Illustration & Visual Narrative // Project 3: Graphic Novel

 

21/10/20 - 06/12/20 (Week 9 - Week 15)
Caitlyn Aurelia Tjandra (0339381) / BDCM
Illustration and Visual Narrative  

Project 2- Graphic Novel

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Instruction 

For our final project, we have to make a graphic novel based on the genre of isekai which means accidental travel. There are several limitations that we must consider such as:

Project limitations:

- Must have a 3-act structure
- Not more than 10 pages
- Not more than 30 panels
- Content must PG-13 and SAFE FOR WORK

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Lecture

Week 5

Week 6

Week 7

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Proposal

Google slides

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Research

Week 9: Plot Analysis

Manga

Fig 1.0 In another world I'm called The Black Healer

This manga consists of the fantasy and isekai genre. It tells a story about Kanzaki who one day, suddenly transported to a strange world. It seems that she's entered an RPG game as a magic-user. While among the town she is known as "the Black Healer".

Fig 1.1 Inso's Law

Meanwhile, This manga has a romantic and isekai genre. This manga tells a story about Your average student Ham Dan, whose hobby was reading “Law of Insomnia” wakes up to a beautiful novel like a heroine. But even in the world of fantasy novels, her role is no different. Stuck as the childhood friend of the heroine, her normal everyday life comes to an end, becoming more twisted by her strong character.

Fig 1.2 The Abandoned Empress

This Manga consists of drama and romance genres. The story doesn't involve isekai although it has time travel. This manga tells a story about Aristia who was raised to become the next empress of the Castina Empire. However, with the appearance of a mysterious new girl, everything has fallen apart and Aristia's miserable life as a lower queen is cut short by death. However a second chance to change her fate as she is reborn 7 years earlier.

Fig 1.3 They say I was born as the king's daughter

Lastly, This manga consists of Fantasy, romance, and reincarnation genre. The story involves Sunghee Kim who was murdered in her past life and reincarnated as a baby girl, Sanghee Kim, who just so happens to be a princess. Furthermore, she is fully conscious of her past life. There’s just one problem: in this society, women are seen as totally inferior, even princesses. Appalled by the treatment of women, Sanghee is determined to change the kingdom’s patriarchal ways.

Korean Drama

Fig 1.4 Mystic Pop up Bar

Only open late at night, a mysterious outdoor bar can travel to different worlds and heal customers through their dreams. This also tells a story of The girl who committed suicide in her past life and she need to serve 1 million customers as a punishment.

Fig 1.5 W - Two worlds

A surgical resident is pulled into the webtoon world of W, which was created by her father, and becomes entangled in a murder mystery.

Layout

Fig 1.6 Layout Analysis

Character Analysis

Fig 1.7 Character Analysis

Fig 1.8 Visual Style Pinterest

Fig 1.9 Visual Style My drawings

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Exploration 

Week 10: Making a Plot

Concept

Genre: Isekai, Fantasy, Drama

I want the story to be classic romance manga. Recently I’ve been reading a lot of royalty isekai manga which inspired me to do this. I want the background of the main character to be sad which conveys the message of starting new/ freedom. The main character had already met the guy in the beginning however, she has no memory of his face only his voice. I wanted to make the guy be mysterious and he will be wearing a mask to evoke a sense of ambiguity. My novel would be the kind of novel that readers would be kind of confused at the start. However, it will all make sense when you read it through the end.

Mind Map

Fig 2.0 Mind Map

Logline

A High school girl who just turned 18 was harassed and abandoned. In midst of frustration, a wishing well and a mysterious hand appeared, which pulled her to an unfamiliar world inside a novel. She must find the man that brought her here! But, wait a minute, how come her hands are glowing?

Three Act Structure

Act 1 - Setup

Once upon a time, there was a high school student who just turned 18. Every day, she lived in terror of being harassed by her classmates and her family abandoned her. Unfortunately, Everything she had feared is her reality. Her classmates would speak behind her back and play pranks on her. The hostility behind their eyes led her to be reluctant of eye contact. Her family does not care about her wellbeing and only cherished their work.

Act 2 - Conflict

One day, when her family abandoned her and instructs her to leave the house, she accidentally encountered an ancient wishing well in a vacant field. She tossed a coin and yearned for freedom. A book emerged from the wishing well. As she opened the book, a light appeared that revealed a portal. A pair of hands came out from the portal and when she grasped it, the hand-pulled her into the portal. Because of that, she transported inside the novel in which she possessed the magic power of healing. Because of that too, she is called the black-haired saint and she must uncover the identity of the mysterious man that brought her here.

Act 3 - Resolution

Until finally, She has healed over 100 people in which granted her entry to the holy land. There, she found the mysterious man which goes by the name Hades. She eventually understood the actual reason why she is here and how important life is for each person. Her journey for the past year reveals to her how not everyone’s a necessary evil. They are just blinded by fame/money. When she reaches Hades, she is thankful for everything he had give to her and finally, she pleads for her last wish is to see his face before she departs to a new life.

Character Exploration

Rough Sketches

Fig 2.1 Rough Sketch Pencil

Fig 2.2 Rouch Sketch Colour

Final Character

Fig 2.3 Final Character Sketch

Expressions

Fig 2.4 Expressions 

Week 11: Layout

Tryout

I had a hard time starting my novel, I didn't know where to start nor how. I did a tryout for my first page first to see how it would be going. I sketch it out and add the color for the character.

Fig 2.5 First Page Layout Tryout

I was pretty satisfied with this panel layout which then I move on with the rest of the pages. I do admit I was nervous because it feels too blocky but I do like it like that. My style is a combination of webtoon and manga.

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Application

Week 12: Thumbnail

Fig 2.6 Thumbnail Rough Sketch

Fig 2.7 Thumbnail Lineart

Fig 2.8 Thumbnail Colour

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Animation

Adobe After Effect

Fig 2.9 Adobe After Effect

For animation, I decided to make mine in Adobe After Effect. We have slight experience using this software because we used it on other modules and Mr. Faizal has also taught us this. I went ahead and import my drawing. PSD file into AE.

Fig 3.0 Media Encoder

For the final outcome of animation, I'll be using a media encoder instead of exporting straight from AE. This is because I want my final outcome to be .MP4 meanwhile, by exporting from AE it won't let me import in .MP4 instead they would turn into MOV in which would be difficult to open without using the appropriate software needed.

Fig 3.1 Progress 29.9 FPS

Since I had little experience in animating a graphic novel, I did my animation simpler than what other webtoons would do. I would simply animate each box and text needed and extra line movements to enhance expression in the novel.

Attempts

Fig 3.2 First Failure

After doing all my animation work, I went ahead and export it through a media encoder. However, My first attempt outcome resulted in failure. There was inconsistency in the flow and some of the pages were cut. Therefore, I went back and try fixing my mistakes.

Fig 3.3 Second Failure

My second attempt was indeed another failure. This time, the consistency of the flow was right and every page was shown smoothly without a cut. However, there were some graphic elements laying around and missing pages. I didn't know why some of the pages wasn't shown in the video. Therefore, I went back and redo the animation again.

Fig 3.4 Third Failure

My third attempt was 50% successful. The flow was just right and the pages were shown smoothly. There were no missing pages and each scene was present clearly. The animation was also going just as I expected. However, there were some minor mistakes that I wanted to fix such as the wishing well has low opacity.

Fig 3.5 Fourth Failure

My fourth attempt was already fine. I was about to go for this one when I realized that there were some mistakes in the animation flow. Some of the animations started from left to right. This causes problems because all my drawings should be read from right to left. Therefore, I changed these mistakes and redo my animation. 

If I didn't change anything, this would disrupt the flow of the reader. Furthermore, readers would be confused as to where they should start reading. This would create disinterest in continuing the webtoon because it might confuse them. I know this from my experience in the reading manga. There was a manga that has this complication when one page they did right to left and next they did right to left. This confused me and made me unmotivated to read further,

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Final Outcome 

Fig 3.5 Final Graphic Novel PDF

Fig 3.6 Final Graphic Novel Animation MP 4 (Youtube Link)

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Reflection

Experience: This was the hardest project I've ever done. This takes a long time to make and each process was critical. Starting from the planning to designing the webtoon itself was a lot of work. When I first started on this, I was unmotivated because I'm not skilled in illustration. I was afraid that my character would look like lumps. From my childhood times, I've always liked to read manga, therefore, I know a lot about manga personally. This also applies to how it is hard to make a webtoon. However, after going through the process and extra guidance from Mr. Faizal I was able to pull through and finish my comic. It was satisfying and proud. Although it doesn't look good like the webtoon I read, it was my first time and I was proud of it. If I had the experience beforehand I would definitely produce a better result. However, I tried my best and I was able to improve my drawing through this project.

Observation: I observe that it was pretty confusing in producing a smooth webtoon. We need to remind ourselves how it would turn out. We also need to pay attention to how that layout is placed, that way reader won't be confused and it would look neat. We also need a lot of observation in designing the character. We need to see what kind of image we want to convey through that character, introvert/ extrovert. 

Findings: I find that animating the novel takes a lot of time. I've failed four times and succeed in my fifth attempt. This has taken me 2 days to finished because of the simple animation. I was astonished by the animator who would do this as their job. I find that this project made me exhausted but motivated me to work hard in the end.

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Feedback

Week 6

Mr. Faizal told me that my progress is good. I've shown a lot of experimentation and sketches. It was good that I showed the step by step progress of my character, that way Mr was able to see the progress.

Week 7

Ms.Anis told us to send our graphic novel story to her personally through times for feedback. She only read mine and didn't reply anything, I take it as okay. 

Week 13

I ask Mr. Faizal about my progress on thumbnail sketches and overall novel flow. Mr. Faizal told me that it was okay. I told him my concern about exceeding the maximum page of 10 pages. Mr. Faizal told me that if I can manage then keep it, just focus on the presentation on every page visually.