We know, we know. “Where’s Chapter Four?”
Trust us — it’ll be worth the wait (and you’ll soon see why it’s taking a bit longer than usual). In the meantime, we’re here to introduce a semi-regular feature that will offer insight into the creative process behind each chapter of DROWSE. Today, we’re delving into a process sequence — from script to colored and lettered finished page — for page 9, panel two from Chapter One.
Because of the complexity of this two-page scene involving multiple actors in shifting planes of action, you’ll see in our script that we largely left the direction and framing to Jaime and only really described the action occurring in the panel.
In his initial thumbnail, Jaime’s first instinct was for an overhead shot, which really gave us the scope of the market and the gathered crowd (and, of course, set up the secondary plane of action with Ben in the background). As an initial mapping of the scene, this makes sense.
However, you’ll see that when he reached the pencil stage, Jaime completely re-composed the panel and opted to embed the reader within the assembled crowd. The inking stage really reveals the strength of this new composition. Now the reader sits alongside the utility workers who mock Stoney and Archie, Ben catches our eye in the background, and the canopies form leading lines that direct our eye to Stoney. Not only is this a more engaging presentation of the action in the panel, but the overall composition of the complete page has been strengthened.
