Creating issue 4: layouts

Wednesday at 8.10.08

Today was a busy day here at Harker Central - I was in the studio, sorting out a few little changes to the script and lettering for issue three, just making sure it was how I wanted, and we've now finally put that issue to bed, forging fully ahead on issue four. 

In his room, Vince was working on his layouts for issue four, based on our plotting session last night. Working from the notes he makes during the plotting, Vince does stick-man sketches of each page, panel by panel, working out roughly the storytelling for the issue, how the action flows, what the characters will be doing, how they move etc. He uses these layouts as a guide for the forthcoming photo reference sessions, and also as a guide for what backgrounds he needs and how to pace the issue.

This is a particularly crucial part of the process for Vince - although in places I've been specific about what characters are saying, what they're doing, how they're reacting, in other places I've left it much more open. As a for instance, we have a three or four page introduction to the issue, showing Harker and Critchley making their separate ways to the Britsh Museum - last night I described roughly what I was after, talking about the contrast between their journeys (Harker all tension and road rage, Critchley zooming through the streets more relaxed in his flashy sports car, emphasising the comedy), and giving Vince the credit sequences of The Persuaders and The Prisoner as visual cues. The details of this are up to him, and when the art is done, I'll then script over his drawings, taking my cue from what he's drawn. It's a really satisfying way to work, and creative for both of us.

The next stage is the photo-reference session, which we'll be doing after the weekend. I'm away until Monday (some of which will be spent in London, taking photographs in the British Museum for issue four for Vince), so things will be quiet until then, but I'll be back on Monday evening with the next stage in the process - see you then!

roger

 

4 Comments:

Check out my gallery
http://tokyo15.deviantart.com/gallery/
It has a section of photographs from London, some inside the British Museum. I hope they help

Hi Andrew - it's lovely to see some York photos in there! And thankyou for that - we actually need a whole bunch of very specific shots on the balcony of one of the flights of stairs around the Reading Room, but I'll be there tomorrow so it's no problem for us. Vince will also be back there in a couple of months, as we'll be back inside the Museum in issue six... though I can't say why!

No problems, I don't want to know until I read it. Used to go to York a lot, especially around Christmas time. Did all the shopping there. Both myself and my Wife find it so relaxing. Am I the only commenter on here? I'll have to start telling people about this site.

We've had a couple so far, and I'm starting to get emails too... to be honest, it's likely to be quiet in here until the comic is officially launched in January, though we're already getting good reviews. Once we're out in the shops, it'll heat up a bit. And yes, please do tell your friends!

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