Semester portfolio Aske Schmidt Rose
Intro
to sequential storytelling:
The
mainthing I got out of the workshop was that I became more aware of the
different elements that form a page. Like spotting blacks/whites, time and
space from panel to panel. But the main thing, which I still have to work with,
is the readability in my panels.
Basics
of sequential storytelling:
I
decided that I would focus more on the layout of the comic after I got the sketch
concept of a never ending waiting room from Bob. Since it was something that
wanted to explore more. The idea I had about reflecting the story by having the layout form an eternity symbol worked pretty well.
The most important thing I learned was that it is a
good idea to keep one aspect simple, when doing something a bit experimental. In
this case a kept the story pretty simple and straight forward, so the reader
has something to recognize since the layout was more complex.
Style 1: Franquin
I learned that it might be a good
idea to show more plasticity and drama in my characters. I also found that I like working on larger
sheets of paper when inking.
Design 1 with Lawrance Marvits:
Most of the things about line and shape etc. we've read before, but it was really helpful to focus and think about the design. It really made me realize that it's important to think before you do, sometimes. The most important thing I learned was that I need to keep
my compositions simple. This goes back to readability again.
Drawing
with Artem:
I
learned that sketching people in public can be a good way of getting
inspiration for characters. I also found it helpful to loosen up a bit as it
helps to give more life to the drawing. I found the class enjoyable and
brought in a more artistic view on figure drawing. Though at the moment I would
prefer a more craftsmen’s like approach by constructing the objects, since you often don’t really have a model to
draw from when you are drawing a comic.
Storytelling 2:
I
think that writing a story in an outline could be helpful as a tool if something
is missing later on, but I find starting with the outline is maybe a little too
structured in the beginning. I think that writing a synopsis first and then
dividing it into scenes would work better. Then it would be easier to play around with story
structure before thumbnailing. Then I can use the thumbnail to write the
script. This is mainly because I find it hard to write a good panel flow when it’s just in script form.
Outline
Act 1
1.
A birth, the doctor has to choose between the mother and child (umbilical cord
around baby). They choose the boy. The father is broken he blames his new born
son.
2.
Vincent is now adult. His girlfriend is pregnant. She wants him to tell his
dad. He doesn’t want to because he left the church and hasn’t spoken to his dad
since.
3.Vincent
works as a substitute at a hospice.
4.
It’s mother’s day. Buys a rose for his wife and a Lily to put on his mother’s
grave.
5.
Vincent goes by his mother’s grave(mother’s picture on the grave) tries to
plant the Lily it falls down. He says he’s sorry.
6.Vincent
arrives at the hospice in good time. A nurse rolls an old woman past him the
old woman smile, hoarsely whispering “SON”
7.While
he is drinking a cup of coffee he overhears the nurse asking if someone is able
to look over her patient for a couple of hours, because something urgent has
come up, it going to be easy because she is all drugged up. Vincent steps in.
Act 2
8.Vincent
discovers that the patient is an old lady called Malissa. When he goes through
the standard routine he looks at her face seeing his mother. He shakes the
thought away.
9.
Gets a text from his girlfriend, asking when he is coming home. Says he is
going to be a little late
10.To
pass time he looks into Malissa’s file. Vincent gets a flashback his father
talking about his mother’s job at church.
11.
Decides to call his Father hear about his mother. But the father ends up
directly blaming Vincent for the mother’s death. Vincent hangs up yelling to
his father that he’ll never see his grandson.
12.
Malissa starts gasping for air, because her air tank is empty. But Vincent
franticly gets the tank replaced.
13.He
goes to get a new tank in the life supply room. He’s still a bit shaky from the
episode. He starts masturbating.
14.
Gets call from the substitute that was going to replace him for the night
shift. The sub says he is sick, but he is clearly at a party. He agrees because
he starting to become more and more intrigued by Malissa’s resemblance to his
mother.
15.
Vincent goes back to watch over Malissa again. But he takes the empty tank with
him.
16.Vincent
finds out that Malissa lost a son, she has the same job as his mother had. He
starts to believe that Malissa is his mother.
17.
Malissa starts to gasp for air again. He replaces the tank. But it’s the empty
tank.
Act 3
18.He
takes her to the supply room to get her oxygen.
19.
He drops her pushing over supplies and tubes. Vincent gets tangled in tube
while trying to save Malissa. He chokes on the tubes.
20.Malissa
dies. She is lying on the floor like the mother about to give birth. Vincent
seems to be overtaken from something unknown, tries to crawl inside
Malissa.
21.Vincent
is found in the supply room. Malissa on the floor as in labor, Vincent lies
dead between her legs covered in blood, one hand inside her.
1 PAGE
Panel 1/2: It’s a homebirth. A woman
is in the middle of labor her husband stands holding her hand. It’s an old
wooden bed with a green carpet underneath the woman. Above the women we see a
picture of the husband and wife happily married smiling at each other. Above
them in the frame it says Evengalical Lutheran church.
Kain:
“Breath my love”
Panel 3: Midwife standing between the legs of the mother looking at a nurse
over her left shoulder.
Midwife:
“Get the doctor, it’s all tangled up”
Panel 4: She looks up at the Kain
Midwife:
“I’m sorry sir. But I need
you to step outside”
Panel 5:The husband Kain is getting taken outside the door by a relative’.
He is reaching towards his wife yelling
Kain:
”NO NOO, What’s wrong?! Is
she going to be alright?.
Panel 6: Baby is lying in a fetal position in the cut up stomach of the
Eve, it’s entangled in the umbilical cord. Hands trying to untangle the baby.
OF PANEL:
Nurse:
“She is losing a lot of blood
doctor”
Doctor:
“Fuck! Get the baby out, it has priority.”
“I don’t want to lose both of them.”
Panel 7/8: baby boy being held up by nurse. The baby boy has slightly open
eyes and he looks at his mother’s bloody body. A drop of blood runs down like a
tear.
Page 2
Panel 1/2: The doctor and Kain stands outside the bed room in a
small hall the tapestry is decorated with Lily patterns. The Doctor is in the
foreground with his back to us. We see the Kain leaning against the wall in
front of the Kain.
Doctor:
I’m sorry sir. We did what we could to save your wife, but we didn’t
want to lose both of them.
Kain:
You could have tried.
Panel 3: We see the doctor from Kain’s POV
Doctor:
We did, sir. But she had lost to much blood and it’s hospital policy
to prioritize the child before the mother”
Panel 4: Frank staring at the bedroom door. The doctor stands behind
him looking at a chart.
Doctor:
I see you planned to call him Vincent, that’s nice name.
Kain:
I guess… She was the one who really wanted it.
Panel 5: The nurse opens the bedroom door holding baby Vincent in
her arms
Panel 6: The nurse is handing Vincent to Kain. Kain is looking past
her into the bedroom with Eve lying dead on the bed.
Panel 7: Eve’s body is lying on the bed surrounded by nurses.
Panel 8: Close-up of adult Vincent
Of PANEL(YELL):
VINCENT?
PAGE 3
Panel 1:Karen (pregnant woman in a supermarket uniform), is sitting
at a kitchen table reading a magazine. Behind her framed by a doorway, Vincent
stands ironing his shirt in the hall of the small apartment.
Karen:
Vincent?!
Panel 2:Close-up of Vincent in the Hall way. He stands hunched over
his shirt deeply engaged in his ironing.
Karen(OF PANEL):
Vincent?!
Panel 3:Vincent goes into the kitchen seemingly unaware hanging his
shirt on the kitchen door.
Karen looks at him annoyed
Vincent(surprised):
What?
Panel 4:Vincent sits down at the table
Karen:
You know What! Did you call
your dad to tell him that he is going to be a grandfather?
Panel 5:Vincent looks at his girlfriend’s nametag
Vincent:
You know you don’t have to wear your name tag at home right? We’ve
been together for 4 years now. I know that your name is Karen.
Karen:
HA…HA. Stop changing the subject, did you call him?
Panel 6
Vincent looks at the calendar there is a circle around mother’s day.
Beneath Mother’s day it says Vince, Hospice 8-12 pm”
4 PAGE: 1 of 2
Panel 1: Vincent is still looking of panel at the calendar. Rubbing
his neck.
Vincent:
I’ll do it tomorrow
Karen: You’ve had all day Vince. It’s not like it’s the first time
I’ve told you!
Panel 2
Vincent looks at Karen annoyed.
Vincent:
I haven’t talked to him for like 6 years… I can’t just call him!
Panel 3
Vincent gets up
Karen:
Vince..?
Vincent:
What even makes you think that he would care? He sure didn’t show me
any love!
Panel 4: Karen holds Vince’s arm looking up at him.
Karen:
I’m sorry Vince… I know that this isn’t the best day for you.
Vincent:
No.. It’s fine I’m just going to visit her before work.
Panel 5/7: Karen sitting half turned on the kitchen chair. She is
looking up at Vincent knowingly.
Vincent:
You know Dr. Smith gave me some excises in case it happens
again.
Page 4: continued 2 of 2
Panel 6/8: Vincent looking down at Karen’s hand on his arm.
Karen:
… and suggested talking to your dad.
Vincent:
He hasn’t meet him.
Drawing for comics 2(Lawrance
Marvits):
I found the class every usefull and
it helped me realize my thumbnailing still need work. Mostly the clearity still. I
fell that I have a better understanding of composing line, shape in a picture
and value to some extend through diging down and constructing everything.
99
Ways with Matt Madden:
The
main thing I learned was that obstructions actually sets your creativity free
rather than kill it. I also learned how much a simple story can change by only
changing the POV. I think it heightened my storytelling vocabulary and I also
realized that it would be a good idea to know all the different genres better.
