Progress Over the Long Weekend

Most of Saturday I spent at a regatta, so I wasn't able to produce any work. Though, I did think about specific details of the chapter.

On Sunday I spent a lot of time doing chores, but I wrote down most of the details I had conceieved the day before. I also began drawing that night, though only able to complete half a page.

On Monday I completed three and a half more pages as well as writing the dialogue, skipping one page (since I'm still deciding on how the "teacher" is supposed to look). I'm up to the part where the thug attacks Olivine and Lance, but now, until I learn to effectively draw ugly people I can't really draw the action part where Lance fights the thug.

I think in total the chapter should span fourteen pages.

What makes a person ugly?

This is a question I've been seeking to find the answer for over this long weekend. I need one of the characters in Ace of Spades to be a really ugly-looking, muscular guy - so I've been going back through some of the manga I've read to look for particularily ugly characters.

From what I've seen small eyes, large lips, and excessive wrinkles can make a person look ugly. In fact, exaggeration of almost any facial feature is sure to make someone look ugly. Still, it takes some time to practice and observe how much hyperbole I can put into someone's face before it just gets completely unrealistic.

Mentor Meeting

This Friday Ms. Backus and I met up again.

Frankly, this Tempus plot does not interest me at all anymore. Though, it has inspired me to write a completely distinct plot that I've been jotting down here and there: it's called Ace of Spades.

Since I'm planning AoS to be a much more complex plot, what I think I'll do now is write a so-called "pilot" chapter for this new plot of mine. I'll be explaining details later.

Yes, I have two weeks left. But now that crew is over I have more free time, and I still know where my priorities lay. I've promised my mentor that I won't show up to school on Tuesday empty-handed.

Dear Future WISE Student

Besides what I learned as a direct result of research in my WISE project, I’ve learned a number of other things. The first thing is that procrastination never pays off. It’s something that I’ve actually learned time and time again, but after all, a WISE project is huge, and procrastinating on something like this means that the consequences are greatly magnified.

Another thing I’ve learned is that while I don’t always have the ability to produce what I want, but it doesn’t matter. This is something I learned recently. Hold high standards for yourself, but remember that whatever you’re doing is a learning process and that you’re still in your intermediate stages.

The biggest thing is something I’ve learned about myself. Actually, I was just thinking about this earlier today, but I’ve developed a huge desire to create. I find that I’m beginning to always feel guilty if I don’t work on something that I can show. On the other hand, I feel like any time spent drawing is never time wasted for me. It’s not just because I have an obligation to my class to work, but because I have an obligation to myself in order to grow. I hope others will feel the same way about their own separate passions.

New Direction, Again

Progress has been slow again, so I've decided to make some changes.

So after talking with my teacher and my mentor today, I've made a lot of resolutions to follow. At first, I thought about changing my project focus from creating the graphic novel to only practicing to draw - but with some thought and advice from Ms. Lord, I think I'll stick with the continuing to write a chapter of Tempus. I really want to have something presentable by my presentation date.

I've come to the realization that part of my lack of motivation comes from working on the computer. It's distracting, and somewhat more difficult than drawing on paper. So from now on, I'll be continuing the novel on paper.

I don't have many days left. Thankfully, with crew ending next week, I'll have many more hours per day. But it's time to crunch.

Looking into the distance

Today I've also been practicing, and I drew one additional page to the comic.

I've found that I've been getting a lot better at drawing this view (looking off into the distance), which I had had trouble with before.

Progress Today

I drew another page of the novel today. For some reason, the inspiration that I had for the past few days has been particularly absent today, and I don't understand why. I also spent time practicing on paper too, since I didn't have my laptop with me in the morning.

More Progress

I sketched two more pages today, which was pretty good work, I think.

Since starting at a slightly later point in the story, I've gotten four pages done. What I mean by "slightly later point" is this: I did start from the very beginning a few weeks ago, but I've run into a lot of trouble since starting it. The biggest part of it is Terry's lack of emotion as drawn in the first few pages, which kind of makes any dialogue between him and Leo... extremely boring. I couldn't really figure how to transition out of the beginning scene, so instead I'm starting from a later point, after Terry and Leo arrive at the planetary base. I hope that makes at least a little bit of sense.

I'll probably be scrapping the first few pages for that reason.

Mentor Meeting (Journal #4)

On Friday Ms. Backus and I talked again about the future of the graphic "novel". At this point it seems highly unlikely that I will finish 60+ pages like I originally planned. A much better goal, I think, is to finish one "chapter" - about 15 - 20 pages.

As I've learned, most manga artists don't actually publish directly into volumes, but rather in a weekly magazine first. They write and illustrate one chapter every week - so basically, it takes them five whole days (drawing is their full-time job, of course) to produce one chapter.

I obviously don't have the same amount of time, but I think if I devote this month to finishing a "chapter", it's definitely a goal I can reach.

Today

I felt pretty good about my progress today - I could actually sit down and work on the graphic novel for two hours and enjoy it as well.

I don't know what suddenly made it more enjoyable to write, but I sure hope it stays with me throughout the week.

Another Update

Because of AP's and everything I haven't really gotten the progress that I've needed this week. Time for some serious crunching over the weekend, I think.

It really feels like the end of the year is approaching fast. For once, I wish I had more time before the school year is over.