September 23:

This week was rather productive.

Research:
In terms of research, I was able to reach out to Phoebe Gloeckner for an email interview about her process when it comes to making Graphic Novels. Specifically her experience writing and publishing graphic novels could help translate into my project. I was lucky enough to study under Phoebe a few semesters ago, as she is the resident expert on the visual narrative.

I took a leap of faith that actually paid off in an unbelievable way. When I was growing up I met and was inspired by a man named Paul Sizer. He wrote a series of graphic novels called "Little White Mouse" and it was one of the books I read the most as a kid. While I was in middle school I took a comic book seminar with him at my local library and I believe this was one of the moments that made me want to be an artist.
I contacted him via his portfolio website and asked if I could have a short Skype interview with him about how he made his comics and what steps he took to become a published author. This is huge for me as I will be talking to one of my personal heroes and one of my main inspirations.

I am emailing Phoebe and Skyping Paul this weekend and will be able to formulate a mock 'schedule' for my project based on what they tell me. It will be a proposed schedule as if I am to make my IP into a fully published book. (and who knows, maybe I will in the future.)

This makes me very excited because it really feels like I am trying to step into the artist field that I intend to spend my life in.
It feels like I am taking some real steps forward.


Sketches:
I did some more concept art, slowly reaching the '50' interations of my ideas. I hope to capture expression, character design and major visual motifs that I will hopefully be incorperated into my final product.
I also have been practicing paneling and action with a short pokemon-themed comic to get the creative juices flowing.


Materials: 
I brought in large double sized strathmore paper that I intend to do my inking on in the future although I will be doing inital sketches in my sketchbook or on scrap paper.

Final Form of the Project:

In addition to an ink and paper zine style comic book, I plan to translate each of the stories digitally and host them on an online site. With some programing, the site could featuring animations and even interactable elements when reading the comic. This will help propel the themes of obsession and how the internet slowly draws people deeper and deeper into it’s web.

The final form will be between 40 to 80 pages graphic novel (Each story being anywhere from 15-30 pages each) that will also be available to read online. Key pages or panels will be animated, and certain sections may even have an invertible element, such as clicking on objects to further the story, or typing in codes hidden in cyphers as the story goes along. The graphic novel will be professionally bound and covered as if it was ready to be sold in stores, and the webpage should will look as close to professional as possible.

THESIS:

My art has always been integrated into the digital realm. Most of my projects mix traditional techniques that are then layered with digital animated elements. Because of this it is often best displayed and shared online, and thus I have met many artists who frequent the internet and use the resources that it holds to explore new avenues of creativity. However, it doesn’t take long to realize that the internet can be a scary place. Hackers stealing your personal information, stalkers reading everything you post, and people watching you from your very own webcam. Despite the darker aspects, there is still a bizarre fascination with the horrors the internet can hold, and that sometimes overlooked fear holds great potential. My project will be a graphic novel comprised of three shorts stories. Each story will be a modern re-telling of three classic horror stories in a gothic sci-fi film noir style. Specifically Dr. Jeykl and Mr. Hyde, Phantom of the Opera, and Dracula. I singled these classics out as they each have a darker element that could be reflected in today’s digital obsessed society.