

Figure 2.1.1 first references and sketches (18/12/2024, week 13)

After the feedback Mr. Hafiz gave me, I decided to gather some new references from both the internet and the Framed Ink book for my one-page comic. For the comic cover, I decided to elevate the ideas I had and attempted to make the title look much more visually involved with the cover. After revising and gaining more knowledge about the transitions and compositions to get a better understanding, I re-sketched some new ideas. I also attempted to adapt the overall style of the references I looked at to my sketches. Here are the references I used and the sketches I drew:

Figure 2.1.2 references and revised sketches (21/12/2024, week 13)

This is my final concept board for the one-page comic:

ONE-PAGE COMIC CONCEPT BOARD

Figure 2.2.1 one-page comic concept board (31/12/2024, week 15)

After receiving feedback from Mr. Hafiz regarding the sketches, I started to digitize the one-page comic first in Illustrator. Firstly, I made the panels for the one-page comic first. To do so, I used the rectangle tool mainly to make the base. Then I used the pathfinder tool to create some of the panels shape.

Figure 2.2.2 one-page comic progress one (27/12/2024, week 14)

Then to create the drawings, I used a sketch I had drew to make it easier to navigate throughout the panels. Then I used the pen tool, blob brush tool, pathfinder tool, scissor tool, knife tool, rectangle tool, ellipse tool, delete and add anchor tool to help me make the drawings on each panel. I mainly used the blob brush tool to make the drawings, the knife tool to delete any unneeded parts, and the delete anchor tool to smoothen out the lines. For the shadows, I mainly used the pathfinder tool and the blob brush tool to make it look much more natural.

Figure 2.2.3 one-page comic progress two (27/12/2024, week 14)

For the texts, I mainly used the ellipse tool to make the overall shape of the text boxes and also the add anchor point tool to add the details. On some of the panels, I needed to make a different type of text box. I made it with the scissor tool and the ellipse tool on one of them, and the other is made by compiling arcs that was made using the arc tool, then making it into an outline stroke and using the the pathfinder tool to make it into one shape. After it was made into one shape I used the pathfinder tool to fill it in with white color and also to make it into one shape or one text box.

Figure 2.3.1 one-page comic progress three (30/12/2024, week 15)

Then, for the texts I used the Comic Sans font. This is the final result of the one-page comic:

FINAL ONE-PAGE COMIC RESULT

Figure 2.3.2 final one-page comic result (30/12/2024, week 15)

After finishing the one-page comic, I then started to make the frames for the animation. To start, I used the blob brush tool to add some more details, the pathfinder tool to create new shapes, the direct selection tool and the selection tool to mainly move the shapes and distort them per frame. I used these tools to make the frames for the animation. I ended up making 6 frames for the animation and moved it to photoshop to make the final animation.

Figure 2.3.3 animation panels and animation (31/12/2024, week 15)

These are the comparison between the panels before the animation and after the animation:

Figure 2.3.4 animation panels comparison (31/12/2024, week 15)

FINAL ONE-PAGE COMIC ANIMATION RESULT

Figure 2.3.5 final one-page comic animation result (31/12/2024, week 15)

This is my final concept board for the comic cover:

COMIC COVER CONCEPT BOARD

Figure 2.3.6 comic cover concept board (05/01/2025, week 15)

After I was done with the one-page comic animation, I started to digitize my comic cover. I first started by drawing a sketch on how I wanted the paw to look like. The I used the blob brush tool to make the overall shape, the delete anchor point tool to make the lines smoother and the knife tool to discard any uneven lines. I finished the drawing by using the pathfinder tool to make it into 1 outline.

Figure 2.3.7 comic cover progress one (01/01/2025, week 15)

Then, I started on making the background by filling it in using the rectangle tool. Then I used the ellipse tool and the brush tool to create more depth and details. I also used the gradient to color the shapes.

Figure 2.3.8 comic cover progress two (01/01/2025, week 15)

Next, to color the paw I used the ellipse and the pathfinder tool. For the shadows, I used the blob brush tool and the pathfinder tool. Lastly, I added some details using the blob brush tool. I also decided to change the background by discarding the details I made on the middle and changing the color on it. Which I also incorporated gradient in. Then I moved on to adding the title, which I ended up using the Papyrus font for the texts "THE MONKEY'S" and "by W.W. Jacobs". For the word "PAW" I used the Viner Hand ITC font. Finally, for the finishing touches I added the string that is intertwined in the paw's fingers using the blob brush tool and the knife tool to discard unneeded lines.

Figure 2.3.9 comic cover progress three (01/01/2025, week 15)

For the elements, which are the family members. I made them by tracing an image using the blob brush tool. I also used the knife tool to smoothen out the lines. After placing them on their spots, I colored the using the ellipse and pathfinder tool.

Figure 2.3.10 comic cover progress four (01/01/2025, week 15)

Here are the images I used for the elements on the cover:

Figure 2.3.11 elements images (01/01/2025, week 15)

After some thought, I decided to change the paw's design. Originally, I planned on making the paw look more rustic. But, I decided change it to make it look much more realistic to a monkey's paw. These are some references I worked with to draw the paw:

Figure 2.3.12 paw references (01/01/2025, week 15)

To draw the new paw, I decided to take a picture of my own hands, so that I can modify and trace it in illustrator using the blob brush tool. After I finished tracing, I used the knife tool to smoothen out the lines. I also used delete anchor tool and add anchor tool to make the lines much smoother. Finally to finish the outline of the paw, I used the pathfinder tool to make it into 1 outline shape. Right after I was satisfied with the outline, I used the ellipse and pathfinder tool to color it in. After I colored the paw, I started to draw the nails using the blob brush tool mainly. To sharpen the lines and to combine it into one outline shape, I used the pathfinder tool and the delete anchor tool. Then I copied and pasted one side to reflect it on the other, so that it is more symmetrical. On the pinky finger's nail, I adjusted the shape and made it according to the angle using the same tools. After I put it on the paw, I used the knife tool to cut the line that was between the nails.

Figure 2.3.13 comic progress five (04/01/2025, week 15)

Next, I started to add the details by drawing the fur on the top part of the paw using the blob brush tool. I also used the blob brush tool to make the shadows, with the help of the pathfinder tool to make the shadows look much more natural. Then I added details throughout the paw using the blob brush tool. For the shadow on the nails, I also used the same tools and technique as I did for the shadows on the paw. I used both the blob brush tool and the pathfinder tool to make the shadows. On the very end top part of the paw, I used the blob brush tool to make a line and used the gaussian blur effect to make it look more neat.

Figure 2.3.14 comic progress six (04/01/2025, week 15)

For some added details, I drew some blood dripping down from the nails and also on the person that is falling using the blob brush tool. Which I then used the delete anchor tool to smoothen out the lines. Then I filled it in with a color and added a shadow using the blob brush tool. To make the shadows look more natural I used the pathfinder tool too.

Figure 2.3.15 comic progress six (05/01/2025, week 15)

FINAL COMIC COVER RESULT

Figure 2.3.16 final comic cover result (05/01/2025, week 15)

Lastly, I used After Effects to animate the comic cover. So, first I added the design to After Effects and made the duration to three seconds. Then I used the transform to move the position of all the people. For the middle one, I adjusted the position to portray the falling down effect more. As for the others, I adjusted the position to make it look like they are pulled back.

Figure 2.3.17 comic cover animation progress (05/01/2025, week 15)

FINAL COMIC COVER ANIMATION RESULT

Figure 2.3.18 final comic cover animation result (05/01/2025, week 15)

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FEEDBACK

Week 13

Mr. Hafiz told me to change my one-page comic transitions, going from moment to moment, and then action to action. He also informed me to reduce the amount of negative space on my one-page comic, since it looked too empty. Lastly about the one-page comic, he also advised me to not only use the Framed Ink book as a reference, but to actually adapt it to the sketches as well. For the comic cover, Mr. Hafiz told me that the first sketch title needed to be involved more to the visuals of the cover. The second comic cover sketch was better than the first one, but it could be improved better. To do so, one of the changes I can do is to make the title look more involved to the illustration on the cover.

Week 14

After I gave my revised sketches, Mr. Hafiz told me that the second comic cover sketch angle and composition is not the best. Mr. Hafiz also told me to start applying the surrealism art style to my comic and start digitizing.

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REFLECTION

Throughout the period of making the webcomic, I have learned how to use new tools in illustrator. One of those tools is the blob brush tool. Though I have improved my skills on the tools I have learned before on Illustrator more through this assignment, it was still a bit intimidating for me to start it. But, the process of making the comic was very fun and intriguing. During the making of this assignment, I noticed that even though me and my peers could have coincidentally picked the same panels or part of the story. We all had different interpretations on it, since we all interpret it according to how we envisioned it while reading the story. After some more research, I have come to a better understanding about how the transitions between panels should be and how to make the drawings on each panel much more composed. Because before this assignment, I had no idea that there were rules and guides that we had to understand to make a good comic with both good composition and transitions.

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