Choice Doodles from last year's Art Slam.

Last year I had the privilege of participating in an event called Art Slam on Live Journal. Its practically the only reason my journal there still exists, but essentially its a draw-a-thon. At the start you pick a project. Everyday, you do concepts for that project. I, of course, chose Protei. Protei is the name of the comic Nat and I eventually intend to create. Its about two of our favorite subjects, love and monsters. So you can bet your bosom we're just shivering with excitement to unleash it upon the world. Anyway...
 

  Starting it was pretty much a given as soon as I started combining the characters into the same setting. It was originally all Nat's. But together we gradually add onto it and come up with ideas, backgrounds, what the nations are like, what the history is. All before we actually embark on trying to tell the story.

The story itself is slightly complicated. There are numerous characters and each one has a story. Some are more defined than others. But the aim of every author is to come out the end of the process with a work that his meaningful and has to it a grace and flow. I think our aim to achieve this goal is mutual. That fact alone has likely contributed a lot to our persistence.

Designing the characters was never hard. Most of them had been with us for a long time, even before we met each other. It was when we came together on the project that the changes began to be made. In order to tell a compelling story with compelling characters... you have to take yourself out of them. I mean, yes, you are your characters. But I think that... there has to be room for the reader to put themselves in. As has been hammered into me since high school, something the reader relates to about the character that creates a bond.

By no means am I saying that we've reached this point at all with these characters, as every last one of them is still 'our baby'. But I state it because it is an end I hope to achieve, and by saying it out loud I hope to in the end guide us down that path.

Story or characters? Which is more important in the end? I think that I find that, unlike art. The subject of the story tends to be more important than the story itself. The same can not be said for a painting... which most likely depends on its compositional strength i.e. "The story" than it does the actual subject.

But I suppose that in both subjects there is a delicate line. And once the rules are established they can be broken and twisted to one's desire. Once I thought I fully understood the concepts of both. How to construct both a painting and a fine piece of literature. Learning has only taught me how little I know. It is both a humbling and invigorating feeling.

Back to Protei, there is still a lot of work to be done. A lot of bases to cover. And possibly a lot of fun to be had before we'll both be able to sit down on this project and really bring it to life. Mediocrity never served anyone any good. And I certainly don't want our story to end up as another one of those comics "with potential".

 

Its hard, especially for a massive undertaking like this to start painting and drawing the things that you are just not used to doing. Discipline, I've been told, is the only true way to overcome it. But I guess its only natural to complain at first.

 

Thank you for taking the time to read. Sorry again about there not being much.