What is Visual Storytelling?
Telling a story visually, that's what! And it's a very important and difficult thing to learn. Most books you see on
"How to Draw Comics" talk about anatomy, perspective, and composition and touch on some of the smaller points of storytelling, but leave out all the really unique parts that really make an artist a powerful storyteller and a book a success!
Pace and Mood are two of the most powerful tools a comic book artist can master. The size of the panels, distance between them, the way you represent passing time, dramatic lighting, how the angle and placement of the 'camera' can make your reader feel (
bird's eye = safe, worm's eye = down in the action), to the way a silohuette and the choice of not using dialogue can take a characters mournful posture from sad to distraught, depressed, hopeless.
I've picked some of my favorite books that look outside of the normal grids and action shots of how to draw muscular superheroes and delve into the intricacies of the art and craft, Visual Storytelling.
Please let me know what you think and if you have any favorites of your own. If I haven't read them yet I would LOVE to!
~Ray
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This is a real method I use all the time for the countless allnighters I have to pull for my overloaded work schedule and to take care of our baby who also never sleeps. Might not work for everyone, but it works for me. Obviously sleep is important for health and I'm not encouraging anyone to deprive themselves or anything like that (don't sue me if we all find out not sleeping kills you, it was your choice to try it), but being overloaded is a reality in everyone's lives and if you just can't help but miss sleep, you might give this a shot. I feel much better after!
I'd like to add that for best results, stay hydrated. REALLY hydrated (which also helps keep you awake) and JUMP out of that bed/chair/floor/computer keyboard. If you jump up and get moving, get that blood going, your body and mind will feel much better much faster.
Here in Portland Maine, they have an annual Zombie Kickball game where everyone dresses up like Zombies and... play Kickball!! Just a reason to dress up, be silly, and get in the Halloween spirit! This was my first time and it was so much fun!
Our son, Tycen (7) even got into the action:
Our baby boy, Drake, was just a light snack between innings. :o)
