Graphic Narrative Evaluation

Use this template to help you evaluate your project.

You should give specific details about your work.

You should provide both written and visual examples to explain your project.

You should find areas to praise in your work. Be specific about why you think they are good or why you are proud of them.

You should also find areas that could be improved. Look for areas that you could make better if you went back to them. Be specific about what you would improve.

Add additional slides as you need to. Don’t be restricted by what is here.

Any blank slides should be deleted before submission.

Does your final product reflect your original intentions?

Between my final product, my drafts and my flat plans there are some quite significant differences. The rough outline of my final product resembles my draft and flat plans particularly well. However it is mainly the details in my final product that have changed significantly compared to the draft. Pages 7 and 8 are the most different between my final product and my hand drawn draft. In my final product the tree is further to the left and further up the page than in my hand drawn which also shows the road bending in the other direction and much lower down the page. In page 8 the crowd is much bigger but much less discernible and the image is not from a bird's eye view but from a high angle and makes puts the finish line to the edge of the image meaning the focus is more on the crowd than actually on the Tortoise who is winning the race.

When I did my digital flat plan for page 4 it was relatively empty and only contained a bit of setting which I figured would be the same place as the Tortoise was in the the first page. As a result of this I decided to put more detail in the image in my final version. I felt the flat plan was too boring and plain and left too much empty space that could be used to give more atmosphere and a more playful vibe to the image. As a result of this I added texture to the sand and the bottom of the swing set. I liked how I had made this image a close up shot of the Tortoise so I kept this aspect, especially because it added variation to the look of my book.

In my digital flat plans I used text that included serif’s as it would be easier for children to read as it make it easier for their eyes to roll from one letter to another; something that comes naturally when you have been reading for longer. I changed this when I did my flat plan because I felt the font wasn’t playful enough for a children’s story and it seemed darker and out of place. As a result I changed my font to a sans serif one that was much curvier and seemed more child friendly. I also changed the colour as when it was black it felt overpowering on the page. However when I went back to do my final versions I changed the font back to black and the type to Athelas which would be much easier for children to read and wasn’t too overpowering for the image.

How well have you constructed your images?

When I look at how well I have constructed I am particularly proud of a few of them because of my use of texture, gradient, shape manipulation (more often than not using the skew and warp tools), and the way I have used colour.

In page 5 I used a gradient tool to colour the shapes of the hills that surround the path where the Hare and Tortoise are running. I only changed the colours in the gradient by a little to give the effect of shadows and therefore add depth to the hills. By using the ellipses tool and then shaping the hills with the warp tool I have given the image the “rolling hills” effect and made them seemto go on for a long time. By changing the colour blue of the sky in the thought bubble to the blue that is supposed to be the real cloud I have made the image brighter and more surreal and this indicates that it is a fantasy. Overall I feel page 5 was a particularly well constructed image.

For page 6 I created a shadow for the characters and added more texture into the clouds. I warped the path so that it aligned with the hill which gave it shape and made it seem more round. This gave the entire page a layered effect that made the sun look like it was in the distance, as well as the clouds. This also made the shadows look more realistic as it meant the sun was coming from behind the characters instead of straight from above. Overall page 6 was successfully constructed to a high standard.

One of the pages I struggled most with was page 8 as I felt it wasn’t as impactful as it could have been, i.e. I felt like there should have been more characters at the finish line. To solve this problem I made more characters. Whilst I liked the look of the Tortoise from above, the Hare was much harder to do and as a result I worry that it is not obvious enough to a younger audience that it is the Hare. To solve this problem I gave the Hare a dust cloud in several pages which children could relate to the Hare.Page 8 was a difficult

How well have you used text to anchor your images

Anchoring the images with text is a key part of any children's book as it helps them learn a language through visual stimulation, and equally association. In most of my pages I have used text to anchor the images quite precisely. For example in pages 2, 6, 7 & 8 I reflected what was happening in the text in the images.

Here in page 7, I have said that the Hare spotted the tree and decided to take a nap; as a result of this, the Hare is taking a nap under the tree in the image.

Page 2 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8

In my images the text I have used is Athelas as this felt very child friendly and contrasted the round shapes that I have used with its harsher lines which is emphasised by such a dark colour and the serif that is part of the text.

The text is right for my story as it is easier for children to read as it rolls onto the next letter and word easier due to the serif, which provides a kind of indicator for the children who are reading.

One thing I should have done with my text is used a font that used single-story “A’s” instead of a double-story one like that used in this font. This is because most children are taught to write single-story A’s as they are much easier and more efficient when hand writing.

Is your product suitable for your audience?

My product is suitable for my audience. I know this because I have used simple language that will be well within the suitable range of a 7 year old and whilst, it may include new words for 4 year olds, the idea of a the book is to help a child learn as well as entertain. My book can still be sold to all children as it’s not really gender specific, despite the fact I have made both characters male. This is because the characters are animals, which means any child can identify easier with the story.

In my proposal I said that I wanted my story not to appeal to any specific class of children. I have manage to do this by not making any class references in the story and by making the events in the story relevant to all children. As my characters are animals and not real children there is no obvious class difference as there may have been if they were children. This has been made easier as there is no clothing to create and no settings such as houses where wealth and status can be inferred.

My book was still written in English and so I am sticking to my proposal to sell in English speaking countries. If the book was successful enough then I would sell in other countries in other languages, but this would cost a lot of money to do as it would require further editing also as well as new prints.

As parents will buy on behalf of their children the book needs to be visually appealing, as it says in my proposal. I believe I have done this with my images. As the images and the text coincide I feel that a parent would enjoy reading this book to their child as there is a lot to look at and help their child see on the pages in relation to the text.

What do you like/dislike about the techniques you have used?

What I liked about the shape tool technique as that it meant that I could readjust my characters from page to page as long as I had a template. This made my work much more efficient and meant my characters always stayed looking the same without being in the same position. This meant I could have variety in my work and keep my characters consistent.These are images where I have demonstrated how the character has stayed consistent with slight changes in the way the character is positioned such as leg and arm positions. The first image is the template image I used to build my character so that I always had an unedited version of the first character to go to. This meant that I was able to edit the character without dramatically changing where the arm was positioned when the first page is compared to the seventh, for example. I also used this tool for my narrative landscape, to create the coral parts of my seabed, and the shape task to create the bodies of my animals.

I found using the skew tool difficult especially when I am trying to get my characters from a different angle as it would make the leg too long or the head too wide and this would make my character look unnatural and stretched in the wrong places. As a result I would spend more time on trying to make the product look as natural as possible. Here is an example of when I used the skew tool to alter my character and it changed the shape of the character to an odd angel that made the leg of the Hare look impossibly long and as though it was bent in an awkward position. To fix this I had to adjust the individual parts of the leg.

As well as liking the shape tool I also used the clipping mask tool and changed the opacity to create patterns and give shapes texture in my story.I also used this tool for my narrative environment and for my posteras I needed to give them both some texture to make them feel more realistic rather than just blocks of colour. This was something that required a tool that could give the image minute detail.

The shape tool itself was by far my favourite tool as when it was paired with other tools meant that I was able to create entire scenes. It was the building blocks for my story, narrative environment, shape task and helped me with my film poster.

The shape tool meant that I could build characters and scenes roughly and figure out what would work where and how I would build my image with textures and using other tools.

In the image of the elephant I used the shape tool and the warp tool mainly to create the silhouette of the elephant. This is most obvious at the feet and the ear, which I outlined to highlight this. In the second image (page 3 of my story) I used multiple ellipses and then merged them together to get the thought bubble shape. I also used this technique for clouds in other images. I used shapes for nearly every item in my narrative environment. Most obvious in the seaweed on the left rock.

What do you like/dislike about how your final product looks?

In my final product I like how clean it looks. The edges are defi-ned and there are no odd corners or little edges that I didn’t manage to manipulate into being a curve. As a result my product looks fluid and polished and professional. Because there are no jarring corners or sharp turns in my story it makes it much suitab-le for younger children who like soft and comfortable things that soothe them. That makes my story a good bedtime book also. This means my book can appeal more to my audience as it is suitable for a particular time of day.

I also love the textures in my final product as they give the images some life and make it visually stimulating for the child. As a result of using the texture tool I have managed to make some interesting pairing to create textures. I took the phrase “candy floss clouds” literally and used the clipping mask command to use candy floss as a filter. I also used cotton wool for this.

One thing I dislike about my final product is the lack of texture in the Hare. As the character was pretty difficult as I changed it for every slide, I didn’t incorporate and textures into him. As a result of this I feel like he is quite boring to look at and may not grab the child’s attention when put in comparison to the rest of the scene. This is a major flaw as he is the main character of the story. If I was going to change this I would give the Hare a subtle texture as I wouldn’t want something too overpowering that took away from who the character was and what he represented because he looked pretty to small children.

Another thing I disliked about my final product is that the characters facial expression changed very little. I did this because I changed a lot about the shape of the characters body and the positions they were in. However as a result of this I feel I may have made my characters look like they were going through the same facial expressions the entire way through the story.

I particularly like the way I have used different angle of the animals to make the story more visually interesting, which will help children learn the lesson as they are paying attention to what they are looking at. I also like it because it makes me feel like my story has been more challenging to do because no one scene was the same as another and so each one has been created from scratch.

Why did you include the content you used?

I used the images I used because they are pretty and fun and they are easy for children to relate to. This means my book is accessible to my audience and can connect with them. This will make the book more popular and nicer for the children to read because they will enjoy it. Scenes such as running and playing in the playground are common environments for children to be in this means that children will be able to apply themselves to a situation, which will help them understand the message of my story.

In my product I used effects to create a more visually stimulating story for the audience. This made sense as my audience is more likely to be looking at the pages of the book rather than than reading it, which is something a parent might do. I used a texture effect by creating clipping masks to make it seem more fun and lively and realistic. This would mean that children can relate the parts to the outside world that looks like the image. I used the gradient effect on the sun so that it would blend seamlessly into the sky thus making the sky more realistic. I also used the effect for the rolling hills in page 5 of my story as it meant I could create an almost shadow like effect and give the impression that the shapes are rounded. This just adds visual stimulation to the images and makes it nicer for children.

I used light colours in my images because they are soothing and can be really impactful when paired with a dramatic texture. As well as this they are much more suitable for a 4 year old rather than a vivid neon-pink which has connotations of energy and shock, which would most likely keep a child awake. I made the Hare’s shorts red as red can be associated with danger and trouble and the Hare is a bad character and should not be setting examples to the children. I didn’t change the colour of the Tortoise or add much clothing to it because green is normally associated with goodness and nature and life therefore the Tortoise is associated with good from the beginning by itself.

I used the font Athelas because it would be easy for children to read as the serif provides a run on. As well as this it is the font most children start learning to read with and so they will be more familiar with it and therefore if they do try to read the book they will be able to easier.

I made my characters anthropomorphic because it means that children will find them more accessible as they don’t have specific characteristics that children may feel they need to be able to relate to characters. This means I have a much wider audience range and can access my target audience better.

What signs, symbols or codes have your used in your work?

In my work I used some signs, symbols and codes to convey ideas about my characters, the moral of the story, and what I want the children to think about what is going on.

The one I used that matters the most is the colour of the t-shirt I made the Hare wear. The colour red is a symbolic signifier as it has come to represent something else through a cultural understanding. Red in England, and most other western countries, has connotations of danger, love, passion, and aggression. In nature it is considered a warning colour and we learn these associations from early on in life; because of this I have given the Hare a pair of red shorts as I know the children will understand it’s significance. The red in this case reflects negatively on The Hare because the Hare is a bad character, therefore it is a warning signal to younger readers, not to follow his example.

I used a playground in the first page of my story to show that my characters were of a young age. Here the playground acts as a signifier because I have not categorically said that the characters are young. Playgrounds are associated with children because they are for children. This means that my image of a playground is an iconic signifier because it is what it says and also a symbolic signifier as it symbolises youth.

I use an symbolic signifier by using the dust cloud to show that the Hare is moving particularly fast and that he is chaotic. This is an symbolic signifier because dust clouds generally are fast and chaotic when they occur, which parallels the Hare’s characteristics.

The foot prints in page 3, that are left by the Tortoise in the sand are indexical signifiers because they represent challenge and hope. They represent this through a cultural understanding of footprints being about a journey and a new beginning. They are frequently associated with religion due to a bible story. This is the only religious connotations that I have in my story.

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Audience Responses

Cultural competence:

Media texts require us to have a certain level of cultural understanding to be able to interpret them.

At a basic level, this could mean being able to read the language that a magazine is written in.

At a deeper level, it means being able to interpret signs and symbols that we use a visual shorthand to communicate ideas.

We recognise these signs in our own culture but find it harder to understand when looking at others.

We create and attach meaning to signs and symbols in many different forms.

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Audience Responses

Cultural competence:

What is this?

This is a Norwegian Pine tree, covered in snow and with a red ribbon on.

Our cultural understanding allows us to interpret its meaning.

To us, in British society, it means Christmas, presents and family.

This is because we share a cultural knowledge.

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Audience Responses

Cultural competence:

There are many other signs and symbols that we attach meaning to.

A leather jacket can imply rebellion.

A sports car can imply wealth and power.

A cross can represent religion.

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Audience Responses

Cultural competence:

Visual representations of everyday objects are often the same the world over. A car appears as a car, no matter what country it appears in.

What that car means however, can be very different depending on your cultural background.

What representations can be found in your work?

My story has very few representations as my characters are animals and they are both male. This means that they do not represent race, sexuality, social groups or religion because they physically cannot or it makes no sense for them to.

They can however represent age as they are both children. As my characters are so vastly different in their personalities it is hard to generalise, from their characteristics, some stereotypes that are associated with young children. One could be their competitiveness with each other, which is quite common in young children. However even this isn’t necessarily true as the Tortoise isn’t really competitive, he just wants to prove a point that the Hare’s arrogance is an ugly characteristic by winning.

What style have you employed in your products?

The style I have employed in my product has a distinct influence from children’s books like The Very Hungry Caterpillar. My book has a similar style to this because I have employed a heavy use of textures as clipping masks over shapes, which looks like what has been done with this story.

The Tortoise and the Hare is one of Aesop’s Fables, and is probably one of his best known ones. As a result of this it has been expressed in many cartoons, including being made by Walt Disney Studios. However almost none of the books or animations I could find looked exceptionally like mine, the closest being the middle image shown.

The visual style of my book is quite minimalist at a first glance but when the audience looks for longer more details appear. it is very texture based and a slightly surreal with it’s shapes particularly with trees and clouds, however this adds to the wonder and appeal for children as it is different from what they are used to so in the real world.

What were the strengths and weaknesses of the pre-production and

planning • How did the planning and research help• How well did you manage your time• Reference specific examples

Planning and pre-production was incredibly helpful even though I didn’t completely stick to my timetable rigidly.

The planning meant I had a baseline for where I should be at a certain time. This allowed me to know about how much I had to get done in each session which was normally three hours. As a result of this I knew that if I kept on top of my work I would be on time.

I didn’t stick to my planning rigidly as I planned to do the scenery before I moved onto the characters, however I ended up using a template for both of my animals which meant that this was much less time consuming than I had originally thought it was going to be. This meant I had more time to spend on details in images and creating an image that was much more filled and contained more for a child to look at.

I managed my time particularly well when it came to putting my product together. I actually had finished before the time I gave myself to do it in the plan was up, so I went back over my images and changed parts I didn’t like, i.e. the font of the text and the colour of it too. It also meant that I could make alterations like adding my characters to page 8 at the finish line which I felt looked a little bare. The pre-production I found incredibly helpful as it meant that I had a rough idea for what I wanted each page to look like and which part of the story I wanted it to contain. I used this as a guide to create each page of the final product which was incredibly helpful when I felt I was lacking in inspiration for particular scenes.

Doing a flat plan meant that I had a rough idea of how long each page would take me to do and also gave me a start for what I wanted my product to be styled like. It’s how I knew using shape’s would be right for me over any other technique and allowed me to experiment with textures for grass and leaves. This provided me with a baseline for how I wanted my overall book to look so I found it incredibly helpful.

Historical and cultural contextAs the story is so well known and is available in the public domain there are many versions of it available to buy, most of them are pretty old though as the story was first published in 1668- 349 years ago. This means that there are many other variations of the stories available that will have preceded mine, however they will all adapt to the times, so older ones will be less appealing to children because they look older and children are aware of what newer products look like.