This is a wonderful example of a mis-managed page. I have a theory (forgive me if you've heard it before) on the difference between art and illustration. Art is done when the artist says it's done. Illustration is done when someone else says it's done. The key to a good illustrator is making as few mistakes as possible and making sure that you complete the artwork to the best of your ability in the time given.
As you can see by the lineart, there is a great deal going on in the background that is not present on the final painted page. In the past when I have worked with Annette, she has been reluctant to place in effects or layers which would cover up the linework that I had drawn. I would ask her to do what the story requires. If I had over-drawn an area, then that's my fault. As is obvious in this case. You can see all the background that I drew - the chairs, the monitors and the background textures and details. But I decided that the "tech cloud" should be all encompassing and dominating. I also used it as a means to make Hana stand out more.
I'm such a lazy/crafty bastard. I don't believe I ever drew the satelite again after drawing it on part 1 page 1. It's just been cut and pasted over and over again. So, as you can see on the lineart, I've drawn around this cut and pasted image. Apologies if you noticed and it lessened your reading experience.One of the toughest things to deal with on this page was the visualisation of Hana's powers in panel 4. The script looked like this:
Hana sends out a WIRELESS COMMUNICATION, like a bolt of lighting (or something), right at the SATELLITE -- but it doesn't reach the satellite, it's deflected off.
For such a low-key show like HEROES, a bolt of lightning from someone's head was going to look incongruous. But I realised I had very little choice. I tried to overlap the technical data into the lightning bolt to make it look like a technical signal. If you look, the "forcefield" is made of red data. I think Aron's captions really helped here.Finally the last tough thing was Hana's infection by the computer virus. Again, if you look closely into her red eyes, you can see the words of data/text in the whites of her eyes. I took artistic licence drawing the blood trickling down (we all know there's no gravity in space) but I couldn't think how to make it work any other way.
Well that's page 6! I normally don't blog on weekends, but it's saturday night and it's 10:52pm and I'm already in my pajamas. I also let you all down during the week with my technical difficulties. The least I can do to show my appreciation for your patience is to continue the commentary.
6 comments:
That last panel is a bit frightening - not that it's a bad thing, because, well, that's a scary moment - it's "the death of Hana Gitleman". The technostream lightning stuff is pretty spiffy, though. I liked that :) It was superhero-y, without being too over the top :) Oh, and people look weird in those suits - you're 100% right about hair and likenesses, lol. It's why I avoid hats ;)
See, Aron's text says that the wireless communication is so thick up in space that Hana can barely see or hear anything else. I just assumed your illustration did the same for the reader. I mean, it looks like it's choking her so much, I'm surprised she's not vomiting again. Kudos on your restraint to let the story take precedence over your art. That's not the first time you've done that, even in this novel. Putting the focus on the rocket and off of Hana on the last page of Part 1 was smart, sacrificial, and brave.
Love your blog. Keep up the good work!
Sometimes a satellite is just a satellite... you lazy bastard! LOL No, I totally didn't notice. :)
I can explain the downward blood from her nose -- when you breathe out from your nose, you're breathing down toward your mouth, right? So her breath would influence which way the blood ran. Ta da! Makes sense to me...
Please shoot me a quick email if you can -- I need to know which way to send that letter! Thanks and hugs! XD
Saturday night, it's not even 11pm yet and you, a smart, sassy, smokin' hot babe in the prime of your life is, uh...in your jammies getting ready for bed?
And I thought I had a pathetic social life. ;)
KJC
acidburn133: i wanted that last panel to look scary. Especially the blood in the eyes. I tried to downplay all the effects as much as possible.
ryan: Yeah, funny how she's not vomiting. Maybe she just got herself used to it. Thanks, it's tough to make calls that undo several hours work. But they have to be made.
Tony: Welcome! And thank you!
polsons: I like the rationalisation. Email incoming.
kjc: My social life is lying bleeding in a gutter. People are walking by but no one is stopping to check out if the mess on the ground is actually what remains of a social life or simply a dead dog.
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