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IVN FINAL PROJECT - WEBCOMIC 《the Monkey's Paw》

 

5 December, 2024 - 5 January, 2025 (Week 11 - Week 15)

TANG LILIN (0376668)
Illustration and Visual Narrative

Final Project - Webcomic



Scott McCloud's Comic Transition Types
1. Moment-to-Moment

Conditions:

  • Little Closure: The reader fills in minimal changes between panels.
  • Subtle Change: Each panel shows slight differences in the same scene.

Examples:

  • A character’s eyes transition from closed to open.
  • A second hand moves from one tick to the next.

Characteristics:

  • Transitions are detailed and precise.
  • Changes are small, with a slow flow of time.
fig 1.1 moment to moment
2. Action-to-Action

Conditions:

  • Same Subject: Focuses on a single character or object.
  • Different Actions in Each Panel: Displays the same subject performing different actions over time.

Examples:

  • A character throws a punch → the punch connects with the enemy.
  • A character sits → stands → runs off-screen.

Characteristics:

  • Depicts dynamic movements.
  • Time flows clearly, emphasizing the continuity of actions.
fig 1.2 action to action
3. Subject-to-Subject

Conditions:

  • Change of Subject: Different objects or characters appear in each panel.
  • Same Scene or Idea: The transition revolves around a single scene or concept.

Examples:

  • Panel 1: A mother calls her child → Panel 2: The child responds to the mother.
  • Panel 1: A police officer draws a gun → Panel 2: A criminal raises their hands in surrender.

Characteristics:

  • Explores the same situation from different perspectives.
  • Requires the reader to connect the relationships between panels.
fig 1.3 subject to subject 
4. Scene-to-Scene

Conditions:

  • Change of Space: The geographical setting shifts.
  • Change of Time: The timeline advances by minutes, hours, or even years.
  • Optional Change of Characters: The characters may also change.

Examples:

  • Panel 1: A park during the day → Panel 2: A room at night.
  • Panel 1: A king gives an order → Panel 2: Soldiers are at war months later.

Characteristics:

  • Primarily used for jumps in time and space.
  • Drives the story forward.
fig 1.4 scene to scene
5. Aspect-to-Aspect

Conditions:

  • Focus on Different Details or Angles: Shows various elements or perspectives of the same scene.
  • Mood/Atmosphere: Aims to build atmosphere rather than advance the plot.

Examples:

  • Panel 1: Autumn leaves on a tree → Panel 2: A distant sunset → Panel 3: A bench swaying in the breeze.
  • Panel 1: A cobweb in a creepy room → Panel 2: A flickering candelabra → Panel 3: Shadows dancing on the wall.

Characteristics:

  • Uses multiple angles and details to create an immersive atmosphere.
  • Allows the reader to experience the scene deeply.
fig 1.5 aspect to aspect

6. Non-Sequitur

Conditions:

  • No Logical Relationship: The panels have no apparent connection.

Examples:

  • Panel 1: A cat → Panel 2: A train station.
  • Panel 1: A serene beach → Panel 2: A meteor in outer space.

Characteristics:

  • Creates confusion, discomfort, or an artistic effect.
  • Common in abstract or experimental works.
Summary
  1. Moment-to-Moment: Captures tiny changes, offering detailed expression.
  2. Action-to-Action: Depicts different actions of the same subject.
  3. Subject-to-Subject: Focuses on different subjects within the same scene or idea.
  4. Scene-to-Scene: Jumps through time and space to advance the story.
  5. Aspect-to-Aspect: Presents multiple angles to build mood and atmosphere.
  6. Non-Sequitur: Combines unrelated panels for unique effects.

In practice, Action-to-Action transitions are most commonly used, as they often incorporate elements of Moment-to-Moment, Subject-to-Subject, and even Scene-to-Scene (and occasionally Aspect-to-Aspect). Therefore, in this project, I will primarily use these three transition types to interpret my work effectively.


INSTRUCTION

RESEARCH

After understanding the instructions, I decided to further explore knowledge about transitions to better present the comic.
fig 2.1 comic panel transition

After reading The Monkey's Paw, I searched online for related videos, animations, and book cover designs. Additionally, to enhance the presentation of the webcomic, I researched Scott McCloud's types of comic transitions. Below is the research I conducted.
fig 2.2 the monkey's paw 



FINAL PROJECT - WEBCOMIC

Reference

fig 3.1 the part that I chosen



fig 3.2 the references


Sketches
fig 3.3 the sketches of  Cover & Comic

Progress - Comic

Based on the selected excerpt, I broke it down into five panels/frames:


Detail

FRAME 1

  • Description: Her husband was on his hands and knees, groping wildly on the floor in search of the paw.
    The father is on the floor holding a candle, searching for the monkey's paw.
  • Transition Type:
    • Action-to-Action (Frame 1 - Frame 3 - Frame 5)
    • Subject-to-Subject (Frame 1 - Frame 2)
  • Composition: Focus on the father’s hands and his horrified face, utilizing negative space for emphasis.
  • Coloring Process: Blue is used as the primary color, with layers of varying shades of blue to create depth. The candlelight creates lighting and shadow effects mapped onto the father’s clothes and the floor.
fig 3.4 FRAME 1 progress

FRAME 2

  • Description: A perfect fusillade of knocks reverberated through the house, and he heard the scraping of a chair as his wife put it down in the passage against the door.
    Knock sounds are represented visually, and the mother blocks the door with a chair.
  • Transition Type:
    • Action-to-Action (Frame 2 - Frame 4)
    • Subject-to-Subject (Frame 1 - Frame 2)
  • Composition: A perspective at the same height as the mother’s, enhancing immersion.
  • Coloring Process: Blue is the primary color, layered with varying shades for depth. The mother wears a purple apron to enhance the eerie, surreal feeling. The wooden door features gradients of light and dark brown, while the chair has gradients of red. Added textures create the effect of knocks shattering the walls.
    fig 3.5 FRAME 2 progress

    FRAME 3

    • Description: And at the same moment, he found the monkey's paw.
      The father finds the monkey's paw.
    • Transition Type:
      • Action-to-Action (Frame 1 - Frame 3 - Frame 5)
    • Composition: A close-up shot inspired by Framed Ink, focusing on the father’s hand and the monkey’s paw.
    • Coloring Process: Blue is the primary color, layered with varying shades for depth. The red monkey’s paw is textured with a grainy artistic effect to evoke eeriness. Gradients enhance background depth and create light-shadow interplay on the father’s clothing.
      fig 3.6 FRAME 3 progress

      FRAME 4
      • Description: He heard the creaking of the bolt as it came slowly back.
        The mother unlocks the bolt.
      • Transition Type:
        • Action-to-Action (Frame 2 - Frame 4)
      • Composition: A close-up shot inspired by Framed Ink, focusing on the mother’s hand and the bolt.
      • Coloring Process: Blue is the primary color, layered with varying shades for depth. The lighting effects are created using different skin tones. The bolt is colored with a surreal combination of purple and yellow, symbolizing Pandora's box and adding a surrealistic vibe. Twisting and artistic strokes enhance the effect.
        fig 3.7 FRAME 4 progress


        FRAME 5
        • Description: And frantically breathed his third and last wish.
          The father holds the monkey's paw and makes a wish. The paw emits light, creating a glowing halo in the background.
        • Transition Type:
          • Action-to-Action (Frame 1 - Frame 3 - Frame 5)
        • Composition: An OVERPOWERING UPSHOTS angle inspired by Framed Ink. This angle emphasizes the father as the wielder of power while creating tension and pressure.
        • Coloring Process: Yellow beams of light and a red-yellow halo, enhanced using AI’s built-in glow effects for added depth. The red monkey’s paw creates a surreal feel. Gradients are used to add depth and light-shadow interplay. The light creates reflective highlights on the father’s clothes, hair, and neck.
          fig 3.8 FRAME 5 progress




          Progress - Cover

          Central Theme: The candlelight illuminates the monkey's paw growing from the table, casting shadows of the protagonist's house and eerie surrounding branches.

          Based on the reference:

          • Create a blue background with a gradient arc-shaped frame transitioning from deep blue to black.
          • Use red as the base color for the monkey's paw, emphasizing its eerie presence. Add shadows using red-brown and black, along with a grainy artistic effect.
          • Mimic stained glass for the background by creating a gradient from light blue to deep blue, with added grainy texture.
          • The candle should feature unsettling color tones to enhance the strange atmosphere.
          • The table should have a red-brown gradient with subtle texture effects.
          • Add patchwork-style patterns to the arc-shaped frame.
          • The shadow of the house should have feathered and distorted edges. Apply the same distortion effect to the branches in the background.
          • Use Gothic fonts with a dripping blood effect to evoke a surrealistic vibe.

          Here is the progress.

          fig 3.9 COVER progress



          Detail

          Add varying shades of red and apply a grainy artistic effect to create a surreal feeling of the monkey's paw growing out of the table.

          Use Gothic fonts to match the story's setting and create a dripping blood effect to align more closely with the theme.

          fig 3.10 TITLE progress

          Add a layer of texture to the text to enhance its richness and depth.

          fig 3.11 the progress of  adding texture
           

          Distort the house's external outline to make it appear eerie, and feather the edges to make it look more like a shadow.
          fig 3.12 HOUSE progress

          Enrich the background with twisted branches, adding complexity and an unsettling vibe.
          fig 3.13 TREE progress
          Progress - Animation(Cover)


          My animation consists of 8 panels.
          These animations include:
          • House
          • Tears
          • Light of the monkey's paw
          • Candle

          fig 3.14 Animation Panel progress


          Detail

          HOUSE:As a shadow of house, it was animated to reflect the changing angles of the house's shadow caused by the flickering candlelight.
          fig 3.15 HOUSE progress
          Tears: The skull face symbolizes not only the deceased son but also hints at the father and mother. When animating, it was created with tears flowing down.
          fig 3.16 TEARS progress

          Candle: The animation of the candle flame flickering
          fig 3.17 CANDLE progress
          fig 3.18 timeline

          the timeline of the animation


          Some Efforts


          I initially tried changing the color of the title, but the effect was not satisfactory, so I gave up.



          Progress - Animation(Comic)

          My animation consists of 13 panels, with animations created for four specific panels. These animations include:

          • Fire
          • The word KNOCK
          • The word WISH
          • A hand
          • A light beam
          fig 3.19 Animation Panel progress
          Detail
          Frame 1: The progress of the fire animation.The candle burns, causing the flame to sway.
          fig 3.20 FIRE progress

          Frame 2          : The progress of the knock animation.The animation was created to depict the sound of knocking rising and falling.
          fig 3.21 KNOCK progress

          Frame 3          : The progress of the hand animation.This is the father's hand when he finds the monkey's paw. The twisting effect was applied to convey the tense atmosphere at that moment.
          fig 3.22 HAND progress

          Frame 5: The progress of the wish animation.          The animation shows the word "wish" being shouted from the father's mouth as he makes his wish.
          fig 3.23 WISH progress

          fig 3.24 the timeline
          the timeline of the animation

          SUBMISSION

          GOOGLE DRIVE LINK for TASK 4:

          AI SOURCE FILE LINK:

          Task 4 (Webcomic): The AI source file for the cover was too large to upload to Google Drive, even after several compressions. Following an alternative solution provided by Mr. Hafiz, I saved it as a PDF file and successfully uploaded it. Therefore, the source file for the cover of Task 4 is in PDF format.


          Cover:

          Comic

          GOOGLE SLIDES LINK：

          Cover
          fig 4.1 FINAL COVER - PNG



          fig 4.2 FINAL COVER - PNG

          Comic
          fig 4.3 FINAL COMIC - PNG


          fig 4.4 FINAL COMIC - PNG

          Animation
          fig 4.5 FINAL ANIMATION(COMIC) - GIF

          fig 4.6 FINAL ANIMATION(COMIC) - GIF

          fig 4.7 FINAL ANIMATION(COMIC) - GIF

          fig 4.8 FINAL ANIMATION(COVER) - GIF


          Reference Board

          fig 4.7 CONCEPT BOARD - PDF
          REFLECTION

          This semester’s final project, the "Monkey's Paw" comic, posed an unexpected challenge at the beginning. Initially, I was completely at a loss because I was unfamiliar with comic transitions and how to use them effectively. To overcome this, I started by conducting extensive research, studying examples, and analyzing how different transitions are used to guide storytelling visually. This helped me build a foundational understanding of the techniques involved.

          Once I completed the initial sketches, I found myself struggling with the coloring phase. I wanted to incorporate surrealism into my work but didn’t know where to start. After much contemplation, I decided to experiment with bold, unconventional color schemes, using hues like blue, purple, yellow, and red. I deliberately chose these colors to create contrasts and evoke an ethereal, dreamlike quality. Additionally, I played with unrealistic lighting, glowing effects on the monkey's paw, and surreal, almost otherworldly backgrounds to push the narrative further into the realm of surrealism.

          Through this project, I developed a deeper appreciation for how environments can be used to tell stories. By carefully crafting the setting and mood, I found that the environment itself could act as a silent narrator, enriching the story's tone and emotional impact. The knowledge I gained from Framed Ink proved invaluable during this process; I now understand its concepts more profoundly and applied them more effectively than before.

          Overall, completing this project not only improved my technical skills but also taught me how to integrate artistic techniques and storytelling seamlessly. It has given me greater confidence in experimenting with colors, light, and transitions to create a visually compelling narrative.


            
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