Leong Jiahui
0353469
Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media
COM61304102929-M / Illustration and Visual Narrative
Project 3 - Webtoon 7 Motion Comic
INSTRUCTIONS
PROJECT 3A
PROGRESS
WEEK 7 (13/5/2022)
SHORT STORY TASK - Three Acts structure
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I couldn't use the template without sounding cringe because my writing skills are non-existent. I apologize in advance 🤡
Idea 1: Enough (fighting anxiety & depression// mental health-themed)
ACT 1 - Set up
X is popular social media influencer that models for the biggest of brands and you see her face everywhere you go. She’s that girl everyone wants to become, but she always felt that she is never enough.
ACT 2 - Conflict
One day, her skin was irritated so she removed her makeup before leaving the studio. She made sure to cover herself properly cause what would the public say if they saw her like that? She could already hear the voices judging her, the shadows laughing and she ran home.
She slammed her room door and saw her perfect reflection in the mirror. This version of her that the public see was NOT her. She doesn’t look like that, and her perfect reflection knows it. The voices grow louder: Stop eating, stop slouching, you’re not enough, you’re never enough…
ACT 3 - Resolution
Until she breaks down. She can't stay that way and she knows it. She reaches into the mirror and engages in a battle with her reflection - her perfect-self facade (Y). She has had enough of being perfect. She wants to be free and in order to do that she must win the fight with her toxic 'perfect' persona. In the end X & Y gets flung over the railing and falls. The news reported that the famous internet star had committed suicide due to mental illness the next day.
Idea 2 (outline) - Family themed
Father is an office worker. Stressed and felt a bit empty during work one day. Mother is a housewife. Tired from the housework and sometimes, just sometimes, still thinks about her life before giving up her career to raise the child. "Sometimes I feel everything. Then I feel nothing."
Father comes home and gets ambushed by the daughter playing 'save the princess' (what is this game called?) where the mother is the princess, the child's the knight and the father is the unwilling villain. They engage in a wholesome hopefully a lil comedic fight scene.
The parents get reminded of what they have sacrificed for their child and realise they are content with their lives as long as their child is happy. 'For family, all is worth it' kind of wholesome ending.
**still figuring it out
WEEK 9 (27/5/2022)
After further consideration and feedback from Ms Anis, I decided to proceed with Idea 1. It’s darker and definitely more complicated than Idea 2, but I’m excited for the challenge.
Visual Research
Ah yes. There’s nothing better than having an excuse to read comics in the name of assignments. I’m an avid reader of webcomics, and the following are some of the Webcomics I’ve referenced/studied while exploring and creating my own style:
Title & credits
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| fig 1.1 Title page |
right: Who Made Me a Princess
After going through a number of chapters of different comics, I've come to realise that while the title page is mostly found at the beginning of the comic (right), some are found after a few panels (left). This helps provide an intro/build-up for the chapter and can create a sense of suspense.
After going through a number of chapters of different comics, I've come to realise that while the title page is mostly found at the beginning of the comic (right), some are found after a few panels (left). This helps provide an intro/build-up for the chapter and can create a sense of suspense.
Art style
- anime art style
- decorative elements to complement & fill in empty awkward spaces (flowers etc)
- Patterned backgrounds
Panelling
- organic panelling (no fixed shape, usually made with brushes & sized depending on context)
- very few subsequent horizontal panels (due to the long & narrow phone display)
Usage of SFX & effects
- not just for sound effects. Movements & reactions can also be added (ex: stare~~, lifts, shift, etc) to better express the movement
Speech bubbles
- Half transparent gives it an overall softer feel
- text positioning in the speech bubble is important
- font-size: 20pts
Storyboarding
The more I draft & sketch out my idea the more impossible it feels for my skill level istg. My initial sketch had 20pages, and god knows how many panels, and we have a month to do this,, so... 5 pages a day...?
WEEK 10 (3/6/2022)
After consulting Ms Anis, some panels are cut down and combined to give the story an overall better flow. My very depressing ending is also changed to a more hopeful one. Below is my (very messy) storyboarding:
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| fig 2.1 Storyboarding (6/6/2022) |
Character Design
Not wanting to spend too much time on making a proper character design sheet, I made a quick & brief sketch of my (one and only) character - Chew (X finally has a name now!) and her perfect model counterpart - Chewie ( her stage name)
When designing Chew & Chewie, I gave them outfits that suited their personality.
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| fig 3.1 Character Design sketches (6/6/2022) |
Chewie, the model and internet star wears trendy & more revealing clothing with bright and bold colours that demanded attention. She also lets down her wavy hair and wears accessories.
Chew, on the other hand, lacks confidence and hence wears dull colours that help her blend into the background. Her clothing is also baggy and covers more parts of her skin that she is desperately trying to hide. Her hair is tied up in a messy bun, making her look more casual but unkempt compared to her model counterpart, Chewie.
The art style I used was my usual art style that I'm comfortable with. I hope my art style can bring justice to the story.
Before moving on, I also did a quick pen test on Illustrator to make sure they had the right brushes that works well with my art style (they didn't). I've never actually done any real digital art before, let alone a whole freakin comic, so I'm part excited part nervous rn.
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| fig 3.2 Illustrator brush testing (6/6/2022) |
Sketching
Don't get me wrong, I love drawing. But sketching these 20+ pages in 3 days makes me want to hit a wall and my only way of coping is procrastination. Why pass assignments when you can pass away amirite.
Don't get me wrong, I love drawing. But sketching these 20+ pages in 3 days makes me want to hit a wall and my only way of coping is procrastination. Why pass assignments when you can pass away amirite.
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| fig 4.1.1 Sketching progress (8/6/2022) |
I've made sure to scale my sketches based on the canvas size so I won't run into any unnecessary problems when digitalizing in Illustrator. After I'm done with the sketches, I scanned them only to realise the blue pencil lead I used is barely visible (way to go, me!). So here I am editing each page on Photoshop so I don't have to suffer as much when lining.
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| fig 4.1.2 Consequences of my own actions (11/6/2022) |
WEEK 11 (10/6/2022)
Please do not mind the questionable red stain on one of the pages 💖
Please do not mind the questionable red stain on one of the pages 💖
Kindly click to have a better view:
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| fig 4.2.1 Sketches (11/6/2022) |
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| fig 4.2.2 Notes & dialogues (11/6/2022) |
Digitalization
I am stressed. As a test run, I decided to start the illustration of Chewie's billboard advertisement that will be used repeatedly throughout the story. Fingers crossed.
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| fig 5.1.1 pen test (11/6/2022) |
When life gives you lemons, don't make lemonade! Make life take the lemons back. In the end, I've managed to custom a caligraphy brush that still can't muster up a sad excuse of a sharp edge, but well,, close enough.
My experience with Illustrator is the definition of 1 step forward, 3 steps back. I'm starting to think that using the pen tool might be more effective?? ( update: it's not)
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| fig 5.1.2 oh my god wth(11/6/2022) |
so here's a WIILDDD idea: how does Illustrator on Ipad sound to you? Technically it's not cheating, right? It's still Illustrator...right?
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| fig 5.1.3 Illustrator on Ipad (11/6/2022) |
Back to square one, I decided to try the charcoal brush again, but it doesn't show up anymore? Why are the settings keep getting messed up? And my tablet driver decides to go ham 🥰🥰I have a feeling that the beef between me and Illustrator is very much mutual.
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| fig 5.1.4 lining progress with charcoal brush(11/6/2022) |
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| fig 5.1.5 lineart brush by jimro (13/6/2022) |
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| fig 5.1.7 lineart progress (13/6/2022) |
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| fig 5.1.8 still working hard (14/6/2022) |
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| fig 5.1.9 Lineart progress (13/6/2022-14/6/2022) |
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| fig 5.1.10 Progress overview (14/6/2022) |
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| fig 5.1.11 what the heck (16/6/2022) |
So here's a scary thought: my lineart isn't connected at all parts to properly form a closed shape. This will cause me problems I can already feel it coming but I'll leave tomorrow's problems to tomorrow's me.
WEEK 12 (17/6/2022)
Today we work on the backgrounds.
WEEK 12 (17/6/2022)
Today we work on the backgrounds.
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| fig 5.2.1 very tempted (17/6/2022) |
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| fig 5.2.2 Background progress (18/6/2022) |
Colouring
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| fig 6.1.1 colouring progress (20/6/2022) |
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| fig 6.1.2 colouring comparison (21/6/2022) |
--tangent of me dealing with colour differences between mac & windows--
TLDR: They're different and ugly and I had to compare both to come up with colours that looked good on both sides.
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| fig 6.1.3 base colour progress (23/6/2022) |
So we have a problem. Mac and Windows do not use the same system colour palette. I was shocked to see how yellow her face looked from my iPad compared to my windows pc, and after some research on how to calibrate or overcome the problem, I have come to the conclusion that it has no solution 💀 Apparently the only way was to stick with these 216 web-safe colours below that will look the same on both mac and windows.
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| fig 6.1.4 web-safe colours...? (23/6/2022) |
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| fig 6.1.5 what?? (23/6/2022) |
So what's the solution? I live-streamed my pc screen to my iPad and picked a colour that looked good on both sides. This is my life now I guess.
--tangent over--
--tangent over--
WEEK 13 (24/6/2022)
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| fig 6.1.6 painting progress (28/6/2022) |
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| fig 6.1.7 blush with gradient technique (1/7/2022) |
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| fig 6.1.8 painting progress (1/7/2022) |
WEEK 14 (1/7/2022)
The font I used was 'MV Boli'. I didn't anticipate the text-adding part to be hard too but oh god it was. Hurdle after hurdle comics are HARD AF. I just want my holiday is that too much to ask😿
I ended up looking up webtoon fonts and now it looks a bit more legit I guess. Still amateurish, but better.
I won't tell you how long it took for me to do this, just know that it was longer than I would've committed to if I weren't doing it for an assignment.
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| fig 6.2.1 adding text (2/7/2022) |
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| fig 6.2.2 adding text (4/7/2022) |
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| fig 6.3 webtoon full colour (4/7/2022) |
Am in tears. I actually had a lot of fun doing this, surprisingly. Now onto the animation.
PROJECT 3B - MOTION COMIC
WEEK 12 (17/6/2022)
During the feedback session, I went over my animation plan with Ms Anis and she suggested some changes and improvements to it. I don't expect anyone to understand how it works, but it looks like this:
During the feedback session, I went over my animation plan with Ms Anis and she suggested some changes and improvements to it. I don't expect anyone to understand how it works, but it looks like this:
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| fig 6.1.1 animation plan (17/6/2022) |
WEEK 14 (1/7/2022)
How we're required to make an animation without getting taught how to do so is still beyond me. I am so lost with where and how to start.
After watching what felt like a lifetime of videos and A LOT of trial and error, I've managed to muster up a sad excuse for animation. It's really just a lot of panning and text animation, but I'm trying okay😭😭😭😭
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| fig 6.2.1 Animation in After Effects (5/7/2022) |
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| fig 6.2.2 Animation compilation (5/7/2022) |
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| fig 6.3.1 putting it all together (6/7/2022) |
I should've coloured the line art too dammit.
FINAL OUTCOME
Here are all the reference pictures I've used for this project: https://pin.it/4Ar403Y
Webcomic: Enough.
(completely butchered up the quality and I have no idea why)
Link: https://youtu.be/Bzcga_xHbQ0
FEEDBACK
WEEK 9 (27/5/2022)
Ms Anis gave the greenlight to proceed with idea 1. She suggested scenes like having X walk by a huge billboard with her face on it to suggest the fact that she is famous instead of outright stating that she is an influencer.
WEEK 10 (3/6/2022)
Ms Anis suggested some changes to the storyline to make it less grim. My suicide tragedy ending has been changed to a more uplifting one to convey a positive message. She also suggested some panelling changes to improve the flow of the comic as well as to help cut down the pages. Ms Anis is my official co-writer.
WEEK 12 (17/6/2022)
Ms Anis gave some suggestions on the animation plan as well as some panelling changes. She suggested that I animate the words (sfx & dialogues)more instead of the object to save time. For the colouring, she suggested that I focus on painting the first & final 3 pages. This can bring out the grim atmosphere in the middle of the story.
REFLECTION
What the hell. This felt like it was never going to end.
Webcomics.
It was certainly...an experience. Drawing comics had always been a bucket list of mine and now it was finally checked off in the name of assignments. Ngl I freakin LOVED drawing the comic. From the planning to the sketching to the panelling,, and finally, seeing everything you've worked so hard for starting to take shape? THE SATISFACTION IS*chef's kiss*
Though... Not so much on Illustrator. Cause who in the right mind will create webtoons with Illustrator. Illustrator is amazing for vector-styled artworks and generally for simple art styles, but webtoons?! I think one would have to fit into a pretty specific art style to work well with comics in Illustrator, which I find VERY LIMITING. Adding to the fact that we're not exactly masters of the software given we've only worked on it for a couple of months (with pretty much the same few functions only, no less) using Illustrator to complete such a complicated task is a pretty huge jump. Also, 60 panels and a freakin fight scene is honestly A LOT to ask from beginners.
That said, I still enjoyed the progress and it has given me a whole lot more confidence to start drawing more comics on my own. It also tripled my respect for comic artists, storyboarders, and anyone really, who works in this industry.
Now, the animation.
Me to After Effects & Media Encoder the entire time:
The fact that we were expected to make a motion comic from scratch without even getting taught the basics of After Effects or even animation, in general, is STILL beyond me. I've watched so many tutorials on youtube just to make my motion comic and it didn't even look good. Now Youtube thinks I'm an aspiring animator and only shows me animation videos in my recommendations.
About the story...
This was originally a story about an influencer suffering from a split personality disorder who decides to kill herself in the end. The title 'enough' carries a different meaning in different scenarios. (the feeling of wanting to be enough & had enough of the pressure) This version was less depressing and more hopeful, but I'd love to draw an alternate ending in the future.
Any last words...?
IVN was my favourite subject this sem. The assignments were tough, but I generally had fun most of the time. I've learned a lot about different adobe software and it was amazing how the knowledge I've acquired from Typography and DPI can come into play in this module as well. I've learned so much, so now it's time for my sem break. Cheers 🥂
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