Thursday, September 9, 2010

exposition exposed

Heya Dave,

So I've been working with a most excellent friend of mine and local yokel Mr. Dustin Alexander Bolton , and we have been stirring up some trouble of the graphical kind.

So 'round abouts the mid July, Mr. Bolton cruised in from Tennessee, and the two of us set out with ambitious plans (not unlike your pre-con activities) to construct us a story and a comic by DragonCon, narry a month a something away.

The bad news was that we didn't hit our mark of a finished something. The great news was that we came pretty darn far, and I think that with some work it could be something really cool! It's taught me a lot about illustration vs. storytelling, concepts vs. narrative, and how darn tough environmental designs are!

The end product is a current mashup of these and we're working on re-arranging the layouts for increased read-a-bility. Goal-minded lass that I am, nonetheless I have to say I'm pretty darned pleased with where it ended up.

Well enough talk, here's some of the shots of some rendered panels. And obviously any sage counsel you would'st provide would be much appreciated!









2 comments:

dave said...

lookin' pretty snazzy miss! with the amazing complexity of these renders, i can see how a deadline of a single month would prove troublesome.

you're working on 6 pages here, right? did you have a proposed length for the issue, or just freestyling? i find knowing where the story's going helps dictate panel pacing -- the action so far seems to be building, leaving me curious about what scripting you might add!

the figure work and draping are naturally superb, and wow you weren't kidding about your background designs! if i might relate how i'm reading this: the be-cloaked fellow (a priestly sort i'd imagine) has summoned the nekkid gentleman from the center of a water-themed summoning chamber? (kinda reminds me of the interaction between vader and the emperor in empire strikes back).

the added elements of blocking out shadows and the irish braided borders are nice touches. particularly the inks...not sure if you're doing your own tracing, but that's a whole 'nother can of worms (aside from figure work, storytelling, pacing, etc.). the braided borders work really well as gutters, not distracting and adding just a subtle extra something. and i'm really digging the reflection of the squatting guy!

is this the same project as your arabian/jellyfish research? looks like fun -- please lemme know if i can help any!

mel said...

Ah yes 'tis the terminal product of the previous efforts....
Well for now we are 'back to the drawing board' figuratively, and literally even further back than that--we've gone back to the writing and concepting phase to refine our story before jumping back into the re-telling!

We're trying to come up with a quality script right now and I will certainly take you up on that offer and try to bend your ear within the next week or two to what we've got brewing...