Illustration & Visual Narrative - Task 3: Sequential Art

05/11/2025 - 23/11/2025 (Week 7 - Week 9)

Cherilynn Farrencia Faustine/0384745

ILLUSTRATION & VISUAL NARRATIVE/ Creative Media/ Taylor's University 

Task 3: Sequential Art

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Tutorials

2. Instructions

3. Task 3: Sequential Art

4. Feedback

5. Reflection

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TUTORIALS

WEEK 8: 

1. Tutorial 1

In this tutorial, Mr. Hafiz give us a short comic with 20+ panel and asked us to make it shorter. The shorter the panel, yet still understandable, the better. It means that or understanding is already good. 

Figure 1.1, My Tutorial 1 Attempt

WEEK 9: 

2. Tutorial 2

In this tutorial, Mr. Hafiz showed us graphical tips. It includes an illustrated type and the brush tool. Here I tried to modify my initial with the pen tool and also brush tool. (I use intertwine for the brush).

Figure 1.2, My Tutorial 2 Attempt (Graphical Tips)

Figure 1.3, My Tutorial 2 Attempt (Graphical Tips)

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INSTRUCTIONS

<iframe src="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AL2aCMdPjzhhJOOjBh8kreUG4l-xiPpH/preview" width="640" height="480" allow="autoplay"></iframe>

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TASK 3: SEQUENTIAL ART

In this task, we are required to make a 300 word story about our own character, and a digital triptych (minimum 3 panel story) with Scott Mccloud's theory of transition. Each panel should have a different transition and explanation.

1. STORY 

Pibby and the Islands of Crabs

A small egg fell and separated from its home. It floated across the ocean, carried by gentle waves and pushed by the wind. It drifted through calm days and stormy nights until one peaceful morning it arrives on a warm sandy island. This island was home to a group of crabs who spent their days exploring the beach and searching for food.

When the crabs noticed the strange egg lying on the shore, they became very curious. They scuttled closer and gathered tightly around it, wondering where it came from. They poked the sand, circled the egg, and whispered among themselves. Then, without warning, the egg suddenly began to shake. A crack formed on the shell. The crabs were shocked when a tiny black and white chick blinked up at them. Even though she looked nothing like them, the crabs instantly decided to take care of her. They named her Pibby and treated her as part of their colony.

Pibby grew up believing she was a crab. She learned to move sideways and dig holes in the sands. The crabs taught everything to live by the sea. She learned to listen to the movement of the ocean, and to respect the water that kept their island alive. Pibby loved the island. She enjoyed the salty breeze, the warm sunlight, and the gentle sound of waves rolling onto the shore. She was curious about everything. She liked exploring the sea.

One day she tried swimming for the first time, and she loved it immediately. While the crabs stayed close to the sand, Pibby felt free in the water. She spent hours gliding through the waves and quickly became good at catching small fishes. She often sharing her catch with the other crabs, who cheered in delight whenever she brought them a small treat from the sea and enjoy their time together in the sunset. As she grew older, Pibby became a cheerful and adventurous young penguin. She never knew her true home, but her life on the island was full of warmth and joy. To the crabs, Pibby proved that family is not based on where you come from. It is built by those who choose to care for you.

2. PROCESS

2.1 Sketch

For this task, we are allowed to re use our work from the previous task. At first, I was thinking to use both of my composition in task 2 and I just need to add 1 more composition. For this triptych, I planned to make the story about her swimming and just casually catching fish, but I think it's too short (Because I want it to fit the 3 frame panel). Also, it did not turned out good because it only looks like it's in different composition, not story. In addition, mr. Hafiz suggested me to breakdown the story first and then sketch it. 

Figure 2.1, Digital Triptych Sketch (Attempt 1)

After feedbacks, I just found out that 3 panel is the minimum (I thought it had to be 3 panel since the name of this task is triptych), and also, I found out that it could be made into a comic style panel (I thought it was supposed to be rectangle/square panel). After those misunderstandings, I decided to change all the frames. I decided to use the story of her life instead of her just swimming around. I came out with a 7 frame sketch. 

Figure 2.2, Digital Triptych Sketch (Attempt 2)

Scott Mccloud's transition reference and explanation:

• 1-2 Action to action
• The penguin's egg drifted far away from the ice island (There are specific action -> fell and float)

• 2-3 Scene to scene
• The egg finally arrived at the crab island (time skip from the floating scene)

• 3-4 Action to action
• The egg suddenly shakes and start to crack open (symbolizing action)

• 4-5 Subject to subject 
• The crab were surprised. (same scene, just changing the subject).

• 5-6 Action to action
• The baby penguin comes out. (There are also a specific action->the penguin comes out)

• 6-7 scene to scene
• The moment where the penguin had grown up. (Time skip)

The story along the frames:

Color code: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 

(Highlighted color represents the frame)

Pibby and the Islands of Crabs

 

A small egg fell and separated from its home. It floated across the ocean, carried by gentle waves and pushed by the wind (1). It drifted through calm days and stormy nights (2) until one peaceful morning it arrives on a warm sandy island (3). This island was home to a group of  crabs who spent their days exploring the beach and searching for food.

 

When the crabs noticed the strange egg lying on the shore, they became very curious (3). They scuttled closer and gathered tightly around it, wondering where it came from. They poked the sand, circled the egg, and whispered among themselves. Then, without warning, the egg suddenly began to shake. A crack formed on the shell (4). The crabs were shocked (5) when a tiny black and white chick blinked up at them. Even though she looked nothing like them, the crabs instantly decided to take care of her (6). They named her Pibby and treated her as part of their colony.

 

Pibby grew up believing she was a crab. She learned to move sideways and dig holes in the sands. The crabs taught everything to live by the sea. She learned to listen to the movement of the ocean, and to respect the water that kept their island alive. Pibby loved the island. She enjoyed the salty breeze, the warm sunlight, and the gentle sound of waves rolling onto the shore. She was curious about everything. She liked exploring the sea.

One day she tried swimming for the first time, and she loved it immediately. While the crabs stayed close to the sand, Pibby felt free in the water. She spent hours gliding through the waves and quickly became good at catching small fishes. She often sharing her catch with the other crabs, who cheered in delight whenever she brought them a small treat from the sea and enjoy their time together in the sunset (6). As she grew older, Pibby became a cheerful and adventurous young penguin. She never knew her true home, but her life on the island was full of warmth and joy. To the crabs, Pibby proved that family is not based on where you come from. It is built by those who choose to care for you. 

Mr. Hafiz then suggested me to reduce 1 of the frames. I decided to merge the frame 1 and 2 and make it a continuous scene. I planned to make it like it was  floating continuously in a different time setting.

Figure 2.3, Merged Frame 1 & 2 Sketch

2.2 Digitization

After sketching, I continue to digitize it on Adobe Illustrator. First, I trace the frames from my sketch with the pen tool as the base (solid color). Since the illustration I've done before is all gradient, I want to try solid color for this one. All I do for the coloring is just keep layering it with another pen tool shapes and added the complementary color (layering color).

 Figure 2.4, Base Color Frames

After that, I begin to fill the frames with the object (I traced those from my sketch) using pen tool. I use the "Draw inside" tool on each frames to fit the objects inside the frames. This method makes the process easier and faster because it is basically a clipping group, so I don't need to clean the excess part manually (it's all already clipped in the frame). 

Figure 2.5, Clipping Group Example

 Figure 2.6, Base Color (1)

Once I've done the base color, I begin to make the shadow for the objects. Same method as earlier, I used the draw inside tool again to make the shadow but now in the object. I layered the shadow with pen tool, and also modified the color.

Figure 2.7, Draw Inside tool

For the shadows underneath, I either duplicated the object, changed the color, and send it back, or I used a pen tool to make it.

 Figure 2.8, Shading Frame 2, 3, 4

This is the frames that I planned to make it look continuous. Besides the sun and moon, I need to add something to indicate the setting of the time (to make it clearer). Here, I added some layers of blank shape (and lower the opacity) to each moment where the egg floats.

 Figure 2.9, Before Layering 

 Figure 2.10, After Layering

This is the part where I started to layer the sunset, same goes for another object (sea, sand, rock, etc). 

Figure 2.11, Sunset Process Layering

The layers are already in the frame's clipping group, this is how it's done:

Figure 2.12, Sunset Layering (Clipped to the frame)

After finshing all the coloring, I decided to add some text because I thought that this would make the comic more comic-able. I searched the font in dafont, and finally used the "Adventure" font by Pixel Sagas

Figure 2.13, Font Source

Since this comic does not have dialogue, I decided to just add the sound effect ("scrattle" -> crab's walking sound effect, "crack!" -> egg cracks) to make it look pop and also some punctuations to highlight the feeling and situation (surprised, confusion).

Figure 2.14, Adding Text

This is my final overall structure if I pressed command Y:

Figure 2.15, Overall Structure

Overall, I'm happy how it turned out. Each frame tells the story effectively and people could understand the story fast and easy.

Figure 2.16, Full Colored

3. FINAL RESULT (PNG)

Figure 3.1, Final Result

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FEEDBACK

WEEK 8

Mr. Hafiz suggested me to first breakdown the story first, do not immediately sketch because it will took longer time. 

WEEK 9

Mr. Hafiz suggested me to reduce 1 frame from the story board.

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REFLECTION

Experience: 

This task made my head spinning in the beginning. I was confused with the requirements because I thought that we have to make exactly 3 frames only (not more). I was stressing how to fit my story in just 3 frames, while it turns out that it was all misunderstandings. When everything is clear, I could finally work in peace. I love doing the colorings, and now I tried a different method (I used to always use gradients). Overall, this task is fun -> especially the coloring part ;p (asides from the part where I misunderstood).

Observations

Before doing the coloring, I was researching comics through websites and Pinterest. I find that almost all of them either use a solid color, or a gradient but with line art. (That's why I want to try solid color). Also, the shorter the frames are, the more we could understand the story effectively.

Findings

I found that clipping mask is a very effective tool for task like this because we did not have to clean up the excess part. Also, I realized that solid color makes the storyboard looks more clean and focused, so that there are no distractions for the reader. This task also taught me that a good story telling is all about simplicity instead of complex things (we need to focus on the important part).