Digital Graphic Narrative Planning

Use this booklet to help structure your planning and collate your planning documents.

Considerations:

There are lots of things to consider in this project. Fill out each section in detail to show you have thought about each one. You should imagine that this is a live project, so considerations like cost, quantity and codes of practice must be thought about in that context rather than just as a college project.

Costs:In my book project there isn’t any cost that I would need to pay for my project. Most of my work will be illustrated with using Adobe Photoshop and I will use fonts that are for free to use. If I would need travel to locations and use equipment such as paints, brush and pencils then I would need set a cost list. But over my entire project will be digitally so no cost require.

Available resources:My available recourses I have is the Mac which includes some adobe programs like Photoshop and adobe illustrator to make my storybook, I have the internet to help me research and such find fonts and book layouts and page sizes. I also have access for drawing tablets, the scanner and printing machine and digital cameras.

Quantity:My book quantity will not be a large amount due to the story is a national/culture folk tale. It will be limited in different regions, the amounts of print run would probably be printed is around 100 books in most countries.

Audience and Target Market:My audience and target market is going to be for a younger age group of 4 to 7 years old with the gender for both male and females.

The story can be for and influence all people with high or low social class. The storybook itself is cultural and would mostly relate more to Chinese culture.

The language of the story will be automatically set in English but for books that are published and shipped to different counties, the text would then change to a different language.Quality Factors:To help me create the book at its best quality I would need to take my time. When I’m illustrating the pictures I would need to take my time and not rush so the image can looks as good as possible.

Codes of Practice:The publisher and I would have to follow the publisher’s association code of practice. I would need to make sure that my timing is on time for example making sure my book is completed on or before the deadline. In my storybook there isn’t any defamation as the characters are completely fictional.

Regulation:My story book wouldn’t include any objects that might harm the child which then doesn’t contravene the Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC. The book is also not obscene as it is an appropriate story and images for the target audience. Even that my book based on a different country and cultures it doesn’t include any racist stereotype or offensive words and images.

Copyright:The story I am using would be allowed to use as it is an old folktale that been around centuries and the original author would not be around. The illustration will be created originally and not copied from any existing cartoon images. I would retain the copyrights to my book and illustrator’s so the publisher wouldn’t make more profit than book creator.

Ethical Issues:My storybook does contain Chinese background, which could be found sensitive to Chinese audience.I must make sure my work is not offensive or too stereotypic to the culture I am basing on. As it is Chinese folk tales I have to try make sure that my illustrators does not look obscene or stereotypically racist.

Resources:A successful project relies on good planning. Considering all the resources you will need for a project and then assessing which you already have and which you need will help ensure you are ready to start your project.

If there is a resource you don’t currently have, then consider how you are going to get it before you go in to production.

Resource:Do you have it? What do you need to do to get it?

 A Mac Computer  Yes

Access to Adobe Photoshop  Yes

My Planning Storyboard to follow my story in order.

All ready owned

Access to the Internet  Yes

A memory drive to save my work All ready Owned

 The Story ScriptAll ready Owned

 A working keyboard and Mac mouse  Yes

Production Schedule:Delivering your project on time is vital. In order to do this, you need a solid plan of action. This will help you divide up your work in to manageable chunks to be tackled one at a time. It will also allow you to plan which tasks need to be done in which order. It will also allow you to track your progress each day. If you are falling behind, you will need to modify the way you work. If you work faster than expected, you can clearly see what the next steps you need to take are.

Each session is a half day of college.

Session 1:

 Start preparing my first image for my storybook. Load my storyboard from my pro forma and start to copy my idea into to Photoshop. Start to rotoscope the Library bookshelf for the first stage.

 Finishing the bookshelf and then start rotoscoping the fireplace with the brick pattern. Once the fireplace is done I then can rotoscope the fire flames.

 Start shape making the human character hand and then start adding some details and texture to the humans clothing. After drawing my human character I then use some shapes to create the table for the character to read his book.

Finishing and tweaking all pieces of furniture and colour of the bookshelf room. Then create the text box and paste the script in the Photoshop doc.Session 2:Start to rotoscope my second image in a new Photoshop file. Search around the internet for different types of bookshelf and find an image to help me inspire. Use the image to help me create a similar bookshelf style and start rotoscoping.

 After the finishing the bookshelf, then start to add oddments like books and stature by using the shape tool and warping. Then start to create the lamp and add my firefly image in the Photoshop doc and change the brightness to make it look like a shadow.

Create the text box and paste the script from the PowerPoint in the Photoshop doc. Then start to design my third image.

 Start creating the table again in a close up view and then rotoscope a book to then add the firefly insect overlaying the book page.

Session 3:

 Add the third text piece text from the script and change the size and colour and place the text box in a appropriate place. The start to develop the fourth image by using the scholar house in image one and then enlarging so it zooms in to the door.

 Use a separate Photoshop document and then start creating the full body of the human character. Rotoscope the facial features from my plan image character and then use shape tasking to create the body, arms legs and hair.

 Tweaking the image by adding some texture and some colour shading of the character’s clothes and then save as a png.

Place my character to the Photoshop document and use the size tool to keep the character centre. Then add text above the character and make it sure it’s centred so its easy to read.Session 4: Start creating my fifth image by looking back to my storyboard and opening a new Photoshop document. Start using the shape tool and create the grass for the image background and then use a circle shape to create a pathway.

 Finishing some of the details of the background then place my book image from a separate png image and then change the size to centre the image. Then placed the firefly character above the book image.

 Start adding the text from script and then make sure everything is placed properly and add any tweaking as possible. Start to create the 6th image of the storybook. First place my image one (House) for the background and make it larger so it looks like a close up. Then go back to character psd image and then add alternative clothing robe to the character by looking at some inspirational Chinese ceremony robe on Google. Find the robe that I like and use the image to help me rotoscope the clothing. Once the character cloth is complete then save it as a separate psd file.

Session 5:

 Start to create my 7th image. Copy the texture of the house of page 6 and paste the texture into a square and enlarge it to make it look like a close up.

Go back to the scholar psd file, recreate the scholar in a different angle and then place him on to the storybook 7th page.

 Create the dragon shadow by placing the dragon on to the storybook 7 and then change the colour overlay into a solid black and then make it transparent so it looks like a shadow.

 Start adding the text from the script and then make sure everything is placed properly and tweaked.

Session 6:

 Start to create page 8, get a colour background and make it gradient so it looks like a sunset.

 Adding some squares and mini squares on so it looks like a city building and then duplicates each building around the page.

 Place the png dragon image onto the page 8, enlarge it and centre it so it fits right. Add some shades to the dragon so it looks more camouflage.

 Start adding the text from the script and then make sure everything is placed properly and tweaked.

Session 7:

 Start to create my final page, paste the background and the city from page 8. Use the blur tool to blur the buildings.

 Paste the scholar character from the png file. Use the bright and contrast to make the character darker and then use the colour balance tool to make him purple.

 Go back to the dragon psd file, recreate the shapes and add wings so it looks like the dragon is flying.

Session 8:

 Paste the dragon to the final storybook page. Add a black colour overlay and change his size to be smaller.

  Create the sun by adding the circle shape and adding some outline glow and white overlay. Place the sun near the dragon.

 Start adding the text from the script and then make sure everything is placed properly.

 On the final storybook page, find some bits to improve so the page looks its best and professional as possible.

Session 9:

 Contingency time

Session 10:

  Contingency time

Health and safety:Your health and safety and that of those around you is very important. Just like in industry, an accident could prevent you from working. Whilst we don’t work in a highly dangerous environment, there are still risks. Some are short term, such as trips and spillages whilst others, such as long term damage to eyesight or back problems, may affect you much later in life.

Consider the risks based on the activities you will be undertaking during the project. Explain how you could prevent them from happening.

Ensure you reference appropriate pieces of legislation, design to protect people at work.

Health and Safety Issue How can you prevent it?

Plug and cables that may be able to cause electric shock.

Do not touch or move equipment that seems faulty Let a member of staff know. Wear some Anti statistic gloves

Headaches while using the PC.

Let a member staff know Try taking a few minute breaks Having some water might help. Keep a distance to your screen

 Aches and Pain

Report to a member of staff Take a break Rest for a few minutes

 Seat faulty which may cause a fall

Report to a member of staff Use a different chair Try not to fidget around the chair

 Eye strain while look at the computer screen

Let a member staff know Turn the brightness down on the screen Wear some appropriate eye wear Take a break.