4/12/2024 - 05/01/2025 (Week 11 - Week 15)
Aveline Kristie / 0372310
Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media
Illustration and Visual Narrative
Task 4: Webcomic
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Lectures
2. Instructions
3. Tasks
4. Reflection
1. LECTURES
Mr. Hafiz gave us some explanations about the final project. The IVN final
project requires creating a comic in A4 portrait format with very limited
animation, consisting of at least 3 panels. The work should be submitted via
Google Slides for easy access and review.
The comic must follow a surrealism style, similar to Dave McKean’s work. All
drawings should be created in Adobe Illustrator using vector graphics.
Textures and lighting can be enhanced in Photoshop, particularly for
animation.
An understanding of Scott McCloud’s comic transitions is essential. The
project should demonstrate how transitions between panels influence pacing and
meaning.
Composition and layout must be carefully considered. Frames should be
well-arranged and balanced, with ink used to highlight the key elements of the
story.
Images can be submitted at 72dpi, which is appropriate for web submission. The
focus should be on the quality of animation and textures, applying them in
Photoshop while keeping the illustrations clean in Illustrator.
Text and speech bubbles should be included for dialogue. The font should be
readable and complement the surreal aesthetic, ensuring the text enhances the
storytelling.
2. INSTRUCTIONS
3. TASKS
For this task, we were instructed to create an A4-sized webcomic that contains
at least three panels and a cover, using Dave McKean's art style in Adobe
Illustrator. Later, we must animate at least three panels of the comic using
Adobe Photoshop or After Effects.
1. Visual References
First, I spent some time researching drawing references and exploring
different comic layouts to find the best approach for my project. I also
want to use Dave McKean's art style for both my comic and the cover.
After doing some research, I decided to make the comic dark and creepy.
I think this style fits the mood I want and works well with Dave
McKean's art style.
2. Sketch and Digitization
Afterwards, I chose the parts of the story I wanted to illustrate and
started sketching them out. However, Mr. Hafiz pointed out that the panels could be arranged better and
that each panel should flow smoothly into the next. I also realized that I
had included too many panels, so I decided to remove one.
Fig 3.2 Sketches
After receiving feedback, I rearranged my panels and made a few changes
to improve the story's representation. The main focus I wanted to
highlight is how they now live with regret after making a foolish wish
that ultimately caused their son's death.
The story begins with a mother waiting for her son to come home after
a long time, and the moment finally arrives. However, her husband
stops her from opening the door, reminding her that their son is
actually dead. The one knocking at their door is no longer their son,
as changing someone's fate is impossible.
For the poster, I want to illustrate their son's soul trapped in hell
after being traded for money due to his parents' greed.
Fig 3.3 Revised Sketch
After finalizing my sketch, I started digitizing it in Adobe Illustrator.
I used the Pen Tool to draw all the elements and to make the colours and
textures look more realistic, I added various textures and effects.
Additionally, I used the Gradient Tool to create smooth colour
transitions, Shape Builder Tool, and Gaussian Blur effect to add depth and
soft shading, which helped enhance the overall visual appeal of the
artwork.
Fig 3.4 Digitization Progress
I wanted the comic to have a dark and creepy vibe, so I primarily used a
dark colour palette to set the mood. However, I intentionally used
brighter colours for some panels featuring the mother to express her
hope of seeing her dead son again, which ultimately turns out to be in
vain. This contrast in colour helps to highlight her emotional state and
the tragic irony of the situation.
Fig 3.5 Digitization Progress
Lastly, I created the script and added the speech bubbles using the
Mistral Regular typeface, as this font choice complemented the overall
tone of the comic. I also added texture to the background to give it
more depth and contribute to the dark, eerie vibe.
Fig 3.6 Digitization Progress
For the cover, I also used dark colours to enhance the sense of
emptiness and create a creepy look. I added textures to most
elements to give them more depth and made it appear as if the son is
falling into the darkness, emphasizing the eerie atmosphere of the
story.
Fig 3.7 Digitization Progress
Lastly, I added lighting to draw attention to the son, while keeping the
rest of the image dark to maintain a mysterious and eerie vibe. I also
shaped the letter "W" to resemble the scratch of the monkey's paw.
Fig 3.8 Digitization Progress
Fig 3.9 Detailed Digitization Progress
I moved on to the animation stage and used Adobe After Effects to animate the comic for 5 seconds, as I’m more familiar with the software. I started by inserting the file and animating the 8th and 9th panels first since they were the easiest. I used the position tool to animate the tears running down the cheeks and nose, creating a smooth and emotional effect.
Fig 3.10 Animation Progress
Next, I used the Puppet Tool for the 8th and 10th panels. I placed pins on the objects I wanted to move, such as the mother's eyebrow and Herbert's head. For the eyebrow, I made small adjustments to give it a subtle expression change, and for Herbert's head, I made it swing, adding a bit of movement to create a more dynamic effect.
Fig 3.11 Animation Progress
Then, I animated the 3rd panel by making the eye grow bigger and smaller to show a shocked expression. I used the Scale tool, changing the scale from 100% to 115% to make the eye appear larger than the original, adding emphasis to the character's surprise.
Fig 3.12 Animation Progress
Lastly, I animated the 1st panel by making the text "KNOCK" appear and disappear using the Opacity tool. I adjusted the opacity to make the text fade in and out.
Fig 3.13 Animation Progress
3. Final Outcome
Fig 3.14 Final Outcome of The Monkey's Paw Poster
Fig 3.15 Final Outcome of The Monkey's Paw Webcomic
4. Final Animated Outcome
Fig 3.16 Final Outcome of The Monkey's Paw Animated
5. Rationale
Fig 3.17 Rationale
4. REFLECTION
I’m pleased with how the comic and animation turned out. The dark and creepy art style I used, inspired by Dave McKean’s approach, really helped set the mood and immerse the viewer in the story. Even though creating a creepy comic was a new experience for me, I was brave enough to do something new and step out of my comfort zone.
There were some challenges along the way, like rearranging panels and refining certain details, and this project took the longest time to complete. However, those adjustments made the narrative flow more smoothly and added more impact to the storytelling. Overall, I’m happy with how the piece conveys the themes of regret, loss, and the consequences of a foolish wish.
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