Ella Fitzgerald's life and rise to fame will be the focus of a graphic novel. Research included surveys of comic fans, visits to art galleries and music stores. The story will follow Ella's difficult childhood and vulnerable period where she is approached by a trickster offering fame in exchange for her soul. Tempie, Ella's mother, tries to protect her. Main characters include Ella, Tempie, and jazz musicians from the era. Visual research was conducted to inspire character designs and settings from the early 1900s. Production will utilize A4 paper cut to fit the sketchbook binding.

1. FMP Production Log
FMP
BRAINSTORM
Graphic Novel/Comic Book,
Set in medieval times focus
on a hunting story or a
scouting mission
Set of comic strips over a
series of newspapers or
magazines
Electronic comic strip released
online over a period of weeks o
months
Graphic Novel set in
the early 1900’s
focusing on a jazz
singer of importance
before their fame or
rising to their fame
3D model of a 1900’s jazz club
environment
Adobe Illustration of a series of old
fashioned 1900’s posters displaying jazz
music and blues instruments to be shown in
music stores to either attract jazz fans or
increase peoples interest in jazz and blues.
3D model of an
idea for a new
style of jazz club
set in town

2. For my Final Major Project I settled on the idea of creating
a graphic novel based the iconic jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald.
The main reason I chose this as my final idea is because I
enjoy listening to her kind of music and already knew a lot
about her life and backstory beforehand. This is because I
grew hearing about her from my grandmother and
became invested in her work later on. Therefore I know I
would understand the characters and the time and age.
I focused on Ella Fitzgerald because she is my favourite
jazz singer, and the most relatable for me. I decided to
include other jazz singers who would make guest
appearances or be more involved in the actual plot like
Nina Simone, Ethel Waters and Nat King Cole.
Settling on an Idea

3. Gathering Research
For my research I went into Manchester Town
and entered a few different stores that sold
comics and graphic novels and merchandise like
that.
I took previously written up questionnaires and
asked as many people as I could about their
preferences to Graphic Novels genre, make and
style, and their purpose of being in the store on
that day. I got more than ten responses, including
one from the store owner.

4. Ideas Generation, using research collected
From handing out my questionnaires I have
discovered that the majority of comic and graphic
novel fans prefer hardback books to any other
kind, and would be interested in my idea.
Therefore I have decided to continue working
with my black hardback sketchbook for the
Graphic novel and with the general idea of Ella
Fitzgerald’s rise to fame.

5. Qualitative and Quantitative Research
Forums and Polls,
On carrying out my different types of research (qualitative
and quantitative) I went online to look at statistics of the
best sold kind of graphic novels over the past few years and
the best sold genre and type. This was to get a general
overlook of the preferences of the community as a whole
rather than a close inquiry of specific people’s preferences.
I also looked at numerous comics and graphic novel forums
and polls to witness the overall outlook of the specific
audience of people.

6. Carrying out visual research
Visiting Manchester Art Gallery and Dawson’s Music Store
To carry out extra research I visited
Manchester Art Museum and the Dawson’s
music store to look at 1900’s work more
closely. I found quite a few pieces from the
early 1900’s time frame and photographed
them including furniture and place settings.
When I visited Dawson’s music store to look
for brass instruments such as saxophones
and trumpets that would have been played
back in the 1920’s time. Unfortunately they
didn’t have anything that matched what I
was looking for in stock and only had lyrics
and note books on jazz music so I went
online instead when I returned home and
collected images from their website of old
fashioned types of saxophones and
trumpets and uploaded them onto my blog.

7. Storyline and Character List
The main focus of the project is the storyline as it is essentially a novel. I would create the project by first creating the
rough outline of what would happen, usually by using bullet points to convey the story in small parts from the beginning to
the end, and then read over it and check it to make sure that it flowed well. The bullet points therefore provide structure
to the project, the basic shell of the idea if you will.
I would specifically focus on Ella Fitzgerald's’ life and biography. This would give me a clear idea of what happened in her
early life so I could use the general scenarios in my novel so it appears if only a little realistic and follows most truths of
her life. I would be respectful above all else and show her in a good light so as not to offend anyone, but also because
she has been a idol to both me and my grandmother. I would hopefully create unique and interesting characters with a
story of their own and their own personality, without veering from the original concept of following Ella.
The title ‘Hollow Queen’ came to me because Ella Fitzgerald was originally the Queen of Jazz. I decided on the title
because I already had an idea of how I could put a fantastical twist into the storyline to add intrigue.
I was thinking that I could add the fictional idea of a temptation which offered her fame and wealth such as a
underhand, back street voodoo character, or demons of some sort beckoning her to accept a deal for glory. This was
mainly because when she was younger she went through a very difficult time which made her vulnerable and
unpredictable, including the death of her mother Tempie and her boyfriend Joe, being sent to a rehabilitation school ,
being beaten and living rough. So the story would revolve around whether the Queen of Jazz chose to believe a charlatan
gifted her talent, and that she did not earn it, or that she worked for her passion all her life.
• Provide structure
• Break up the storyline into smaller main points
• Separate storyline into larger chapters so I
understand where in the story I am (beginning,
middle toward the end)

8. Basic Storyline
1931 Begins with Ella living with her mother Tempie, step father Joe and half-sister Frances who was around 8
years old. 1932 Tempie died from serious injuries, attained in a car accident, Tempie’s presence is there at the
funeral. Virginia, Tempie’s sister takes Ella home with her.
Unable to adjust, Ella became unhappy and unpredictable, her grades dropped dramatically and she frequently
skipped school. After getting in trouble with the police she was taken into a reforming school where her
caretakers beat her badly, eventually at 15 years of age she escaped the reformatory, broke and alone she
strove to survive. A predatory trickster character notices her crying alone in the street running away and follows
her, offering her glory, fame and talent. She is of course reluctant and refuses at first, but he convinces her. He
states there is no catch but his intention is less than honourable. Tempie looks on. Vulnerable with no way to
take care of herself or ensure her survival she accepts the deal, he snips some of her hair and disappears,
Trickster is there leaning against a lamppost in the street, expecting to be paid rubs fingers together impatiently
Ella wants to avoid him, makes the band go to Coney Island to the fairground attraction on the boardwalk in the
snow. Flash of lightning in the clouds, the demon he made a pact with appears from a lightning strike, wants its’
payment. Trickster shows up at the Grappler, ‘journalism, newspaper printing place’ where the interview is,
grabs Ella before she goes in the room to join the others, he’s degraded even more, can see his true face
showing through. Demon storms through the door, still hasn’t received her payment, last chance for her soul
Ella steps back Tempie stands in front of her daughter protectively and refuses her. She tears Tricksters soul
from his body, falls limp and sets alight. As if nothing had ever happened she composes herself and tips her hat,
then leaves. Ella says goodbye to Tempie.
Main Characters
Ella Fitzgerald, Temperance F, Virginia F, Frances Da Silva, Joseph Da Silva, Chick Webb, Charlie Linton, Benny
Carter, Paul Robeson, Duke Ellington, Ethel Waters, Billie Holiday, Ray Brown, Benny Kornegay,
the Trickster, the Demon,

9. Pre Production
The main materials I would require to complete this project I fortunately have easy access to. These
resources include a good quality pencil, and hardback sketchbook, and accompanying drawing tools such as
rulers, erasers, sharpeners etc. Once the novel is sketched out, I will decide whether or not to ink it with fine
liners and Indian ink to make it stand out, or leave the original work and scan it in to add black tone as well
as hints of colour. If I decided to add colour to the novel I would use Photoshop or another computer
program to add hints of light colour in a mainly black and white world.
I also worked out what Copyright Issues could arise with the creation of my project
I should presume that any work published after 1922 will be protected under the US. Copyright law. A work
that isn’t protected by the copyright law is known as public domain and is available to be used freely. If it is
under intellectual properties law then unauthorised use may be okay. A principle known as “fair use” allows
me to copy small parts or pieces of a work without obtaining permission but as is left to interpretation, can
be a risk.
The obvious risk of not requesting permission would be being sued. It is recommended that I seek
permission if I am unsure whether it is public domain or not. A fee may be required to continue working
with permission depending on the factors.
To seek permission I must identify the owner of the rights of the work that I wish to use. For my graphic
novel I wish to use a fictional representation of somebody who actually existed Ella Fitzgerald. Sadly the
Queen of Jazz passed away June 15th 1996 in Beverly Hills, USA; therefore I would have to search for her
predecessor who would be the owner of her estate in the present. I would have to do this for any other
person I wish to use as well.

10. Carried Out Visual Research Reference Images For Characters
Temperence
Fitzgerald
(Tempie- Ella’s mother)
Dizzy Gillespie's band
Chick Webb
Ray Brown
Ella Fitzgerald Ethel Waters Billie Holiday
Benny Carter
Paul
Robeson
Duke
Ellington

11. Character Sketches and drawing styles
Ella Fitzgerald
Studies
Character
Ideas

12. Carried Out Visual Research for Characters
Taken from Stephen Poliakoff’s Dancing on the Edge

13. Sneaky and dishonest, disreputable
amongst the dead, which is how
Tempie knows of him
Changes over time,
becomes thinner and
more skeletal and
deranged, his true
self begins to show
through as the
Demon slowly takes
his youth and health
because he is not
being paid the full
amount.
Like how the Beldam
from Coraline
changes over time
because Coraline
disobeys her and
doesn’t believe her.
Dresses refined to fit in with the time and
everyone else, is conniving and calculating when
it comes to deals, there is always a catch,
usually payment for the demon
Carried Out Visual Research and Inspiration for the Trickster

14. Carried Out Visual Research and Inspiration for the Demon
Discolouration of the eyes, red, yellow, black,
white, an abnormal colour with no showing
pupils or iris, just one whole abnormal colour
Appears mainly
human so she can
blend in when in
public but can
change her face,
remove her cover
easily
Taken from popular American television show Supernatural, Dragon Age cinematic trailer ‘Sacred Ashes and Concept Art World

15. Beginning Production
Visual Research, Graphic Novel Styles and Covers

16. Cover and Title Font Ideas Mood board

17. Some of My favourite Inspiring
Artists
Jo Chen
Draws for Buffy the Vampire Slayer
comics and Graphic Novels. Her work
mainly Focuses on Buffy, but she has
Also contributed works to Other
comics. I love her style of art and
composition of the pages she creates,
the soft melding colours provide a
soothing tone, and realistic feel to all
the characters portrayed.

18. Omar Francia
Bioware, Marvel and Dark Horse
Artist. Mainly draws for Mass Effect
and superhero comics. I probably
like the simplistic line sketches,
overlapped and worked into to
look realistic and complex. I love
the way he layouts the different
panels and the moves swiftly from
scene to scene capturing
expressive faces and emotion.

19. A4 Size
Paper
Production, page sizes and cutting
The original size of the paper I will be using for the actual base of the artwork will be
classic A4. This is mainly because of the simple fact, the sketchbook being used for
the bind of the graphic novel is just large enough to fit a specific cut size of A4.
Before beginning production on whole, I figured out the size all the A4 pieces would
need to be cut to, I started by editing the page for the cover, which would slide inside
the front bind and the first page. The cartridge quality paper, was cut along the length
and width, one centimetre across for both, to make enough room for each page to
fit, and to ensure the sizes were continuously identical and professional looking.
A4 Size
Paper
Cut Size New Fit
Size
Bind Bind
New Fit
Size

20. Evaluation of Project
pending