Modern Comics
Graphic novels have come a long way in terms of popularity and stories, but no aspect has changed more than their layouts and economy. What used to be newspaper illustrations and cheap-printed superhero stories now becomes 200-500 page paperbacks and endless online content. Even the shortest form of profitable comics, mangas, are traditionally around 150 pages. Not only are comics expected to be longer, but they are supposed to be cheaper too. In fact, most online comics on platforms like Webtoon or Tapas come free, and sets the expected price for future comics. This formula of longer content and smaller pay for the artist should result in a dwindling industry, but miraculously it continues to grow.
Because this is a huge problem in the artist industry, I figured the topic would fit into my SI well. Morgana continues her journey as a professional witch in the form of a long comic, at least for now.
Breaking boundaries
Using a large bristol paper, I will use pen and ink to illustrate a long comic page. The landscape length is to pay homage to the modern "scrolling" comics of today. Entire chapters are unbroken by a page line due to the wonders of technology. To emphasize the flow, certain elements in panels will spill onto the next, stringing events together. Certain manga artists to this flawlessly, and use panel divides in the most creative ways. Kamone Shirahama's Witch Hat Atelier uses the panels to emphasize objects. Other artists like Emily Xu disguises panel divides as objects in the panel itself, like smoke or waves.
Integrating the text was tedious and perspective continues to be a design hinderance, but work continues to get a clean sketch that can be executed cleanly.
I think this is really cool and I like how you're relating your project back to issues that many comic makers/artists now face when publishing comics! I think it'll be really cool to see all the similarities between an online comic as well as yours while you highlight important aspects individual to your own comic! I'm also excited to see how you place around with composition like you mentioned like with the pens, but I'm also interested to see how you work with POV in your comics, especially because you're kinda giving a perspective to the viewer that they are scrolling through the comic like they would online!