Process Notes

Please scroll to read about the process a few of our writer/artists used to create these comics.

Anatomy of "Creation & Destruction" by Damien

My before/after project was based on the idea of creation and destruction. I chose this idea because people tend to think that creation came before destruction, but they couldn’t be more wrong. I say this because a lot of people say that “Oh the Big Bang was the creation of the universe,” when in reality it actually destroyed the universe therefore making another one. My project is laid out to show the process of creation at its finest since in order to create something you must first destroy whatever is getting in the way. There aren’t any colors mainly because I wanted to embrace somewhat of a manga type of layout.

While doing this project I had a lot of fun because it got me to really think about how I wanted everything to look. I got my ideas from a manga (aka Dragon Ball Super manga) and it actually gave me the inspiration to draw the God of Destruction Beerus. I like how I drew the hand for Beerus since I was really indecisive about how I wanted it to look, I also like the way I drew the planet being destroyed/erased, and I like how the overall design of the comic turned out. Finally, I wish that I had put a little more effort into the amount of time I took to make this comic.

This project shows a lot of juxtaposition when the destruction of the planet was underway. It’s a reference to the Dragon Ball Super manga and its Japanese style of drawing/writing. There aren’t many artistic styles other than the aura around Beerus’s hand because it symbolizes destruction. The overall message of the comic is that destruction will always come before creation for as long as time goes on. It doesn’t have any twist or suspense sadly but maybe the next one will.

I would only recommend it to young kids around 12-15 maybe older depending on who would be interested in it. The manga or Dragon Ball community since they like any art that regards Beerus or any other characters that are in the series. Not only that but the idea of destruction and creation would cause a lot of people to come together and try to figure out which one truly comes first.

Anatomy of “Evolution of Tyler” by Jarredd

My before/after project is about how much Tyler the Creator changed and how much his album Flower Boy showed his changes. I think the Tyler from Goblin and Bastard is a lot different than Igor and Flower Boy Tyler. The project is laid out as two panels with the after panel being bigger than the before panel. The before panel is Tyler during his Goblin era where he would rap about some pretty gross things over gritty beats. The after panel is Tyler now where he makes melodic music about his love life, struggles with friends, and uplifting black youth. I used different shapes to show the difference in his mentality over the years. The before panel is empty and dull while the after panel is lively and has different types of lines and textures. I would say that this style is leaning towards more semi-realistic and more anime-inspired.

It was calming and really fun to make this comic. Tyler the Creator is my favorite artist ever. I think he is the sickest person on Earth so making a comic about him was the first idea to pop in my head. Coming up with the changes in his music and mentality though was just something I always want to talk to make something about. I listened to most of his albums and it always blows my mind when I listen to the synths and the moments on Igor and it is the same guy who made Goblin. Two things I like about my work is the texture on the afro in the after panel and the setting in the after panel. I think it captures the vibe of his newest album. I wish I put more effort into the before panel. Maybe I could’ve made it eerier because his songs like Tron Cat or Nightmare are very dark.

My project used juxtaposition by making the two panels contrast. I added a bunch of birds to the after panel to contrast the lifelessness of the before panel. I also added the sun and a mountain to the after panel while the moon and a dead tree was in the background for the before panel. I use manga as my inspiration especially how they use contrast. For example, they use contrasts for Deku and Shigaraki in MHA to establish some sort of connection between them. My aesthetic influences were the vibes and what was being spoken about in the albums following and before Flower Boy. I think the overall message of this is that people can drastically change in a short amount of time and that change is ok. This project doesn’t use suspense or surprise.

I would recommend this to a select audience, Tyler fans, because they would be able to recognize and appreciate the comic. I think after reading this comic, you should stop trying to stay at the same place. Some people are afraid of change and you shouldn’t be afraid. Tyler the Creator fans would appreciate this comic. I have the Tyler and OFWGKTA fanbase in mind.

Anatomy of “The Open Window” by Ryan

My before/after comic is about what happens when you leave the window open and it’s windy outside. In the first panel, it shows an open window with wind blowing through it, the second panel is a close-up on the table, you can see the vase that was on the table is now smashed and there is half of it on the table with the other half on the floor. I use hatching a lot for the shadows and I use standard colors for table and chair, (brown) because it’s simple. I’d consider this style fairly simplistic, I’m not the best at drawing and this was what I was able to do.

This project wasn’t too bad to make honestly, the hardest part was definitely brainstorming and coming up with the idea of what I wanted to draw. My original idea was actually something different but after drafting it up I decided that I wanted to redirect and instead do something different which is how this came into being. I really like that I was able to come up with the idea at all, it’s fairly original. I also like that my overall execution was pretty good by my own standards, especially my usage of angles and perspective. I wish I had had more time to work on it, I was hustling at the end to get it done and I know if I had spent more time on it some of the knit-picky things would be at least less noticeable.

I used economy a lot in my comic, I didn’t add any elements that I didn’t believe were essential, I made it as simple as I could. I used the style of focusing mainly on pictures to tell my story, I didn’t have any words other than one sound effect, so the panels told what was happening. The overall theme I’d say is that even if something doesn’t look that important or big, like an open window it can still end up having consequences that are bigger than someone would think. I wouldn’t say I have a twist in my comic or anything along those lines, what’s happening is pretty straightforward and easy to see.

I’d recommend my comic to anyone who prefers just more plain and easy to understand art pieces, someone who looks for the deeper meaning in things may enjoy this. I didn’t have an exact audience in mind when I was drawing it, the main audience was myself. I wanted to draw something that I would enjoy, so that’s what I did. So I suppose that my target audience was other people like me.

Anatomy of “Reading Persepolis" by Noelyz

When I first started reading Persepolis I was neutral and I was really enjoying the text and its images. By the time I finished the book I felt many different emotions that I needed to convey. I laid it out so the viewers could see the message that I was trying to show. The lines that are drawn on the face, which are eyebrows, eyes, and mouth are used to show the exact reaction to the book. Colors are important in this comic because it explains the way that I express myself. For example the excessive use of the color purple shows that it's my favorite color. I would describe my comics style as my own, because I feel like the drawings came out of my emotions and I wasn't trying to do it like a certain common comic style.

It was hard for me to figure out what I wanted my comic to be. I struggled drawing and picking out the colors that I wanted to use. I struggled the most choosing what I wanted to do in the background. This made me feel very insecure about my comic. I came up with this idea after reading the book. I was shocked by the ending and I needed to express how I felt. One thing I like about my work is the way that my hair is spread out on the floor in the second panel. Another thing that I like is the details in the first panel that shows that I'm in a classroom. One thing I wish I would've done differently is taking my time to do the dots that are supposed to show the texture of the wall. I also wish that I would've done the head differently.

I used juxtaposition in the second panel when I drew the book next to me laying on the floor. It kind of references people who read a book, watch movies, etc and recommend them. The comic is based on my real life and how I felt about Persepolis before and after reading it. A surprise would be the opinion I had after reading the book. I'd say it's a surprise because many people might not agree with my thoughts.

I would recommend this comic to people who already read the book, it would be amusing to find out if people feel the same way I do, or if they don't ask them why. People should care because it's good to hear other people's opinions. I feel like someone who believes the same thing as me would appreciate it.

Anatomy of “Invisible Being" by Sianni

TW: suicide, bullying

My before and after comic is about a person who was being bullied for years and years on end and it eventually gets to her and she ends up taking her own life. It is laid out in comic form duh but if you want me to go into more detail the first two panels are showing text messages portraying cyberbullying and how hurtful and aggressive the messages get after years later. In the third panel, she ends up just giving up on her life for good and now doesn't have to worry about the bullying anymore. I used black and rough texture like hatching in order to convey the darkness of how she felt in the moment. I can't really describe the style because I see it as my own style of my own comic drawing.

It was a very easy process doing this project. I knew my plan and I went with it flat out the way I wanted it to be. I came up with my idea by using my own imagination and I wanted to bring awareness or some kind of thought to everyone's attention. Plus my own school has had a moment of cyberbullying which was brought to everyone's attention. No, I have not been in the position of being cyberbullied but I feel some kind of hurt for people who have. I'm glad that I used hatching instead of everything else because I feel like it wouldn't be much of an impact on the art. I like that I did three panels instead of two because honestly, I feel like if I just did two no one would know what happened to the girl after, that's really all I like about it the rest was nothing special. I wished I did nothing with it; I really like how it is and how I laid it out.

This comic panel proposes juxtaposition by using black and white contrast. The aesthetic was supposed to be very darkening and gloomy. It wasn't meant to be very happy or anything it was meant to have a sad beginning and end. The overall message was to show that cyberbullying can take a big toll on someone's mental or even physical health. You could never know how the other person behind the screen is feeling and as a person who is seeing all those hateful things it makes you wanna disappear.

I really recommend this comic because it shows the dangers and it brings awareness of cyberbullying. Sure, cyberbullying has been brought to some people's attention but I think it should be brought to EVERYONE'S attention and not be brushed off. I feel as though all the people who have been down the road of almost taking their life due to cyberbullying will appreciate it the most. I personally made this comic for the audience who have been cyberbullied and no attention have been brought to it, it was swept under the rug almost. I don't find it fair that we don't get as much information about cyberbullying until it gets worse for most people.

Anatomy of “One More Drink" by Zachary

TW: alcohol addiction

My “before and after” comic consisted of the consequences of drinking alcohol. In the before shot, the man we are focusing on is already loaded and ready for another drink. Seeing as the bar is empty means he could have been in the bar for a while. When it comes to shapes I wasn’t very focused on that part, just trying to get the message across. On the after panel, the man has been in the bar for so long that even the bartender left, leaving him to his lonesome. He’s been drinking so much that he got knocked out drunk.

When making this project I was mostly thinking about my family’s history with addiction and how it treated many of the deceased ones. The comic doesn’t really have any reference or callback to any previous comic that I would know of. The comic itself I could have done better. I feel like the fallen-over body in the after panel was pretty eh, but at the same time, I’m not the best with drawing perspective shots. At the same time, I’m also surprised it was able to be as good as it was and would be an improvement to some of the stuff I usually produce.

The main nuance I used in my comic would be the alcohol addiction problem throughout the world. Alcohol addiction has always been a problem for thousands of years ever since it was created. It was a way to cope with life, and ya know “drink away your sorrows”. There is no real influence but just stuff I drew out of my head. If you were to know this was a “before and after” comic and was only given the first panel the next one would be pretty predictable.

I feel like my comic would be something you’ll find in a newspaper because it really isn’t much but tells a message and has some comedic value. People already know about alcohol addiction and its effect and probably lost some close ones to it as well. People would care about it or at least take the comic to some thought.

Anatomy of “Image" by Christina

TW: weight loss

My “before and after” comic panel is about weight loss. It’s in a much…sadder light. The guy in the panel is thinking negatively about himself and how he wants to lose weight. In the “before” panel, he is big and doesn’t like himself. In the “after” panel, he is much smaller and not as big. Yet, he still doesn’t like himself. I like to think that this describes how a lot of people must feel about themselves. Especially plus sized people. It doesn’t have a concrete style, really. I just drew what came to mind and I’m not a good artist so, it definitely doesn’t look like anything special.

Making this project was easy, actually. It’s such a simple thing and that made drawing it easy. For the finale part, the actual 8-panel thing, I might just fledge this out and show the characters work out and weight loss journey. I came up with this just by looking up ideas online. I saw this and thought that it was cool so I drew it. I like a lot of things about my work. It’s simple and easy to understand. It doesn’t look too bad either. I would probably make it neater if I could go back and change anything.

This project mostly uses nuance. There is no filler or anything; it’s straight to the point and explains what is going on straight away. It doesn’t reference anything really. Like I said…I got the idea from the internet. The theme and all is weight loss. It expresses how some individuals feel about their bodies. Working out and losing weight doesn’t help you stop feeling bad for yourself. It can help you look better physically, but mentally you’re not ok. You still feel as bad about yourself as you did after you lost weight. There isn’t much of a twist or surprise or anything like that in my comic. This is mostly due to the fact that my comic is only 2 panels and straIght to the point.

If I were to recommend this to anyone it would be for those who think very little of themselves. Those who are depressed and don’t feel good about their bodies and think changing them will help them. To anyone who wants to actually listen, really. People should care because they themselves could be feeling like this or someone they love could be feeling like this. You never know who is going through what and it’s nice to discuss things like body dysmorphia.

Anatomy of "My Back Tattoos" by Alex

A girl who is only 16 years old admires tattoos as much as grandmothers admire their grandkids. It was a few weeks before my 16th Birthday and I was stuck on what I wanted. I made an agreement with my mom and she specifically said, “you can only get a tattoo if you never ask for a dog again.” I immediately jumped into the air and screamed with excitement. I have three tattoos but I only based my comic on my two favorites. The tattoo that reminds me steadily of my mother and my quote that’s in French. I have my before and after pictures stacked on top of each other not side by side. I decided to lay it out like this to represent the time passing from my birthday to October of 2021. There is a different variety of low and high contrasts with varieties of thin and thick lines. These different elements of art reveal a meaning because the different lines and shapes I used remind me exactly of a tattoo. Tattoos are pieces of art using different elements like shapes, colors, and lines. Artists use different elements to create something that stays on you forever.

Creating and designing this project was soothing. It was interesting to test out different lines to use in my comic. Drawing and coloring is so therapeutic to me so I love it. As soon as this project was brought to my attention I knew exactly what I was going to do for my before and after results. The contrasts I used in my comic is something I did extremely well and I absolutely love how it turned out. It also looks super realistic and that’s the look that I was going for which is another thing I LOVE LOVE LOVE. I wish that I would’ve added a little bit more color other than black and white. Color makes a lot of pictures pop and stand out and that’s something that I wish I did differently. The finished product of my before and after comic turned out phenomenal and I’ve never drawn anything that looked so realistic.

Juxtaposition is one of the elements that was used the most in my work the most. Of course my work showed a comparison of before and after a tattoo but there’s a twist. The previous results are more darker lines and much darker contrast. After results reveal lighter contrast with more lighter lines. Many comics out there in the world today are in black in white which almost makes it similar to others. Black and white comics are so sleek and cliche and I just adore it. My project gives off both artistic and aesthetic vibes. Lots of people are into more aesthetic art pieces and that’s the look I was leaning towards the most. If i had to choose between an overall message for my picture it would be “you only live once so go ahead and get that tattoo.” Tattoos are aesthetically pleasing and I don’t know why anyone wouldn't want one. A surprise is revealed in the after results probably no one was expecting. The before results revealed an empty back and the after results revealed not one but two beautiful detailed tattoos. Who would’ve thought that a 16 year old would have more than 1 tattoo.

I would definitely recommend my art piece to a select audience. A variety of older teens and adults. Kids younger than 15 should not view this because it might encourage them to go get a tattoo. Anyone under 15 should not have permission to get a tattoo even with parental consent. It almost seems unprofessional. We should not be encouraging younger audiences to live their lives and get reckless tattoos because you have to remember it will be in your life forever. It might be a good idea so the younger kids won’t make reckless decisions when they’re older. This could be a vision of what they want when they are of age and want to get a tattoo. Tattoos are beautiful pieces of art and they come out amazing if you go to the right artist. Reminder: good tattoos aren’t cheap & cheap tattoos aren’t good.