Week 15 Development

Monday
I had my meeting with Brian today to discuss my current progress on my dissertation. He was quite happy with the current draft but he suggested that I modify the table of contents including the merging of certain areas and customised titles. He was kind enough to look though my introduction and make some suitable changes to to it. Some required rewording.The other issue I spoke to him was about my PDF printing process as well as my concern about some PDF publish issue featuring a white border. I feel that throughout this project I have been overzealous about my case studies. In my proposal I said I would study a large range of studies featuring films and comics. However with required reduction of words in my discussion as well as my time management, I have only analysed at least 3. Nevertheless I will include these in this blog as well as in the dissertation appendix.

Tuesday

I am hoping to do to:

• Visit Dundee Printing service and ask about proofreading the pdf before printing or asking for a test print to make sure it turns out as expected. 
• Attending meeting with Stephanie to look over current draft of dissertation 
• Polish up the visual documents for the assets featured within the comic. 
• Submit a draft of Honours Portfolio to Blackboard. 

Even if the final comic has errors in it. I can still modify changes to the final portfolio. It's not long now until the submissions but I believe I will complete everything before hand in next week.

This afternoon, I went along to Dundee University to speak to them about my PDF order. The price of the printed comic was not as expensive as I thought. I was able to clarify a few things before they processed my order. I asked them to make it A4 size and with no borders.

Wednesday
I spent most of today, looking on my blogs. and providing a consistent style. I was able to get through 60% of my blogs. However I have noticed that few posts about certain elements such the environment and characters were not included. Therefore I'll be including these soon.

Thursday
I went into Dundee to pick up the printed copy of my comic. It turned out really well. I had my meeting with Brian and I discussed with him my current state of the project such as business cards, dissertation and final submission work.

I spoke to him about my current progress with the dissertation and I was at a stage were I wanted to get this dissertation completed. Although he previously asked me to cut it down to 7,000 words, he was happy with its current state. He looked through my introduction and picked out a few areas that needed changed. However those didn't take too long.

Friday
I spent my day at home looking over my assertion and making sure the figures and case studies were up to date. I decided to include three case studies I made on Goon, The far side Gallery and The Quest by Rich Werner. I took some time to overlook the figures and prepared for Monday, which I plan to send to the copy shop.

Brian's Feedback and Week 11 Summary

I showed the introduction for my dissertation to Brian. He suggested that I should include a paragraph which discusses the relationship between the themes and explain how they are relate to each other. On Thursday, we also discussed some alternative ideas for one of the comic pages that I was trying to convey. I was intending to convey the following text;

"So now I am to end it all, having written a full account for the information or the contemptuous amusement of my fellow-men. Often I ask myself if it could not all have been a pure phantasm—a mere freak of fever as I lay sun-stricken and raving in the open boat after my escape from the German man-of-war. This I ask myself, but ever does there come before me a hideously vivid vision in reply." (Lovecraft p.23–29)
However after some consideration, I decided to allow myself some creative freedom when I was  depicting this part of the story.  I have been staying true to the one of the story and have been able to include some new material without drifting away from its original intention. The meeting sessions allowed for further critique such as the praise of areas which  helped me improve the aspect of storytelling in the comic but also highlighting the flaws of these pages.
I feel that this may be changed to show that the morphine does not make the vision go away but instead make it temporary or enhances the hallucinations. I have be trying to maintain  my number of pages to allow them to be told in the way it should be presented.
I updated the background of page 18. Brian really liked how the inclusion of the doctor helped provide some further concept of the protagonist' state. However Brian was still not happy with the layout of the final panel. I did make some changes such as removing the specific title of the professor off the office door. The protagonist is speaking to. It became apparent that it would have been a lot better if it showed the protagonist walking away from the hospital and provide visual cues to suggest hat his is the beginning of his problems. I also took the opportunity to build up my portfolio including my word from second year to help highlight the experience that I have gained during three years at Abertay. I also decided to look at adding in a boarding party boat in page 2.

References

Lovecraft, H. 1919. Dagon. W. Paul Cook. p.23-29.

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioXE83d9MC5uraQRDzZFlMZ7Em8TljJ1-LdIU8zM3P1UOz2NWnjP4iau5WGY_VLKRdI2G5NfHDsEuzpf-UMuSqt6PpL6kcnTWSYASzVV17FksyGBNKPPEZIzR9rm5Z9WqOQ8tmB6fH0GY/s1600/1114rnboarding.jpg

Progress on Dissertation and Honours Project

I have had difficulty trying to work on my project because I have been looking for possible opportunities after university. Plus I have been busy with my part time job and at times have been feeling a bit burnt out. However I have been able to work on my coursework but not all the time as it was also the holidays. Lynn even suggested that I took a break.

On the upside, I have been assembling a new portfolio site to present my strongest work.
The honours project portfolio will consist of a printed comic book with a front and back cover.
the visual documents for the characters and environments.

Research Question Definition Development

Here are some variations I made of the research question which I'm hoping to develop further.

1. What factors contribute to non verbal narrative in sequential art adaptions of other mediums?
2. What elements helps influence the way comic adaptations of novels can provide a non verbal approach?
3. What are the key element when developing a non verbal narrative in a sequential art adaptation.
4. Can I develop a non verbal narrative for a comic adaptation?
5. What goes into making a non verbal narrative for a sequential art adaptation?
6. Explore the various processes and convention of telling a visual interpretation of a story with minimal verbal narration in the form of a sequential art print medium.
7. Explore the contributing factors of visual language that facilitate the use of minimal narration within comics.
8. Explore the contributing factors of Visual Language that facilitates the minimum use of dialogue in comics.
9. What are limits of visual language that assists in communicating a story without relying on dialogue in comics?

Books Considered for Honours Project

Below are a series of books I've been considering to read for my honours project.

• Eisner, W. 1996. Graphic Storytelling & Visual Narrative. 5th ed. Tamarac: Poorhouse Press.
• Tonge, G. 2008. Bold visions. Cincinnati, Ohio: Impact.
• Talbot, B. 2012. Grandville. Milwaukie, OR: Dark Horse Books.
• Hernandez, E. 2013. Set the action!. Burlington, MA: Focal Press.
• Bancroft, T. 2006. Creating characters with personality. New York: Watson-Guptill.
• Solarski, C. 2012. Drawing Basics and Video Game Art. New York: Watson-Guptill Publications.
• T. Byrne, M. 1999. Animation The Art of Layout and Storyboarding. Kildare: Mark T. Byrne.
• The Lorax. 2012. [film] Illumination Entertainment: Chris Renaud.
• Tonge, G. 2008. Bold visions. Cincinnati, Ohio: Impact.
• McCloud, S. 2006. Making comics. New York: Harper.