Week Three // Image as Storytelling

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DXB202 - IMAGE PRODUCTION

Week 3 - Image as Storytelling: Comic Strip

Images 6 - 10

#oneperday18

Objective:

Create a five panel comic strip based on a fact that happened during your school years.

Title:

Peachey & Poppy (and the possum)

Technique:

110GSM drawing paper

Tracing paper

Graphite pencil: H, 2B

Artline Drawing System Pen: 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.8

Story Development:

Originally, while drafting the story line for this comic strip, I was inspired by one of my pets, Tessie, a feral cat I found as a kitten on school camp. At night she could never make her mind up whether she wanted to stay inside or outside (a cat's prerogative).
I was constantly exhausted!

While she passed away many years ago I now have a little dog called Poppy who often puts me in a similar state of exhaustion. You see, Poppy thinks she rules the roost and she is most displeased by any form of disturbance. The antagonist in Poppy's life is 'the possum' (she's not picky, she hates them all).

While the story depicted in the five images below did not happen to me during my school years, it is reminiscent of the the disturbed nights I had with Tessie. I felt that I was able to create a story that was more entertaining with greater personality by depicting Poppy's possum rivalry.

This is an adaptation of what occurs most nights in my house. If a possum runs across the roof, Poppy is sure to let the neighbourhood know!

Until earmuffs are made for dogs, I make do with a white noise machine.

Yet again I have a pet that is determined to deprive me of sleep!

Process:

I started this project by mapping out the story across each of the five panels of the strip, allowing space on the first row for a longer title panel. I wanted each panel set within the same scene and solely utilise minute changes of expression to demonstrate the change of emotions throughout the strip.

I then started to develop the style of the two characters. This took some time and the use of many reference images as drawing people is not something that comes naturally to me. Once this was complete I began to draw the panels in pencil.

To produce consistency throughout the strip I used tracing paper to create a template of the scene and it's recurring elements. Each occurrence of my head, Poppy's head, the pillows, blanket and their creases have been drawn using this template, with only the facial expressions changing. I flipped the template on one occasion to change the direction of Poppy's which I intended to demonstrate her fidgeting and agitation.

I over exaggerated the facial expressions in an attempt to bring some humour to the story.

Reflection:

I'm unsure if I portrayed the story successfully without featuring an image of the possum in any of the five panels. I hoped that by including them in the space surrounding the panels would fill in the blanks for the reader and explain to them what it is that is creating the noise. However, I'm not entirely convinced this was achieved.

I am quite happy with how I portrayed the emotions, particularly those displayed by Poppy, throughout the strip. However, I think had I used more variation in the thickness of my pen stroke some of the facial features would not detract from the rest of the image as much as they currently are.

IMAGE 1: The possums are awake and ready to play! Poppy is NOT pleased.

IMAGE 2: The possums scurry off, but I'm sure to put on some ear muffs just in case they return.

IMAGE 3: The possums return! But my earmuffs are blocking out the sound well! Poppy is getting crankier...

IMAGE 4: Poppy explodes with anger at the sheer audacity of the possums! I am rudely awakened by the ear piercing howls that can only be produced by a small terrier.