Graphic Novel First Steps Part II

As stated in the last post, I’m experimenting with photographic backgrounds with hand drawn characters to produce a graphic novel. For practice and fun I’m putting a recurring strip up on this blog entitled JUSTICE – DETROIT STYLE. I’ll show the tools I use, the process to produce the panels and I will also post the script so you can see how that works.

Here’s the first panel I’m playing with:

I took the photo earlier this week and used Pixelmator for everything. If you have a Mac, Pixelmator is the way to go. Here’s a post about it here: http://stefanstudios84.wordpress.com/blog/ If you don’t have a Mac, you can use GIMP which is open source and free. GIMP is a great tool for creating graphics and manipulating images. If you have Photoshop then you’re all set.

The main character is Rick Justice who appears like a normal guy but takes extreme justice into his own hands. The first story is worked out which will result in about eleven or twelve panels. After that I’m going to make it up as I go along. I’m working on the characters (bad guys, Rick’s girlfriend, victims, etc.) now for the first story and for future installments.

Graphic Novel First Steps

I started some preliminary work on a graphic novel tonight. I plan on making it little different than the normal graphic novel fare where the backgrounds will be photographs with the characters layered on top. I’m not sure how well this is going to work, but I’ll document the steps here. I’ve been wandering around Detroit taking background shots and started character sketches tonight. Here’s the first one:

The drawing is a candidate male character. Above are a couple of street shots in Detroit. Next to the drawing is a Royal Langnickel pencils set that I came to appreciate in about two minutes. If you want to do any reasonably serious pencil sketches, this is the set to get. I got it for $28.75 on Amazon.

My next post will be the first attempt at scanning a character drawing and layering it into a photograph, probably using Pixelmator.

 

General Fuzz

I listen to electronic music when I write, without distracting lyrics. Trying to write while someone is belting out a song just doesn’t work. I either listen to Pandora for new artists and material or check out recommendations on iTunes. Today I ran across General Fuzz. I already had already downloaded two of his songs from iTunes and liked them, but really didn’t pay attention to the artist. Today I did, and went to the General Fuzz website.

The music is simply great- intelligent, well thought out, catchy and clean. Plus, get this, all of the downloads are free. 

Who is General Fuzz? James Kirsch from Newton, MA, and a true artist. He’s supported through donations.

If you like to listen to quality music when you work, check out General Fuzz. This dude is for real.

Here’s the link to his site: http://generalfuzz.net/index.php

The Wall (Die Wand)

The Wall (Die Wand) is a German film about a woman (played by Martina Gedeck) who goes to a hunting lodge with friends and winds up alone, trapped in the mountains by an invisible wall. Sure, you’re thinking, just like Under the Dome. Well, it isn’t. The Wall is a visually stunning movie about the unnamed woman who slowly accepts her situation and eventually harmonizes and integrates with nature.

Every scene in this film is well thought out and incredibly well shot. Based on the novel by Marlen Haushofer, The Wall was written for the screen and directed by Julain Polsler.

The woman spreads out from the hunting lodge, looking for a means to escape and tried to locate other people. She sees a few, in particular an elderly couple that live in a simple cabin, but they appear to be frozen in time.  They and others cannot see her.

Her steady companion is a dog named Lynx. If you like dogs (like I do), this movie also explores the deep, unique and complex relationship between canines and humans.

This is not a plot-driven movie and non-formula to a huge extent. The Wall revolves around overcoming loneliness, self-acceptance, self-reliance and the grit and determination it takes to survive living off the land. Don’t expect a big climax in the third act (if you can tell when it begins- I can’t).  I watched The Wall on Netflix.

You can check out more here: http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-wall-2013

and here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1745686/

The Wall is a movie I look forward to watching again.

Grade: A

 

Tough Weather!

It’s been really nasty here in Michigan the last few days. We’ve been hit with tons of snow followed by a dangerous cold snap that’s been characterized as an “Arctic vortex“. If there’s an upside, it looks kind of cool. Here’s s shot taken this morning out a window:

Here’s a couple taken in the back yard.

If you’re engulfed by the Arctic vortex, stay warm!

 

 

 

Wallpaper, Editors and Updates

A few people asked me where I got the wallpaper for my iPhone. Here it is:

It’s the cover of a new book that will come out early in 2014. It’s called …evil…

Here’s the short teaser:

A friendly game

A deadly player

It’s name is …evil…

If anyone wants to use it as wallpaper, please go ahead. Just copy it from here.

On another subject, David Gatewood has agreed to edit The Field, which is very exciting. The only downer is that he won’t be able to start until April 22nd, 2014. I’ll be done with the third rewrite by then so it will be interesting to see what his edits are.

I planned on releasing The Field around the end of March 2014 so this will set the release back, but that’s a trade off I’m more than willing to make. The Field is going to be longer than I thought. First estimated at 60,000 words, it looks like it may wind up in the 90,000 range.

In the meantime I’ve started work on …evil… and plan on having it finished and released possibly before The Field.

This is probably the last post for 2013, so everyone please have a happy and safe holiday season!

 

Diego Rivera Mural Studies at the DIA

One of the gems at the Detroit Institute of Arts is the Diego Rivera mural. The main panels depict workers at the Ford Motor Company River Rouge Complex. The murals, painted in 1932 and 1933, were considered controversial at the time, partial due to Rivera’s Marxist views. Also, some clergy members were offended by what they perceived to be blasphemy, and petitioned to have it destroyed.

It stands today as one of the DIA’s most significant works and represents Rivera at his best.

The controversy was so great, during the Joe McCarthy years the DIA posted this disclaimer:

“Rivera’s politics and his publicity seeking are detestable. But let’s get the record straight on what he did here. He came from Mexico to Detroit, thought our mass production industries and our technology wonderful and very exciting, painted them as one of the great achievements of the twentieth century. This came after the debunking twenties when our artists and writers found nothing worthwhile in America and worst of all in America was the middle west.”

“Rivera saw and painted the significance of Detroit as a world city. If we are proud of this city’s achievements, we should be proud of these paintings and not lose our heads over what Rivera is doing in Mexico City today.”

I’m wondering where the Rivera mural will wind up if the DIA eventually closes…

To see the rest of the photos go here: http://stefanstudios84.wordpress.com/dia-rivera-mural-studies/

To learn more about the mural go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detroit_Industry_Murals

and here: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103337403

Black and Blue Friday

We’re witnessing another significant decline in culture, and it involves Thanksgiving. What is Thanksgiving? Gathering with family and friends, looking back at the good things that happened during the year, eating turkey and maybe watching some football. That’s more like what was Thanksgiving. Now it seems to be all about Black Friday’s bottom line. Black Friday (and its associated violence) is becoming the holiday, not Thanksgiving.

Cases in point:

A fight over a parking spot at a Wal-Mart in Claypool Hill, VA resulted in one man knifing another in the arm “so viciously that he hit bone.”

A man was pepper sprayed and arrested at a Wal-Mart in Garfield, NJ after arguing with another man over a TV. He then lunged at a cop trying to intervene, resulting in charges of aggravated assault against the officer.

A police officer’s wrist was broken while attempting to stop a fight between swarming Rialto, CA Wal-Mart shoppers. The doors were opened early and 3000 people bolted inside.

There were reports that a woman used a stun gun on another during a Franklin Mills Mall brawl in Northeast Philadelphia. 

Check out this link and watch the videos: http://nypost.com/2013/11/29/cop-shoots-shoplifter-near-chicago-amid-black-friday-chaos-others-hurt-around-country/

From Reuters: “A suspected shoplifter was shot by police in a Chicago suburb and a woman spat on another woman’s child in an argument over baby clothes.”

Check out this link and videos: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/11/29/us-usa-retail-blackfriday-crime-idUSBRE9AS0ON20131129

Check out this video at a North Carolina Wal-Mart:

http://www.cnbc.com/id/101235261

 According to the website medicaldaily.com, Wal-Mart “took in over 22 million shoppers this past Thursday.” Check out the videos here: http://www.medicaldaily.com/black-friday-violence-2013-top-7-worst-displays-mayhem-caught-video-263983

 According to the New York Post, the hash tag #WalmartFights started to trend early. One of the best tweets compared the Black Friday masses to Spain’s Running of the Bulls, “but replaced with badly dressed people.”

 It’s not just Wal-Mart. Even the more upscale Macy’s broke a 155 year tradition by being open on Thanksgiving. 15,000 people lined up the Herald Square Macy’s for the doors to open at 8:00pm.

 So where does Black (and blue) Friday lead us? Nowhere good. Where is the traditional Thanksgiving trending? Severely downward. So what can we do about it? Simple. Stay home and enjoy our friends and family. 

Winter is Coming to Detroit

Winter is coming to Detroit. I plan on producing another photo essay book entitled Broken City, Big Hearts. It will be about organizations in Detroit that help people survive, especially during the winter.
The entire essay will be shot in grainy black and white. I took these test location shots today.

 

I’ve begun shooting this month during late fall…

 

…and plan on shooting and developing the narrative throughout the winter.

Heavy shooting will take place during December, January and February where the chances for surviving in the city hits bottom.

 

 

 

Elevate the Arts Festival

I’ll be at the Elevate the Arts festival at Clawson Park in Clawson, Michigan on September 8th from 10:00am to 2:00pm. I hope to see you there!
Heres the link: http://elevatethearts.vpweb.com/Arts—Authors-List-2013.html