I have had quite a few meetings since my last update, so this is going to be a mixed bag of the most notable suggestions with some attempt given to explain them in a way that makes sense to you (and me).
Meeting with Peter, 22nd August
Peter brought up the idea of using Different Formats Of Style And Size for different stories. This is something that I have already been doing in a sense, Socially Awkward was an A4 pencil and ink job that was translated to Photoshop (and can now be printed to quite ridiculous size, if I have a mind to do so.) Night Drive was completed on A5 to aid in a speedy completion, in the heat of the 24 hour comic challenge. I liked that so much I continued working in A5 for the 1994 Melbourne story, and have continued it for the stories part 2, 1994 Queensland. Preparing for Zics was busted out in the same way, except with no planning and using markers. What’s next?
Another suggestion was to focus on the Beats Of A Story. I was watching a Gnomon video just recently called Visual Storytelling, and Iain McCraig was showing how he thinks about storytelling visually, by literally drawing out the major beats of a story and letting the drawing process tease out the story. A very cool approach and something I already do in a small way as part of my thumbnailing process. I used to wonder why I had so much trouble sticking to a script, but now I’ve found peace with the truth- the act of drawing is in itself a method of uncovering, discovering and furthering the plot.
Meeting with Andi 23 August
Andi coined a new phrase and novel idea in using a ‘metaphoric post-it-note methodology’. That is, to use post-it-notes to keep track of story ideas and such. A fellow research student, Marianna Shek uses this methodology, constructing yellow sticky notes on foam core board to keep track of her story. She is, however, writing about time travel, so this is probably a drastic measure for a drastic scenario. It is a cool idea and one I will probably use once I get to piecing together a broad, overarching narrative.
I have had a lot of qualms with the way I’m proceeding, fearing that I’m having too much fun. Andi assures me this is normal, and that the natural work method I use is a valid way of working. Reassurance is nice. The idea and emphasis as of now is on producing lots of short stories and selecting what works, writing rawly in the beginning, to polish later. This is a productive phase- the reflective phase comes later to emphasize strength of storytelling, POV, angles etc.
Andi meeting 04th September
Andi likes my recent work and how I am juxtaposing strength of tone, such as strong blacks, with detail work. She suggested I explore this further. She recommended I find a way to anchor the reader in the character by keeping at least one element of him (me) the same throughout. An example could be keeping the same tee shirt, or detail on the face, clothing… or perhaps a little white dog could accompany me, or a fat menhir delivery friend.
I need to reference specific details to backgrounds to give the reader a clue as to what year it is. Are there CRT monitors around, or a gameboy, CD walkman, hyper colour tee-shirts, that sort of thing. Referencing, my old arch nemesis, we meet again.
Composition! Leading the eye, through the panels, from panel to panel, from page to page.
Since then I have had a couple of meetings and the main idea is to keep going, keep exploring the visual work, to have a foundation with which to compare and contrast, and situate myself within the context of work I am looking at. A pleasure!