Prologue: Page 4
Hi everybody,
I do hope that you’re enjoying the comic so far! For this post, I thought I would share a little bit about the creative process of the page, so you can see how Rachel and I work.
For starters, this page didn’t exist in the original flow. Instead, pages 3 and 5 segued directly into one another. While this seemed alright initially in the thumbnail stage, we quickly learned that the layout of the spire structure where these characters are walking was a bit confusing without some proper establishing shot to sell the “building within a building” layout.
This was most problematic in the panel with the characters walking up the stairs and looking out the previously-established window. If you don’t recognize that the scholar there is actually in the outer “shell” of the building, it can be a very confusing panel. So Rachel and I devised a middle page to establish the unique architecture of this building, called “The Spire of Gair.”
The first order of business was to create a model. Rachel took a page from David Petersen’s process when it comes to complex structures and camera angles, building herself a simple model. However, unlike David’s physical models, Rachel built hers in 3D:
From this render, Rachel was able to add the windows on the center spire, the connecting struts, and the other ancillary details to fill out the structure. From there, it was just a matter of re-translating everything onto the page!
Speaking of which, we’ve got three more pages for you this week – one tomorrow, one Thursday, and then we will begin our weekly Saturday postings. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to post a comment here or to send us an e-mail at thewesterndeep@gmail.com!
Wow. You guys put so much thought into this story. From dynamic characters to colorful cultures and unique architecture. Love the fact that you built it in 3D to get a better idea of it, by the way. :)
Which program did you use? AutoDesk?
Blender, actually! It’s free and relatively lightweight. Most importantly, since I can now set it to use Maya keyboard shortcuts, I’m not completely lost in it. Just mostly. ;)
Just a quick shot of the internal structure of the library, but it really is an awesome place. I love the “building within a building” concept and how it comes together to create such stunning architecture. For some reason, the building reminds me of the famous Spiral Minaret of the Great Mosque of Samarra in Baghdad – maybe it’s the design, maybe it’s the Arabian influences on the Felis civilization.
We also get an introduction to a recurring element in this comic – the author’s commentary! I love this feature, and I’m profoundly grateful that you both take the time to expound on what you were thinking when you put together your comic, as well as to provide additional background information on the setting. When you create a world this fascinating, that adds so much to the experience of reading the comic.
It’s also great seeing outtakes and sketches from when you were first writing the story. In the draft page, am I mistaken in thinking that the guide showing our mysterious narrator up the stairs looks like a squirrel/Tamian? Did this prologue originally take place in Sunsgrove or where the staff of the library simply more diverse back then? Or maybe I’m just imagining it…