Illustration and Visual Narrative - Task 4: Webcomic

30/11/2024 - 6/1/2025 (Week 11 - Week 14)

Chang Wing / 0367807

Illustration and Visual Narrative / Bachelors of Design (Honours) in Creative Media / Taylor's University

Task 4: Webcomic

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Table of Content:

1. Lectures

2. Instructions

3. Task

4. Reflection

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Lectures

Week 11

Mr. Hafiz gave us a briefing on the webcomic assignment and introduced Dave McKean's cover designs, encouraging us to explore his surrealist style, which will be the focus for illustrating The Monkey’s Paw. He also showed us examples of storyboards to help us communicate our ideas more effectively. For instance, he suggested posing and taking photos of ourselves to quickly capture poses and expressions, making the storyboarding process easier and more accurate.

Figure 1.1 Dave McKean's Covers

Figure 1.2 Example of storyboard

Week 12

Mr. Hafiz clarified on the Scott McCloud's transitions which includes, Moment to Moment, Action to Action, Subject to Subject, Scene to Scene, Aspect to Aspect and Non Sequitur (Action-Action and Subject to Subject are the most commonly used ones). These techniques help us to structure the narrative effectively and ensure seamless transitions that enhance both the storytelling and the reader's engagement.

Figure 1.3 Scott McCloud's Transitions

Week 13

No lecture for this week. Mr. Hafiz reviewed our designs and provided feedback to help us finalise them.

Week 14

No lecture for this week. Mr. Hafiz reviewed our designs and provided feedback online to help us finalise them.

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Instructions

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Task 4: Webcomic

Required to create an animated comic cover and a minimum three-panel comic page based on The Monkey's Paw by W.W. Jacobs. 

Use Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop to develop surreal, atmospheric visuals and incorporate Scott McCloud’s transition techniques to enhance storytelling. At least three panels and parts of the cover has to be animated and put into Google Slides to draw viewers' attention.

Reference 

I started by looking at Dave McKean's Sandman covers to study his style and composition, they all have this eerie, gothic, and vintage vibe, each of them possesses paranormal and surreal elements.

Figure 2.1 Dave McKean's Book Covers

Then, I explored different vector-style artworks on Pinterest. Combining with Dave McKean's style, I decided to go with a dark, high-contrast chiaroscuro vector art style for both my book cover and comic to capture the eerie vibe of The Monkey’s Paw.

Figure 2.2 Pinterest Artworks

Sketch (Book Cover)

I had a rough idea for the book cover and wanted to achieve a chiaroscuro art style. To do this I needed reference images, so I took some photos and searched for images online. I then posterised them in Adobe Photoshop to visualise the image I had in mind and better communicate the concept to Mr. Hafiz.

 

Figure 2.3 Hand posing

Figure 2.4 Posterising in Adobe Photoshop

Figure 2.5 Draft

Figure 2.6 Other Drafts

Typography

I wanted my book cover to feature expressive typography that would immediately draw the reader's attention and leave a strong design impression. Using Adobe Illustrator, I crafted the typography with the Pathfinder tool and applied the Roughen effect to give it a more dynamic and textured appearance.

Figure 2.7 Title Typography

The letter 'T' and 'O' are connected to mimic the form of monkey's face.

Figure 2.8 Monkey's face

Figure 2.9 Process in Adobe Illustrator

Figure 2.10 Other designs

In Photoshop, I applied a displacement map effect to the typography, creating a distorted and chaotic appearance that intensifies the sense of danger and menacing power embodied by The Monkey's Paw.

Figure 2.11 After editing in Adobe Photoshop

I distorted this sentence using the displacement effect to create a flowing, dynamic feel, evoking the mystical and otherworldly power of the Monkey's Paw.

Figure 2.12 Typography made with Adobe Photoshop

Sketch (Comic)

The passage I chose is from Chapter II of The Monkey's Paw. I selected this part because it highlights the story’s first major plot twist, where the sinister truth of the monkey's paw begins to unravel. 

This chapter also marks the start of the conflict between Mr. and Mrs. White. When I read the story, this section stood out for its dramatic emotional shift, the mood transforms from the lighthearted family atmosphere filled with chess games and jokes about the paw to the grim reality brought by the arrival of the man from Maw and Meggins'. The moment he hesitates and apologises ("I'm sorry—") shatters Mr. and Mrs. White's hopeful anticipation of receiving good news. Instead, they are devastated to learn of Herbert's death, and the seemingly harmless wish for 200 pounds becomes a cruel twist of fate. 

Visually, this moment is compelling to depict because of its contrast: the mundane normalcy of Mrs. White doing kitchen chores disrupted by the cold, formal presence of the man from Maw and Meggins. In the sketch, the subtle details like the man’s solemn expression heighten the tension, leading to the devastating reveal of Herbert's death. It’s a turning point that defines the story’s cautionary message. By illustrating this scene, I aim to capture the raw emotional impact and the irony of the White family's wish, emphasising how a lighthearted curiosity results in irreversible tragedy. 

Figure 2.13 The Monkey's Paw (Chapter II)

 

Referencing Framed Ink's composition techniques and Scott McCloud's transition methods, I sketched the characters and arranged the panel layouts, ensuring the narrative flow. The comic was intentionally designed without dialogue, relying solely on imagery and character expressions to tell the story. I want the comic to look like fragmented memories, allowing readers to piece together the emotions and events as if recalling vivid moments from the past.

Figure 2.14 Sketch

Framed Ink's References

The character's looking direction is able to guide viewer's attention.

Figure 2.15 Character's looking direction (from Framed Ink)

Mrs. White’s gaze toward the window naturally guides the viewer’s attention to it. The next panel zooms in on her eye, shifting from left to right, further directing the viewer’s sight toward the following panel, which reveals the silhouette of the man outside. This technique seamlessly directs focus, creating a sense of anticipation.

Figure 2.16 Eye's looking direction (Comic)

The amount of detail revealed or concealed by shadows plays a crucial role in shaping the mood and atmosphere. When less detail is exposed, it creates a sense of mystery and unease, leaving much to the imagination. Shadows can also be used to create a lighter frame, subtly guiding the viewer's attention to specific areas, enhancing focus on key elements.

Figure 2.17 Lighting (from Framed Ink)

My entire comic is illustrated with high contrast and hard shadows and often conceals the surroundings and characters' features. This use of obscurity creates a sense of mystery and the unknown, evoking a somber and unsettling atmosphere.

The amount of detail revealed or concealed by shadows plays a crucial role in shaping the mood and atmosphere. When less detail is exposed, it creates a sense of mystery and unease, leaving much to the imagination. Shadows can also be used to create a lighter frame, subtly guiding the viewer's attention to specific areas, enhancing focus on key elements.

Figure 2.18 Point of View (from Framed Ink)

I want the viewers to feel more emotionally connected to the characters, so I’ve drawn some panels from Mrs. White’s POV. From her perspective in the kitchen, we could see the silhouette of a man standing outside the window, his features blocked by the window muntins and majority of him covered in shadows, this minimal reveal heightens the viewer’s curiosity about the man and his intention.

When Mrs. White opens the door, the panel immediately show close-up of the man's face as if he is standing up front of the viewers. This framing creates a haunting intensity, while the size and placement of the man evoke a sense of dominance and power, amplifying the unease.

Figure 2.19 Mrs, White's Point of View (Comic)

Rule of Thirds is used to create balanced and visually engaging compositions by dividing the frame into a grid with two horizontal and two vertical lines. Placing key elements along these lines or at their intersections often gives characters a more natural presence, avoiding the static feel of symmetrical central placement.

Figure 2.20 Rule of Thirds (from Framed Ink)

Figure 2.21 Character placed along the line of Rule of Thirds (Comic)

Elements or line's pointing direction is able to guide focus to the subject/area where action is happening, this enhances the readability of the shot.

Figure 2.22 Line directions (from Framed Ink)

Figure 2.23 Line directions (Comic)

Scott McCloud's Transitions

The Scott McCloud's transition techniques I used in the sketch includes:

Figure 2.24 Subject to Subject

Subject to Subject: First panel shows Mrs. White doing kitchen chores, then transitions to a close-up of her eye as she peers through the window, heightening tension. The shift from the close-up of her eye to her perspective outside introduces a new subject (the silhouette of the man), this change pulls readers into her experience, emphasising the unease and mystery she feels.

Figure 2.25 Subject to Subject (Sketch)

Figure 2.26 Action to Action

Action to Action: Mrs. White removes her apron while walking toward the door, these actions are captured within 3 panels, step by step to build suspense. (Not used in the final comic)

Figure 2.27 Action to Action (Sketch)

Figure 2.28 Sccene to Scene

Scene to Scene: The narrative transitions from a conversation between Mrs. White and the man inside the house to a haunting flashback at the factory. The flashback focuses on Herbert's injured hand lying on the machinery floor, powerfully symbolising the tragedy. The arrangement of these panels clarifies that the man's dialogue with Mrs. White revolves around delivering the devastating news of Herbert's death.

Figure 2.29 Scene to Scene (Sketch)

Comic Illustration Process

 

I used Adobe Firefly, an AI generative model trained on a dataset of licensed content, including Adobe Stock and public domain materials with expired copyrights, to create reference images. This ensures the outputs were safe for both academic and commercial use. I input my sketch to generate the same compositions. Using AI helped me to visualise a more realistic light and shadow relationship, which is crucial for achieving the chiaroscuro art style.

Figure 2.30 Adobe Firefly generated images

I posterised the images in Photoshop to enhance contrast and create sharp and geometric edges of the silhouettes and arranged them into panels based on my sketch. Then, I began tracing them using the Pathfinder and Pen Tool in Adobe Illustrator.

Figure 2.31 Posterised Images

Figure 2.32 Tracing Images

Figure 2.33 Tracing process (Video)

I traced using white (highlight), grey (mid tone) and black (shadows). Hence the outcome was in B&W. I separated each into different layers to make it easier to work with the colours. Later on, I added strokes to all the vector shapes to give the entire comic a more dynamic, comical feel.

Figure 2.34 Traced Outcome (B&W) (Without Stroke)

Figure 2.35 Layers

Next, I applied colours to the vectors using the Recolor Artwork feature in Adobe Illustrator.

Figure 2.36 Recolor Artwork process (Video)

Figure 2.37 Color Variations

Drawing inspiration from Pinterest artworks, I developed this colour palette by blending cool and warm tones. The cool colours are used to convey grief, while warm hues like yellow evoke a sense of hope, implying the White family's past happiness before Herbert’s death. 

The red applied to the monkeys evokes a sense of danger and also marks this comic’s climax, heightening the tension, while Herbert’s hand in yellow contrasts with the darkness, symbolising lost potential and the family’s fractured joy.

Figure 2.38 Color Palette

I created the textures in Procreate since it gives me more freedom and pressure control than Illustrator. Then, I imported them into Illustrator and used Compound Paths and Clipping Masks to apply the textures to the shadows.

Figure 2.39 Textures drawn using Procreate

Figure 2.40 Process of masking the textures (Video)

Lastly, I use various textures to evoke distinct moods. The dotted round textures were placed in the background of the first few panels to create a sense of calm before Herbert's death unfolds. 

Then, I added a scratch texture behind the man’s close-up to hint at the impending tension (also suggests the presence of the monkey’s paw’s claws), just before he reveals Herbert’s death. For the monkeys, I applied a spiky texture to the background to amplify a sense of menace.

Figure 2.41 Textures in the comic

Animation (Book Cover)

Figure 2.42 Red Glow (GIF)

Figure 2.43 Red Glow (Frames)

Animation (Comic)

Figure 2.44 Mrs. White's Eye (GIF)

Figure 2.45 Mrs. White's Eye (Frames)

Figure 2.46 Street Lamp (GIF)

Figure 2.47 Street Lamp (Frames)

Figure 2.48 Monkeys (GIF)

Figure 2.49  Monkeys (Frames)

Concept Board

Figure 2.50 Mood Board (PDF)

Final Animated Cover and Comic

Figure 2.51 Final Cover Design (PNG)

Figure 2.52 Final Comic (PNG)

Figure 2.53 Final Animated Cover and Comic (GIF)

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Reflection

This project gave me the opportunity to dive into the process of creating a webcomic, which is something I’ve always wanted to try. It was exciting to experiment with combining narrative and visuals to bring the story to life. Along the way, I became more familiar with creating GIFs in Adobe Photoshop and illustrating in Adobe Illustrator, which were both new areas for me. These skills not only boosted my confidence in using the software but also opened the door to more creative possibilities for future projects. I can see how these tools will help me tackle a wider range of design challenges moving forward.

Beyond the technical skills, this project also helped me grow in terms of storytelling. I learned the importance of thoroughly reading and understanding a story before beginning the visual design process. This helped me to translate ideas into effective drafts and develop layouts that conveyed the mood and message of the narrative. I found this process both enjoyable and insightful, it taught me how to think more critically about how visuals and narrative work together to engage an audience.

Overall, this project was a valuable learning experience. It allowed me to explore new techniques, enhance my storytelling abilities, and gain a deeper appreciation for the creative process behind visual storytelling. It’s definitely sparked a desire in me to work on similar projects in the future.