Introduction

The past, the present, and the future. Three concepts that weigh differently on the lives of many. Through this project, the subject of the past will be the main focus. In certain cases, it is the weight of the past that prevents those from living in the present; when learning of the artist's personal story, this very concept has the ability to make a person feel as if they are living the worst versions of themselves. Living with such baggage is not easy for anyone to take on, and taking those steps towards healing is not any easier, it is in the artist's best interest to use this project as a jumpstart towards such a lengthy healing process. The inner child; defined as the first version of many,  and has the potential to be hidden through pain; is the main part of the past being addressed with the creation of this comic. The artist breaks down this process of healing through showcasing the steps that anyone can take towards it; through the process of storytelling displayed in the format of a comic. The question is, through the aspects of art, can parts of the self be unlocked and brought to life for better understanding as well as improvement? It can be confidently said, that throughout the development of this comic, observing the past with nothing but love to give, has the potential of showing that every version of yourself, deserves as much love as the next; as the author was able to experienced said love, first hand.

Trigger warning: This project contains the artist's struggles with depression and suicidal ideation.

Literature review

Pieces of media such as “Scott Pilgrim” by Bryan Lee O’Malley, “Death Note” by Tsugumi Obha, and “Beastars” by Paru Itagaki were used as inspiration for this project. Through the comic “Scott Pilgrim” the unique art style was the main goal that the artist wanted to incorporate through this comic. Having a style that can be easily recognized from afar and associated with the artist will make it easier to spread the initial message. Both “Death Note” and “Beastars” are to be noted here as they both are different from average Western-style comics with a unique black-and-white contrast to communicate their stories. This contrast was included in the comic by the author as this contrast truly stands out in a way that is the most appealing towards the eyes of the artist, and hopefully the viewers.

To deepen the understanding of what the inner child truly is, books called “Reclaiming and Championing Your Inner Child” by John Bradshaw and “INNER CHILD AND CREATIVITY IN ART” by Dehghanpour and Eslami put more meaning onto what the inner child truly is as well as the methods to heal one that is wounded. There is also a newfound connection between the inner child and creativity that was established that the artist will continue to stem on during the creation of this comic.

Methods

The comic was created using the app Procreate that is available on the iPad. To start off, the silhouette method, a method that incorporates drawing a general idea of what the image will look like with little to no detail, was the first step in creating both the comic and the cover. The second step was creating geometric shapes to encapsulate the essence of the drawing; a famous method referred to as the "bean" method was used to create semi-realistic versions of the characters throughout the comic. After these two methods are used, on a new layer, the initial sketch of the final product will be edited by cleaning up the lines as well as adding new defined ones. This will then be the final product along with shading using techniques such as hatching on shadows including the hairstyles. The before part of making this comic involved in using and learning the classic plot structure of the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and the resolution.

Audience and Impact

The designated audience for this comic is aimed at those who find it difficult to address the past or those who feel like they carry a weight that they just seem to not be able to get rid of. The artist wants those who view this comic to understand they are not alone in their experience, and that the journey of healing is accommodating towards everyone who seeks it. After reading this comic the goal is for those to take away that feeling good about themselves, regardless of what has happened in the past, is achievable and nobody should be afraid to face what haunts them from the past.

References

Bradshaw, John. Homecoming: Reclaiming and Championing Your Inner Child. Bantam Books, 1992.

Dehghanpour, H., & Eslami, A. (2010). INNER CHILD AND CREATIVITY IN ART.

Drawing Class, Aaron’s. “Silhouette Drawing Methods.” YouTube, YouTube, 5 Dec. 2018, www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGL878oEh9k.

Itagaki, Paru, et al. Beastars. VIZ Media, LLC, 2021. 

Ōba, Tsugumi, et al. Death Note. Viz Media, 2022. 

O’Malley, Bryan Lee, and Nathan Fairbairn. Scott Pilgrim. Oni Press, 2013. 

Test Preparation, Mometrix. “Understanding the Five Key Elements of a Plot Line (Video).” |, 9 Feb. 2024, www.mometrix.com/academy/plotline/.

Travers, Stephen. “Beginner Hatching Techniques and Tips for Pen - How to Know What Sort of Lines to Use.” YouTube, YouTube, 13 June 2022, www.youtube.com/watch?v=STsC8tdbSEk.

Studio, Drawsh. “The Bean Shape in Figure Drawing.” YouTube, YouTube, 10 Oct. 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=-tIjm10-Fdo.

Acknowledgments 

Appreciation towards the Arts Scholars faculty including Heather and Harold. To the parents who raised the artist, along with the therapist who accompanies the artist on the journey of healing.  Additional thanks to the friends that keep the artist motivated, along with the significant other the artist could not be more greatful to have.