Illustration & Visual Narrative / Task 3: Graphic Novel & Motion Comic

21.10.2021 - 25.11.2021 (Week 8 - Week 14)
LULU LUISA LINARDI / 0349358 / Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media
Illustration & Visual Narrative
Task 3: Graphic Novel & Motion Comic

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LECTURES

Fig 1.0: Thumbnail

Week 7: 3-Acts Structure

Storytelling Basics

Central Theme

It is what the story is really about, the main idea or underlying meaning. Often, it’s the storyteller’s personal opinion on the subject matter. A story may have both a major theme and minor themes.

Major Theme

Is an idea that is intertwined and repeated throughout the whole narrative. This part is compulsory.
Minor Theme

Is an idea that appears more subtly, and doesn't necessarily repeat.

Conflict
It's what drives the story, and creates tension and builds suspense, which are the elements that make a story interesting. If there’s no conflict, not only will the audience not care, but there also won’t be any compelling story to tell. Conflict is what engages an audience. It’s what keeps them white-knuckled, at the edge of their seats, waiting impatiently to see if the protagonists will overcome their obstacle.

Characters

A story usually includes a number of characters, each with a different role or purpose. Regardless of how many characters a story has, however, there is almost always a protagonist and antagonist.

Central Characters

These characters are vital to the development of the story. The plot revolves around them.

Protagonist

The protagonist is the main character of a story. He or she has a clear goal to accomplish or a conflict to overcome. Although protagonists don’t always need to be admirable, they must command an emotional involvement from the audience.

Antagonist

Antagonists oppose protagonists, standing between them and their ultimate goals. The antagonist can be presented in the form of any person, place, thing, or situation that represents a tremendous obstacle to the protagonist.

Three-Acts Structure
1. Setup
The world in which the protagonist exists prior to the journey, usually ends with the conflict being revealed.

2. Rising Tension
The series of obstacles the protagonist must overcome. each obstacle is usually more difficult and with higher stakes than the previous one.

3. Conflict
The highest point of the tension, and the major decisive turning point for the protagonist.
(eg. IT: so many rising tension going on, until they kill it at the end) 

4. Resolution
The conflict’s conclusion, where the protagonist finally overcomes the conflict, learns to accept it, or is ultimately defeated by it. regardless, this is where the journey ends.

Fig 1.1.1: Traditional three-acts structure chart

The 3-Acts Structure

ACT 1

- Introduction, i.e.: once upon a time............ 

- Push the main character to some problems, can be small or big

ACT 2

- Builds up to the midpoint (what if this character do this? or do that?)

ACT 3
- Big climax, the top of the stories

Below here is some examples of 3-acts structure in short narrative.

Fig 1.1.2: 3-Acts Structure in Short Narrative

Fig 1.1.3: Short Narrative Example

Week 9: Transitions

McCloud describes six types of panel-to-panel transitions, each requiring a different degree of closure from the reader.

Movement-to-Movement
The most simple transitions which show basic movements occurring. Moment-to-Moment transition is the constraint along with page and panel form, that most defines storyboarding from comics or sequential art. Within the course of the media they are used to map there can be cuts that embody any one of the other six transition classes listed here. But the storyboard itself, is a strictly Moment-to-Moment depiction of another form of media.

Fig 1.2.1: Moment-to-Moment

Action-to-Action
Action-to-action transitions show a single subject progressing through a specific movement. It’s more or less a less finely sliced version of Moment-to-Moment, and typically focuses on significant events. or movement from panel to panel, and over larger intervals of time between moments.

Fig 1.2.2: Action-to-Action

Subject-to-Subject
Subject-to-subject transitions stays within a specific scene or idea and call for more reader involvement. A cut between to related moments, but focusing on a different subject in the same scene. Think conversation in a restaurant, or a shift of focus onto another actor in the scene.

Fig 1.2.3: Subject-to-Subject

Scene-to-Scene
Scene-to-scene transitions take place across significant distances within time and space. A Scene is a series of events that happen in one location, and continuous period of time. A change of location or significant jump in time between panels is considered the end of a scene and the start of a new one. 

Fig 1.2.4: Scene-to-Scene

Aspect-to-Aspect
Aspect-to-aspect is unique in that it shows different aspects occurring simultaneously within the same scene. It can be an interesting way to jump around a scene, taking in key details or letting the characters focus wonder. It’s also a good way to introduce their environment to a reader, though the players' eyes perhaps or inviting them to wonder away from the players a bit.

Fig 1.2.5: Aspect-to-Aspect

Non-Sequitur
Non-sequitur provides no logical connection between panels.

Fig 1.2.6: Non-Sequitur

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INSTRUCTIONS

Task 3: Graphic Novel

In this particular task, students were told to create a horror-themed webcomic, and later will be animated into a motion comic. It is a one-shot Webtoon story with a horror genre, and the content must be PG-13 and Safe for Work. Students can decide their own on how to present the story, it can be wordless (presented only with illustrations), or can also be detailed with stories (filled with speeches and texts). The comic later must be published at webtoon.com, with the minimum of 30 panels, and maximum of 50 panels. The illustration can either be colored, or greyscale, or screentone shaded render.

To begin this task, Ms Anis assigned us to make our own horror story, with 300 words only. The story should have characters, and if it has more than 1 character, the others should have a different narrative plot (role), and the purpose of the character needs to be highlighted. Students have to start thinking what kind of problem they want to make the character has, and later set up the own world, create the major conflict, and how to finish it. So here's my story plot.

So, firstly, I made a very rough sketch on my ipad for my Webtoon planning. It is really helpful for me to get a picture of what I'm gonna do. Here's a glimpse of it.

Fig 2.1.1: Rough Sketch

Next, I proceed to do the more-detailed sketch before moving to Ai. I don't know why but I put a lot of effort into this sketch. Also, before drawing the sketch, I went into Webtoon to find references for my character style.

Fig 2.1.2: Character References

Fig 2.1.3: Drawing References

Below here is the compilation of my sketches. I don't know why I failed to group them into a pdf, so I'll just put the screenshot from my folder.

Fig 2.1.4: Final Sketch

Moving on to the digitization part. Actually, this is my first time drawing in Illustrator, so there're many problems I encountered. But the main problem is, I'm bad at drawing, so I can only draw a simple one. And for the two characters, I traced it from my sketch.

Before showing my progression, I want to drop my color palette here which I got from Adobe Colors. Actually, I didn't really use all of them, but I picked the color from there and later modify it myself.

Fig 2.2.1: Color Palette #1

Fig 2.2.2: Color Palette #2

The first thing I did was tracing the characters. Since it'll be difficult to draw with a mouse, so I chose to trace it using pen tool (pen tool is my best friend now <3).

Fig 2.2.3: Tracing female character

Fig 2.2.4: Tracing male character

Next, with my noob skill, I can't believe I succeed drawing some elements with pen tool.

Fig 2.2.5: Drawing hands #1

Fig 2.2.6: Drawing hands #2

Fig 2.2.7: Drawing flashlight

Fig 2.2.8: Drawing smartphone

Here's the most challenging one, drawing tree and grass. At first, I thought this will be the easiest to draw but I think I was mistaken about it. For the tree, I went to internet to find some references.

Fig 2.2.9: Forest Drawing References

Fig 2.2.10: Drawing Forest

I tried some fonts that will fit my comic drawing, and was so attached to this one called 'The Meshroom' (Fig 2.2.11) since the beginning. However, after I reviewed a bit before publishing it, I decided to change it to the common font that we usually see in comics called 'Anime Ace' (Fig 2.2.12).

Fig 2.2.11: Trying out typeface

Fig 2.2.12: Trying out typeface

For my comic, I decided to not use speeches and only put some words there because I don't think my story has many conversations. However, in the end, I once thought of switching it from wordless to a more detailed one. And yes, I tried to put them into a callout, but I felt that it's not that fit and I found it a bit strange so I just go with my original plan.

Fig 2.2.13: Experiment in using callout

Also for the callout thingy, at the very beginning, I was planning to put my elements inside there, like masking the elements with callout shapes, but after a very long consideration, I decided not to do it. I realized that the colors are blending to each other so it'll be difficult for readers to identify what is what. So, at last I decided to just put the elements inside there.

Fig 2.2.14: Callout experiment

Fig 2.2.15: Mini progression

I also tried the blur effects to create the demon's shadow. By the way, I forgot to mention that I got the inspiration of my demon from a demon character from k-drama 'Lovers of the Red Sky'. I'll put it down here.

Fig 2.2.16: Demon drawing reference from 'Lovers of the Red Sky' #1

Fig 2.2.17: Demon drawing reference from 'Lovers of the Red Sky' #2

Fig 2.2.18: Applying blur effect to elements

So that's a glimpse of my webtoon progression. After finishing all the webtoon drawings, the thumbnails, etc., I then went to Webtoon's website to publish my comic.

Fig 2.2.19: Comic published!

Finally, my comic has been published in Webtoon. To read it, scroll down to the end of this blog's page. It can be found in the final submission part.

Task 4: Motion Comic

Our task after we finished the static comic is to make the motion comic version of it. Honestly, I don't have much time left to make a detailed and smooth animation, so I just do a simple animation. This task is to be done in After Effects, and thankfully I have done some other tasks there, so I have no difficulty in operating the software even though I haven't that familiar with AE.

At first, I thought that it'll be much more difficult than doing animation from another module. But after I started working, I felt like it is different from what I imagined. 

Before starting the animating part, I followed what Ms Jennifer said before in class that it is better to arrange all the things so we won't face some problems later. I decided to follow the same steps as Ms Jennifer's doing.

Fig 2.3.1: Arranging panels and layers in Ai #1

Fig 2.3.2: Arranging panels and layers in Ai #2

So, here's some of my work progressions.

Fig 2.3.3: Animating process #1

Fig 2.3.4: Animating process #2

Fig 2.3.5: Animating process #3

Fig 2.3.6: Animating process #4

I also tried applying features like easy ease, parents link, and using the anchor point as well.

Fig 2.3.7: Using Anchor Point

Fig 2.3.8: Applying Easy Ease

Fig 2.3.9: Trying Parent & Link

That's some of my animating progressions. The quality of my animation may not be as good and smooth as the other's animation because my device doesn't really support the software and the time was very limited, but I think I did my best already. To watch the animation, scroll down a bit to the final submission and it'll be there.

Final Outcome
This is the final outcome of my Webtoon works and Motion Comic, it can also be accessed from the link I provide below.

- Webtoon
Click here to read in Webtoon

Fig 2.4.1: Webtoon Final PDF

- Motion Comic
Click here to watch on Youtube

Fig 2.4.2: Motion Comic Final Submission

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FEEDBACK

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REFLECTIONS

Experience

This was a veryyyyy challenging task, and I think this is the most challenging and difficult task I've done in my life. Actually, I never do this kind of thing, like drawing characters, complicated drawings, etc., especially comics. The first time I heard that we will be doing a Webtoon thingy (in the very first class), I was about to cry because I cannot draw, I'm very poor at drawing. But as time passed, I have encountered many problems in drawing and strangely, I could overcome it. So, I wasn't that scared anymore to face this Webtoon task. However, while working on it, I felt that I was very mistaken about it. It was indeed difficult, I struggled a lot that I wanted to give up several times. I even underwent a panic attack while doing this which I had never dealt with before. I think this will be one of the unforgettable memory in my life.

Observations

Webtoon, webcomic, or animation is not just a simple thing. It needs effort and of course patience to create these things. We are not only to draw things, but we also need to deliver the message from our illustration successfully. If it is done with no great planning or arrangement, most likely it will be a failed piece. So I observed that not everyone can do this thing.

Findings

With this task, I found that we really need to take a short rest just to clear up our mind, so we won't be facing something like stress, panic, or the other mental disorders. Of course, we must complete the task on time, but don't try to overdo it because it will only lead us to unpleasant situations. And also, I just realized that we really need supports from our surroundings, because like what I faced earlier, I gained supports from my parents, families, and friends. If there's no supports from them, I think I've already given up on this task.