Illustration & Visual Narrative - Final Assignment: Webcomic

2/12/2024 - 5/01/2025 (Week  - Week 14)
Shema Goldie Angwen / 0372129 
Illustration & Visual Narrative 
Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media / Taylor's University
Task 4: Final Assignment Webcomic (40%)

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

• INSTRUCTIONS
• TASK
• REFLECTIONS

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INSTRUCTIONS

Assignment Requirements

• Comic Cover: Design a cover that represents your interpretation of The Monkey’s Paw, including an illustrated masthead created in Illustrator. You may use Photoshop to manipulate textures and images for a surreal effect inspired by Sandman covers or refer to “surrealistic adobe illustrator artwork”. Include subtle animations if desired to create a haunting atmosphere.
• One-Page Comic: Translate a selected part of the story into a single-page, animated webcomic with at least 3 panels animated using GIFs in Google Slides. Focus on panel-to-panel transitions (e.g., moment-to-moment, action-to-action, subject-to-subject) to maintain suspense and continuity.
• Format: Portrait orientation for phone or tablet display. Assemble all elements in Google Slides for presentation.

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TASK

For the final project, we need to select a part of a given text. We are required to choose a section from The Monkey's Paw and create a Comic Cover Page and an Animated One-Page Comic based on the excerpt.

He took the paw, and dangling it between his forefinger and thumb, suddenly threw it upon the fire. White, with a slight cry, stooped down and snatched it off.

"Better let it burn," said the soldier solemnly.

"If you don't want it Morris," said the other, "give it to me."

"I won't." said his friend doggedly. "I threw it on the fire. If you keep it, don't blame me for what happens. Pitch it on the fire like a sensible man."

The other shook his head and examined his possession closely. "How do you do it?" he inquired.

"Hold it up in your right hand, and wish aloud," said the Sergeant-Major, "But I warn you of the consequences."

Then, I analyzed the text above the part which I chose to identify the elements I need to draw by highlighting them.

Figure 1.1: Analyzing Text

These are the ideas for each panels:

Panel 1: The Monkey's Paw lies on the table, mysterious and unsettling.
Panel 2: Morris throws the Monkey's Paw into the fire.
Panel 3: Mr. White, intrigued, reaches out to take the Monkey’s Paw.
Panel 4: Morris warns Mr. White, reminding him of the dire consequences of using the paw.

Then, I started doing the sketch in ProCreate, here is the first attempt sketch: 

Figure 1.2: First Attempt Sketch

After showing my sketch to Mr. Hafiz, he pointed out that the composition is still all in long shots (other than the monkey's paw). He told me that there are conversations happening between the characters, you could have a close up or medium shot rather than have both of them in the same panel. Imagine a movie, where two people are talking and there are cut scenes in between. When the character speaks and is far, it doesn't convey the sense of a conversation. Make a reference to framed ink.

So, I decided to revise the panels, and here is the final sketch:

Figure 1.3: Panels Research Board 

The art style I’m referring to is the image I’ve inserted above, featuring a blue-black color theme that complements the surrealistic atmosphere.

Transition
Panel 1 to Panel 2 : subject to subject
Panel 2 to Panel 3 : subject to subject
Panel 3 to Panel 4 : subject to subject
Panel 4 to Panel 5 : subject to subject
Panel 5 to Panel 6 : action to action

Then, I began digitizing the panels in Adobe Illustrator as instructed by Mr. Hafiz. I started by creating the empty panels and then traced each element from my sketch, most of which I traced using the Curvature Tool.

For the first panel, I created the monkey’s paw using the Curvature Tool, and I used the Brush Tool on the outer parts to add a fur effect. The desk was also created with the Curvature Tool. Then, I colored the elements. Next, I decided to add a checkerboard, since the text mentions that Mr White and his son were playing chess. I created the checkerboard using the Line Tool and colored it with the Live Bucket Tool. I also added a spotlight to the monkey's paw to emphasize that it is the main aspect of the panel. Then I colored it and applied transparency to the spotlight effect.

For the second panel, I traced the fireplace using the Curvature Tool and added colors. I then traced the melted alarm, which is one of the surreal elements in this comic, along with the unusual color scheme. I also added the number on the alarm using the Text Tool and used the Curvature Tool to stretch certain parts, creating a melted effect. Afterward, I colored the alarm. Next, I created the fire using the Curvature Tool and applied a gradient to color it. Finally, I copied and pasted the monkey’s paw from the first panel, rotating it slightly to depict Morris throwing the paw into the fire.

For the third panel, I began by drawing a line to separate the floor from the wall, then colored it. Next, I created a close-up of a man standing, capturing the moment after Morris throws the paw and remains standing while Mr. White reaches for it. I added shadows to Morris’s jeans and hand using the Curvature Tool and colored them. Then, I created Mr. White, standing behind Morris, also using the Curvature Tool. I designed Mr. White’s shirt with a collar to indicate that he is the same character as in the next panel, and I made sure his hairstyle matched. Afterward, I colored all the elements. Finally, I copied and pasted the desk with the checkerboard from panel 1 and placed it far behind Morris.

For the fourth panel, the perspective is a side profile of Mr. White, capturing the moment when he is holding the monkey’s paw and asking how it works. I traced the scene using the Curvature Tool, then added shadows by selecting specific areas and darkening them to create a contrast.

For the fifth panel, I used a close-up perspective to illustrate the scene where Morris explains to Mr. White how the monkey’s paw works. I traced the scene with the Curvature Tool, added color, and applied highlights by using lighter shades for certain areas using the Brush Tool.

For the last panel, I used a close-up perspective to emphasize Morris’s intense, sharp gaze as he warns Mr. White about the consequences of his wishes. I traced the scene with the Curvature Tool and used the Brush Tool to highlight certain parts of his face.

Here is the Final Outcome:
 

Figure 1.4: One-Page Comic Final Outcome 

Then I continue to animate it in Adobe After Effects. The elements that I animated for the comic panels:

Spotlight in Panels 1 (Scale and Rotation)

Monkey's Paw in Panels 2 (Position) 

Fire in Panels 2 & 3 (Position and Scale)

Figure 1.5: Animation Progress

Figure 1.6: One-Page Comic with Animation (gif)

Then, I also worked on the sketch for the cover.

Figure 1.7: First Attempt Cover Sketch

Mr. Hafiz's feedback was: "It's interesting. Maybe the sketch for the cover could emphasize the title more." So, I decided to revise the cover sketch to emphasize the title more.

Figure 1.8: Second Attempt Cover Sketch

Then I digitized it in Adobe Illustrator.

Figure 1.9: Cover Result First Attempt

But turns out Mr. Hafiz said "The cover looks a little underwhelming, maybe you could look into some textures from surrealistic art references or the references I provided."

So I decided to make revisions: 

Figure 1.10: Cover Research Board 

Then I digitized it in Adobe Illustrator. I began tracing the monkey's paw from the sketch using the Curvature Tool. Then, I added the fur effect with the Brush Tool and decided to add an outline. Next, I traced the family silhouette using the Curvature Tool as well and added an outline. For the background, I used the Curvature Tool to draw the tree and enhanced it with effects created using the Brush Tool. 

For the title, I chose neon green to make it stand out. As for the background, I used dark colors to create a haunting atmosphere, as instructed by Mr. Hafiz.

Figure 1.11: Cover Result Second Attempt

I then sent it again to Mr. Hafiz for feedback since I finished early and still had a lot of time. He suggested that "You could use some kind of brush texture or ink on the paw to make it more interesting. Maybe the paw could be in red or pure green."

So, I decided to make the revisions.

Figure 1.12: Cover Result Third Attempt

I sent it back to Mr. Hafiz for feedback, and he said, "Okay, it looks better. The cover still needs some work though. Maybe it's because it looks more like a hand rather than a monkey's paw." So, I decided to revise the shape of the monkey's paw while keeping the ink texture.

Figure 1.13: The Final Outcome

Then, I started working on the animation in Photoshop. I saved the Illustrator file, then opened it in Photoshop to make color adjustments for three PNG files. After that, I saved them as PNGs and created the GIF in Photoshop. Here is the final version.

Figure 1.14: The Process

Figure 1.15: Cover with Animation (gif)

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REFLECTIONS

Experience

The moment I was given this task, I felt overwhelmed because I had no prior experience in creating comics. Moreover, the comic story assigned by Mr. Hafiz turned out to be in horror genre. I have always disliked horror in any form, so this was a completely new experience for me. In the end, I'm grateful that I managed to finish the task on time. Looking back, it has become a valuable experience that truly sharpened my creative skills.

Observations

This project taught me how to tell a story through illustrations. It wasn’t easy, but I learned a lot, including concepts like panels, transitions, framed ink, and more. I discovered that gathering references and creating sketches beforehand is really helpful before executing the final work in Illustrator.

Findings

I discovered that creating a comic takes a lot of time and effort. I had to carefully consider the right colors, transitions, and ways to communicate effectively so readers could understand the story. For me, this task highlighted the importance of time management, especially because it carried a significant weight of 40%.