"Lev Tsarya", Ch. I:
........I found the importance of coming up with the character design sheets first before settling into a sequential involving several main characters - if for nothing else than to codify their look, uniforms, and getting comfortable with possible facial expressions. Was interesting to go back to page 2 (first one done) after hitting page 15, and realizing that a couple of characters had to be redrawn; "Wait; who's that again? Oh yeah..."
I'm usually pretty good about kicking myself to do the exploratory sketch thing first. (I actually had a couple of full page illos of these characters before this.) Then again, I wasn't anticipating doing a short sequential off an initial loose sketch (second page, first panel).
..Snowball kept on rolling, and found myself just making it up as I went - which probably shows. But I did my best with improvising and not going back to readjust panels (although this happened a few times). First pass, with all the bells and whistles happening as I was drawing. ("Ah wait, this guy could be the angry leader.", "This guy could be the simple peasant that always lifts his hat to everyone.", "This is how the inner sanctum and Patriarch will look."; "These are the two prisoners they release.","This is how everyone gets into a Keystone Cops scenario.", etc)
But it pretty much follows the same theme as the WWII sequence I did a while back (on the portfolio page) - just added a few little things here and there. Stories can be the same as rough sketches - exploring and reworking the look and feel until you get an offshoot that's more refined.
Anyhow, there's hopefully some clarity in the panels. Some of it's pretty crammed, but that's what happens when this stuff's happening in one go. Besides, story's supposed to be organic and all - which is just another way of saying that it does its own thing while having some sort of structure in the meanwhile - kind of like an Amazonian jungle, nitroglycerin, or Windows Vista.
6 comments:
lawl on the vista comment. I have the program and I agree whole heartedly with that statment.
Looks awesome dude. I'm most apprecitative about your comments afterward. Gave me a much better idea, not only of your method used, but also of possible methods. I like it dude, thanks!
Wow, its pretty obvious that you had fun doing this. your sense of composition, values, depth and sequence are right on the mark. I enjoyed watching it.
More power!!!!!
These are awesome! I love the tranformation of the old man into the LIon. Amazing drawings man. I'm intrigued by the story, hope there's more!
Thanks everyone for commenting. Before I make the rounds, I've got one question for everyone: When going through this post, was it just as easy to read the pages in small thumbnail as it was in full res?...
red;
Thanks much; I was wondering if folks would sift through my end-page rants. It actually helped me to reorganize my approach/thought process a little more while typing it out.
Roy;
Indeed I did have fun spinning this off of a few unconnected drawings. I'm really happy that the values and compositions are reading alright.
Steve;
Thanks man; I'm only following in the footsteps of your own graphic novel adventures... In the meantime, I'll try to come up with more story behind this. I'll probably have more ideas after I be done reading a couple of things waiting on the bookshelf.
Really good job!
Sequences are rich of details and the composition is amazing!
I fell more and more in love with your works!
ManuPela;
My artwork's always appreciative of any love it receives, esp. in the form of gracious compliments from other artists. Thank you much.
Although those drawings informed me that they're already seeing someone else at the moment. I tried telling them about going out and seeing other people more often, but you know how illustrations can be sometimes.
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