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July 2019's KIDS GN-of-the-month Club meeting for THIS WAS OUR PACT with Ryan Andrews!
Comix Experience
Overview
This video features a discussion with comic artist Ryan Andrews about his graphic novel "This Was Our Pact." The conversation delves into Andrews's artistic journey, his unique creative process, and the inspirations behind his lengthy children's book. Topics include his transition from animation aspirations to comics, his early work and Eisner nominations, and the practicalities of creating and publishing a graphic novel. The discussion also touches on the differences in comic markets between the US and Japan, Andrews's meticulous drawing and coloring techniques, and the personal influences that shaped the characters and narrative of "This Was Our Pact."
How was this?
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Chapters
- Andrews initially aspired to create animation but found the collaborative and financial demands challenging.
- He discovered comics as a more accessible medium for independent storytelling.
- His early artistic training focused on fundamental drawing and painting, not specific comic techniques.
- A period of travel and a brief interest in farming led him back to drawing, ultimately focusing on comics.
Understanding an artist's journey helps learners appreciate the choices and challenges involved in pursuing a creative career, highlighting how different mediums suit different goals.
Andrews initially wanted to make animated films but realized the difficulty of assembling and paying a team, leading him to choose comics as a more manageable solo endeavor.
- His first comic, 'Nothing is Forgotten,' was a wordless experiment to test his storytelling abilities through visuals alone.
- Early works like 'Sarah and Her Seed' and 'Blood Stained Roof' received critical acclaim, including Eisner nominations, which motivated him to continue.
- Andrews's unique process involves writing a script, then drawing individual panels without considering page layout, and finally assembling them into pages.
- This method allows for creative freedom during the writing and initial drawing stages, deferring page design until later.
Learning about different creative workflows can inspire new approaches to problem-solving and task management in any creative project.
Andrews draws panels as individual squares first, focusing on the content of each image and its dialogue, before arranging them onto pages, which is different from traditional page-first breakdowns.
- The initial idea for 'This Was Our Pact' was inspired by the Japanese book and anime 'Night on the Galactic Railroad.'
- It began as a short story for a Kickstarter project but evolved significantly when a publisher expressed interest in a full graphic novel.
- The publisher requested the book be expanded to around 190 pages, but Andrews's creative process led to a final length of 380 pages.
- The publisher was supportive of the unexpected expansion, valuing the artist's vision and the substantial nature of the final book.
This illustrates how creative projects can evolve unexpectedly, and how flexibility and a strong artistic vision can lead to richer, more expansive final works.
What started as a potential 70-page adaptation of a scene from 'Night on the Galactic Railroad' grew into a 380-page graphic novel after the publisher encouraged expansion.
- Andrews's work on 'This Was Our Pact' was his first experience with color, requiring him to learn and adapt throughout the process.
- He draws his final pages entirely in pencil on watercolor paper, intentionally avoiding ink to maintain a lively, less stiff appearance.
- The detailed pencil work, including unique swirling techniques for skies, is labor-intensive but aims to make each page a finished piece.
- Lettering is done digitally using a tablet, mimicking handwriting for consistency and crispness, while coloring is also a digital process.
Understanding the physical and digital techniques used in creating a graphic novel provides insight into the dedication and skill required for the medium.
Andrews uses a pencil-only approach for his final art, employing small swirling motions to fill in skies and create texture, making each page look like a complete artwork.
- The character of the Fisher Bear was inspired by a figure from 'Night on the Galactic Railroad' but reimagined as a friendly bear to enhance innocence.
- Madame Majesta's character developed organically through the repeated drawing and refinement of scenes and characters over years.
- The inclusion of Nathaniel as a main character of color was a deliberate choice made after the birth of his mixed-race children, aiming for better representation.
- Andrews notes that while he draws inspiration from sources like Miyazaki films, the cosmological elements and character details often emerged organically during the creative process.
This highlights how personal experiences, cultural influences, and conscious decisions about representation shape character development and thematic depth in storytelling.
Nathaniel was originally conceived as a blond-haired character but was intentionally changed to be a person of color to reflect Andrews's children and promote diversity in the story.
Key takeaways
- Comics offer a unique and accessible medium for independent storytelling, allowing creators to maintain full artistic control.
- Creative processes can be highly individual; there is no single 'right' way to write, draw, or lay out a comic.
- A project's scope can expand significantly beyond initial expectations, requiring adaptability and a commitment to the artistic vision.
- Learning new skills, such as coloring, is an integral part of the creative process, often involving iterative refinement.
- Personal experiences and a desire for representation can deeply influence character development and narrative choices.
- The dedication to producing high-quality, finished artwork on every page is crucial for artists who sell original pages.
- Balancing creative passion projects with the demands of freelance work and family life requires significant time management and prioritization.
Key terms
Graphic NovelEisner AwardWordless ComicWebcomicFreelance IllustrationAnimation BackgroundsMangaPanel LayoutScriptwritingDigital ColoringWatercolor PaperMiddle Grade Fiction
Test your understanding
- What factors led Ryan Andrews to choose comics over animation for his storytelling?
- How does Ryan Andrews's unique panel-by-panel drawing process differ from traditional comic creation methods?
- What was the primary inspiration behind the story of 'This Was Our Pact,' and how did it evolve into its final form?
- Describe Ryan Andrews's distinctive approach to creating the final artwork for his graphic novel, including his use of pencil and digital tools.
- How did the birth of his children influence the character development and representation within 'This Was Our Pact'?