[Coloresque]

Hi folks. First of all I post this in the lounge because I didn't know quite sure where to post about the matter. I'm not sure if this question has already been posted before but oh well, here's the thing.

Please note that I don't want to seem desperate or get anybody freaked out by my question, but I thought it wouldn't hurt anybody.

I'm studying Graphic Design at school, I'm in my second year now. It's also the first year I have an assigment to make an actual book about a concept completely set from scratch. I have never ever made a book like that so maybe it's normal I'm struggling a little and I hate being such a n00b.

I do like the assignment and I'm thrilled to see my result because I know I will have a book in the end. I just don't know quite how to start. Maybe I'll tell you about the concept just to make it more clear:

We have to make a book with the theme "you and me", which has to visualise the complexity of human relationships. We had to choose an angle to start from and we will have to make some kind of network of fictive/real people, create characters, even make them have relationships with objects and so on.

The angle I choose to start from is the fact that people can be very mean at each other's back, but as soon as they see each other on a party or something, they act nicely just to keep appearances high. One element that will always come back in the book will be a map of the party, indicating where the different people and objects are located. It's not gonna be technical though, I want to make it very colofull and the pages where the people talk bad will of course have darker colours. I have made some kind of scrapbook which I keep editing all of the time and maybe will have usefull elements to use in the final book.

The thing I do now is keep searching for images and thinking about ways to get it more interesting, but the one thing I'm stuck with is getting a real 'story line' in it, making the 'reader' want to turn his page, and I don't know how to get out from that blocking way of thinking.

So, to make a long story short: are there some tips on how I can (as a graphic designer) almost turn myself into a writer and invent an interesting story, without ever having written stories? I don't really seem to get it.

[vladdamien]

Hi Coloresque,

how long do you have for this project?
If you have time to read some material, I highly suggest that you read "Making Comics" and "Understanding Comics" by Scott McCloud. It could really help you out.

If not, then decide if your story is more art-driven, story-driven or character-driven. Then, put your key elements on a timeline and decide what you have to do to get to those key elements, either through your art, your story or your characters.

Give your characters personality. Even if the readers doesn't get to know in the story that the male character went to Harvard, that gives YOU an idea of how he might act towards other people or how he approaches certain situations.

Make sure your story is good just written on paper, without the illustrations. if it can hold its own, then the art will only make it better.

As a graphic designer, I believe your teacher expects something more original than story-based. Am I right? Something like: two angry and bitchy characters on each cover, and right in the middle, both of them talking together at the party. Each page from the middle to a cover is how people grow meaner the further they are from one another...

Keep us posted, I'd love helping you out some more.

-Patrick

[Coloresque]

First of, thanks for your reply, I've been struggling a long time trying to get helpful feedback from different people.

I have time for this until the middle of december approx. You're right, my teacher doesn't expect us to make a graphic book like the one they make for children where everything is clear explained in the graphics. The thing about complexity is that it doesn't have to be all that clear which can be handy when you're not quite sure how to make the relationship between two people.

I'll search for the book, I'm not quite sure if I'll find it somewhere in the libraries over here (in Belgium). But what I just read from your reply has helped a bit to get an idea of how I will have to get things in place.

Using the middle for the story-ending/start is more interesting, it seems that complexity will be better visualised as every end is a start. I'll surely think about that.

I was especially having trouble with how to give people personality, people I invented from my mind. I'm struggling about the fact that if I base them on real people, I will always get confused trying to make a new person from the existing one, as fiction is not really my style but certainly the funniest way to make a story. I guess I'm kinda scared of not being original enough in inventing fictional people, because you can go as far as you want.

The tip you gave about the harvard thing is also very helpful and true, never heard anybody tell me that one.

You definatelly helped me out a bit more. I just hope it won't be clear by the time people reach the last page that I was getting tired of the whole thing, because I'll probably be...

[vladdamien]

haha! My pleasure.
Aussi, on peut continuer en français par mail si tu veux
However, continuing in English could benefit other people here

Ok, so yeah, Belgium might not be the prime place to find those books, and by the time Amazon gets them to you, it'll probably be too late. However, I still recommend you buy them

Character development is the way I tend to go when telling a story - how the characters evolve throughout a story, rather than have the story evolve without them changing. However, you always need a little bit from the former and a little bit from the latter.

I tend to use a character sheet to create my characters beforehand (I think I stole it from Ikage at some point, who also posts here).

It looks something like the following. Fill out most of the blanks to create a character which has more substance to begin with. if you know where you want to go with your story, then the blanks will be easy to fill out, and sometimes, one will help the other evolve because of these questions.

------------------

Date this form was created:
Full name of Character:
Reason, meaning or purpose behind the name:
Nickname:
Reason for nickname:
Race:
Occupation/class:
Social class:

Physical Appearance:

Age:
How old they appear:
Eye Color:
Weight and height:
Type of body (build):
Skin tone and type :
Shape of face:
Distinguishing marks (dimples, moles, scars, birthmarks, etc.):
Is s/he healthy?
If not, why not? Or why are they healthy?
Do they look healthy? Why/why not?

Favorites:

Char's favorite color:
Least favorite, why?
Music?
Least favorite music, why?
Food:
Literature:
Expressions:
Expletives (curse):
Mode of transport:
Hobbies:
How do they spend a rainy day?

Personality:

Are they a daredevil or cautious?
Do they act the same alone as when with someone?
Habits:
Drinks:
How much:
Greatest Strengths:
Greatest Weaknesses:
Soft spot:
Is their soft spot obvious, why/why not:
If not, how do they hide it:
Biggest Vulnerability:

Background

Hometown:
Type of childhood:
First Memory:
Most important child hood event that still effects him/her:
Why?
Education:
Religion:
Finances:

Family

Mother:
Relationship with her:
Father:
Relationship with him:
Siblings, How many, relationship with each:
Children of siblings:
Other extended family:
Close? Why or why not:

Attitude

Most at ease when:
Most ill at ease when:
Priorities:
Philosophies:
How they feel about themselves:
Past failure they would be embarrassed to admit:
Why?
If granted one wish what would it be, why?

Traits

Optimist or pessimist? Why?
Introvert or extrovert? Why?
Drives and motives:
Talents:
Extremely skilled at:
Extremely unskilled at:
Good characteristics:
Character flaws:
Mannerisms:
Peculiarities:
Biggest regret:
Minor regrets:
Biggest accomplishment:
Minor accomplishments:
Darkest secret:
Does anyone know?
How did they find out:

Self-perception

One word they would use to describe themselves:
One paragraph of how they would describe themselves:
What do they consider their best physical characteristic and why: I
The worst one? Why?
Are they realistic assessments?
If not, why not?
How they think others preserve them:
What four things would they most like to change about themselves:
Why?
If they were changed would they be the same person, why/why not:
Would changing of number 1 make them more happy? Why/why not:

Interaction with other people

How do they relate to others:
How are they perceived by strangers:
Friends:
Wife/husband/lover:

Goals

Immediate:
Long term:
How do they plan to accomplish them:
How will others be effected by this:

Problems/Crisis

How do they react in a crisis:
How do they face problems:
Kind of problems they usually run into:
How they react to new problems:
How they react to change:

General

Favorite clothing, why:
Least favorite, why:
Jewelry:
Other accessories:
Drives:
Where do they live:
Where do they want to live:
What do they do too much of, why:
Most prized possession, why:
People they secretly admire, why:
Person they are most influenced by, why:
Most important person in their life before story starts, why:
How do they spend the week just before the story starts:

----------------

These are sheets that will help you understand your characters and their motivations. You know that "What's my motivation?" phrase actors spout? Well, this is it

Also, decide how you'll approach your story: more realism in the drawing? More wordy? No words? Mix of emotions through colours? More conceptual? Or a mix-up of all these?

Keep us posted. I want to see how things evolve.
Post some sketches and your timeline here.

-Patrick