Illustration & Visual Narrative - Final Project

Illustration & Visual Narrative - Final Project- 

January 2,2025

NAME: Hu Yao Ping

I.D: 0376768

COURSE: Bachelor of design (hons) in creative media

GROUP: 02

Illustration & Visual Narrative / Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media

Final Project / Comic cover and animated comic page

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TASK 1 - Comic Cover

1. Moodbard

For our final project, we are assigned to make an animated on-page comic page, and an illustrated comic cover page. The theme we created is "The Monkey's Paw", a short story published in 1902 by the British writer W.W. Jacobs. This novel is a classic suspense and horror story, known for its philosophical theme and thriller ending.

First, I started to make a moodboard on the story, it included reference of art style, layout, sketches and rationale. After consideration, I have decided to choose the climax of the story as my animated comic page, this is the theme of the novel, the monkey's paw. I drew a monkey and a big paw.

2. Comic Cover Page

After I have had a sketch, I started to illustrate the comic cover page as it was easier. I first imported my sketch into Adobe Illustrator. 

Fig. 2.1 Sketches for cover page

Then I imported the draft from Procreate into AI software and started to further depict it. I thought that the overall style of this comic was horror, so the colors should be darker.

Fig. 2.2 Process 1

After adding the theme words, I chose a green style for the whole thing, and then used black for the monkey’s fur. The monkey in the illustration looks eerie and slightly mysterious, and his facial expression seems to reveal a kind of indifference or implicit threat. The existence of the monkey corresponds to the title of the story and the protagonist “The Monkey’s Paw”

Fig. 2.3 Process 2

I then added some blurred text and structural patterns in the background, perhaps symbolizing the unresolved web of fate in the story. The chaotic feeling of the text may hint at the unpredictable consequences of making a wish with the monkey's paw.

Fig. 2.4 Process 3

The protruding monkey's paw is slender and strange, and the outstretched posture of the paw seems to imply some uncontrollable power, reinforcing the theme of "supernatural desire" in "The Monkey's Paw". The color and line style of the paw make it look stiff and ominous.

Fig. 2.5 Process 4

The overall atmosphere is created by using cold tones (blue-green) and contrasting warm tones (orange). The cold tones create a surreal and weird feeling, while the orange claws highlight its danger.I wanted this cover art to convey the mysterious and horrifying core of The Monkey’s Paw, inspiring readers to think deeply about fate and desire.

Fig. 2.6 Final comic cover page

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TASK 2 - Animated Comic Page

1. Non-animated comic page

After I imported my sketch into Adobe Illustrator, I have started tracing it out. I used the pen tool, pencil tool, brush tool, and knife tool to finish this process. 

Fig. 1.1 Process 1

Fig. 1.2 Process 2

Fig. 1.3 Process 3

Fig. 1.4 Process 4

Fig. 1.5 Process 5

Fig. 1.6 Final non-animated comic page

2. Animation 

Then I started working on my second frame of the comic, as I just want to make a simple animation. 

Fig. 1.7 Process 6

When I was doing my second frame of the comic, I realised that it should not be too much adjustment, or else it would look messy. So, I changed quite a few times just to get a result that I liked. Because I wanted to highlight the theme while also making some changes, I chose the most eye-catching ones and made some simple adjustments.

Fig. 1.8 Process 7

I imported my comic page into Photoshop, to make a GIF using the create frame option. After this, I thought it was good enough.

Fig. 1.9 Final animated comic page