The making of a Graphic Novel
Times: 2pm- 4pm on Saturdays via Zoom, but I am open to suggestions how to do it.
During the lockdown I have been making a graphic novel about a cruise ship that becomes involved in the corona virus pandemic. It is entitled Bianca’s Word Cruise. Bianca, who lives in Brighton, has recently been made a widow. To escape her loneliness she decides to go on a world cruise. The ship leaves Tilbury in early January and eventually becomes involved in the pandemic by the time it is scheduled to reach China.
Other issues slowly develop on the voyage involving drug addiction, lectures about Tesla laser weapon and the unfoldment of a plot by a sociopathic scientist to destroy the State of Israel.
I am a retired graphic designer who has been involved in professional book production. To make the book I am using two state of the art applications – Photoshop and inDesign. Anyone interested in making graphic novels might like to involve themselves in the way I am working with these two tools to construct the book. I stress “construct” because the components of each double page spread, i.e. text, drawings, layout, speech bubbles, typography and narration all interact. It is like making a film, except using still and text instead than video and sound.
I have taught graphic design in this country and abroad in Lusaka, Zambia and Larnaca, Cyprus.
I also designed brochures and exhibitions for Saudi Arabian Airlines whilst living in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and English language teaching books for the Ministry of Education whilst living in Muscat in the Sultanate of Oman.
I originally envisaged that I would discuss the making of graphic novels in my Open House Studio at 1 Sussex Mews in Kemp Town. I intended to set my 27ins Mac up in the studio and anyone interested in this type of creative practice could have asked me questions about the way I was working on the text and layouts. I am not sure how this can be done online during lockdown, but if you have any ideas please let me know.
Kind regards,
Derek Henry