Does anyone here produce graphic novels?

Phyrebrat

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I have a friend who is an architect and artist who has expressed a wish to make a graphic novel with me, using one of my existing horror shorts, or working together on producing a new one.

This is completely new to me and I wondered if anyone has any information on resources or experience in this area.

Thanks

pH
 
No experience here but it is something my brother and I have discussed a few times. me being the writer and him the artist. I still hope to try something at some point.
 
either you set it up as a comicbook or a manga ..
you either write a script and story board with thumbnail sketches or make a story board and and write the story to it.

the script is different then your story.
you choose between black and white or colour pages.. or you can have some colour on a mainly black and white story.
black and white is cheaper to print. the more colour the more cost.

the problem with black and white art is that you need someone really good with pen and ink. sometimes you get a second artist to do the inking of sketches.
its actually a separate specialty.

stan lee of marvel comics has a beginners book on how to write and illustrate a graphic story.
its available at most libraries. usually in the childrens section.

if you go colour, instead of self publishing, you might try selling the story to "heavy metal" magazine.
that way you get paid, credits, notorioty, and someone else pays for all the ink colours.

good luck phyrebrat.
 
I have an idea in mind that I think would be great for a graphic novel, and palau on writing it (at least just in normal novel format) somewhere down the line. I have a couple of friends in mind who would be great at doing the art. I don't know if more than one people could do it, or if they would have to try and emulate the same form of art, as theyare a bit different I think.

I don't have any information that can help you, I was planning on eventually broaching the subject here as well. What I had assumed was you write it like a comic book almost. Give the artist some kind of scene plan or chapter plan that help them picture whats going on etc, and you write the speech bubbles, like a storyboard. Whether that's is true though, I don't know.writing you could write it out as a novel/story and giving that to the artist instead, it would be complete with the descriptions and feelings etc, so they would have everything needed to go on.

As you have an already existing story to use, I would suggest give that to your friend and have them draw up a few storyboard images for the opening and see what you think then. And then add in your script. Or do they need to be opposite?
 
This is completely new to me and I wondered if anyone has any information on resources or experience in this area.

What a great medium, too often looked down upon, combining the power of words to that of images.

As far as writing a graphic novel goes, the experience is more akin to writing a screenplay than it is to writing a book. You must think visually, almost exclusively. Omit any wordy description of the inner "lives" of characters (thought process, emotions) to replace them with visual cues - or dialogues - that betray them. For example, describing the body language or facial expression of the character rather than writing "he/she is reminded of..." is the way to go. You want the artist who will put your story onto the page to get a crystal clear image of what you are aiming for through your descriptions, and you want to achieve that with as few words as possible. Try to deliver "quick visual punches" rather than elaborate and overly detailed paragraphs that will drown out your intentions.

In such a visual medium, shapes, colours and composition become your primary weapons alongside words. It is often tempting for a writer of novels and short stories to overlook the former and rely on the latter. But it is in the balance between all those elements that the true essence of graphic novels dwells. Use the way your characters are positioned in space, the way they dress and carry themselves, to reveal who they are and their importance within the story. Do not relegate framing / composition to a tool used to make pretty pictures or dynamic action scenes.

When you have something very specific in mind, do not hesitate to attach rough sketches of a panel, or even an entire page, to your screenplay.

Numerous classics of the medium now come packaged with their original script, and I encourage you to read them, since they remain the best way to learn from the masters. One in particular has been a major influence on the way I approach writing graphic novels: the special edition of Grant Morrison and Dave McKean's Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth.

Best of luck in this endeavour.
 
Great advice and feedback, everyone, thank you.

I'll copy these messages in an email to him. TBH I hadn't even thought about publishing, it is just that we have been talking about an interdisciplinary project for a while and it seemed to coalesce into this. It's more to do with the collaboration than a business venture (and I'll admit it came from me falling in love with the Babadook book - of which I have 2 on order :) )

pH
 

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