1) The document describes the process used to create images for a graphic novel, including hand drawing images, scanning them, adjusting thresholds to show solid lines, and using tools to add color. 2) Backgrounds were created using tools to map out panels, then the paint tool to add details like ground lines, textures for sky and grass, and rotoscoped elements like trees and mountains. 3) Text is limited, used only when needed to explain images, such as adding text to a message to make its meaning clear. Speech bubbles are also used to show character and dialogue.

1. Task 3
I believe the overall look of my images was good and I am
pleased with them. To construct my images I hand drew them, before
scanning them into the computer, rasterizing and changing the
threshold of the image to allow only the solid lines to be seen. Finally
I used the fill tool to colour the different blocks of white in, I think
that this method gave a crisp and professional finish to the images
while still slightly retaining the hand drawn look I wanted.
For the backgrounds I used the square and line tools to map
out my panel design firstly, then using the paint tool to draw the
ground line and filling this section in with the fill tool. With the sky I
would do the same, adding texture with the different textured
paintbrush tools available. There was a grass paintbrush that I
believed was very effective and also a texture that worked well as
clouds. I also added in further details such as blossom trees and
mountains that I rotoscoped. With the blossom trees I used a soft
paintbrush tool with a lower opacity to give the desired look to the
blossom.

2. I have tried not to overuse text in my graphic novel, only
using it when I feel it is necessary for explaining an image, one that
wouldn’t make sense without a written explanation.
In the photo above I believed the meaning of the message
would not have been clear without the text explaining what it was,
and so I included the further explanation to ensure the message gets
across to the audience.
In other instances I have used speech bubbles, I believe
these aid the explanation of the image, but also add character to the
people in a graphic novel as the reader can see what they are saying
themselves.
The way the audience can see the Dragon King laughing as he
believes he is about to kill the samurai makes him look evil and
makes it clear he is bad, making the reader take the side of the hero
even more.

3. In my graphic novel I used some symbolism to get across the
meaning of my images easier. For example colours were quite
important and I chose them carefully; one of the dragons I decided to
have red, a colour with strong connotations of danger, showing that
the dragons are dangerouse and evil. I also used gold for the dragon
king, emperor and princess, a colour that connotes royalty and makes
their status clear to a reader. I included other small details such as
the emperor having grey hair, a clue that he is old now but also
something that shows he is very wise.
My work represents the genders in quite a traditional
manner, the men being the ones who fight and a man having to
rescue the girl. This could be seen now as an outdated and sexist
approach to a story but as I am re-telling a traditional tale I believe
there was no real way of avoiding this. When the emperor is older, he
still goes out to be re-united with his daughter and isn’t portrayed as
being unable to do anything because of his age, so in this way I
believe the elderly are represented well.
I adapted the original tale quite a lot to make it suit the
format I was working with and be more exciting to read and view.
For example the original tale doesn’t have any fight scenes and so
isn’t incredibly exciting. The original introduction tells of a fisherman
who finds the “bottomless hole” and falls in, discovering the land
below. I believed this didn’t add much to the story and cutting it
would allow me to create an alternative beginning with the
abduction, war and discovery of the hole by the samurai sixteen
years later.
I believe that during my production maintained a good
balance between using technology and manually drawing my images.
This produced the look I was aiming for and some professional
looking images.

4. The quality of some of my hand drawings wasn’t as good as
some of the others and I believe this pulled down the overall quality
of my work. The reason behind this could be my artistic skill in
general and me not being up to drawing very good images every
time, but also the deadline may have had me rushing to finish
drawings on one or two occasions.
I think I used technology effectively making use of the
scanner to get my images on the computer and then using Photoshop
to digitally enhance the drawings and add colour etc.
I believe I was very creative with my work as I tried to use
different ideas for things like the appearance of my characters.