2. Graphic Narrative Experiments
The purpose of today’s sessions is to allow you to experiment with the
different methods before deciding on which methods you want to use to
produce you own graphic narrative.
You will use different techniques to depict the same moment from your
narrative. This will give you a chance to directly compare methods.
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3. Graphic Narrative Experiments
Things to consider:
• Quality of work you can produce using that method
• Speed that you can work at using that method
• How similar existing products are produced
• The audience for your product
• The resources that will be required and are available to you
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4. Graphic Narrative Experiments
You need to produce work using hand, mechanical and digital methods:
Digital photography
Illustration
Photoshop comic book effects
Rotoscoping
Mixed media
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5. Digital Photography
Digital photography can be a quick and effective method of generating
images for graphic narratives.
Digital photographs can be used on their own to tell a story or be used as
the basis for other pieces of artwork.
Advantages include being able to review your as you go to make sure you
are getting the images you want.
You can also apply a range of subtle and not so subtle post production
techniques to get the finished images you require.
Using digital photography, produce an image so that you can experience
the technique. You can then consider this technqiue as a way to produce
your graphic narrative.
Your image should be relevant in some way to your narrative.
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6. Illustration
Illustration is another method you can look at using.
It does require some skill but it can look effective.
Illustration can be produced in variety of mediums including pen and ink,
colour pencil and using digital methods.
You should produce an illustrated image to help you decide which method
you want to use.
Select a moment from your story to illustrate. The method or methods you
choose to use are up to you.
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7. Digital Comic Book
There are lots of different post production techniques that you can apply
to images.
Some are subtle, keeping the original character of a photograph or
drawing but enhancing it to make it more suitable for your end product.
Some are much less subtle and change the original image in to
something very different.
One of these methods involves using Adobe Photoshop to create comic
book style images.
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9. Digital Comic Book
Open the image you want to work on.
Double click on the lock icon to change the layer from background to layer
0.
Make two copies of the layer
Use the ‘eye’ icon to turn off the top copy
Select the bottom layer
Filter -> Artistic ->Cutout
Adjust the number of levels, edge simplicity and edge fidelity until you are
happy.
Click ‘OK’
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11. Comic Book
Now select your top layer and click and eye icon so you can
see the image
You should be able to see your original picture
Image -> Adjustments -> Threshold
Adjust the setting so that you image has detail in the key
areas of the face (eyes, nose, mouth)
Click ok
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13. Comic Book
Now change the opacity of the layer so that you can see the
‘cutout’ layer mixed with the ‘threshold layer’
This adds finer detail back into the images whilst preserving
the ‘comic book’ look
Save a JPEG version once you are happy
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15. Rotoscoping
You can submit evidence of your previous rotoscoping work.
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16. Mixed media
Mixed media refers to an artwork made using more than one medium
A work that combines paint, ink, and collage would be a mixed media
image.
The images below contain different mixtures of illustration, typography,
photography and painting to create their images.
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17. Mixed media
Produce a moment from your story using mixed media.
This could involve illustration using ink, pencil or crayon as well as collage.
It could involve starting with a photograph and adding paint, collage and
typography to it.
You must use at least 3 different media in your work.
It is another option for you to consider when deciding what method you
want to use to produce your own graphic narrative.
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18. Graphic Narrative Experiments
Now you have evidence that you have experimented with photography,
illustration, digital post production and mixed media.
You need to keep this evidence in your folder so it can be assessed.
Final Task:
Evaluate each method you have work on today. Write around 200 words
per method thinking about the following:
• Quality of work you can produce using that method
• Speed that you can work at using that method
• How similar existing products are produced
• The audience for your product
• The resources that will be required and are available to you
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19. Graphic Narrative Experiments
Hand in:
A digital photograph related to your narrative
A illustrated moment from your narrative
An image which has been altered using the comic book method. Include
the original image as well.
An image which has been altered using the rotoscope method. Include the
original image as well.
A mixed media moment from your narrative
Evaluation of each method you have tried. Use the questions on the
previous slide to help you.
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