I know NOTHING proper about composition (being self taught). So I thought I'd try and rally what little it is I think I know about it in this post:
http://pjholden.posterous.com/composition-57
Open for discussion!
-pj
Good stuff - what struck me when you look at it in detail is the white "V" shape made from the general cavern, with the point in the top left hand corner area and Dredd sitting inside the angle within a black area. So it grabs the eye right at the start of the panel and then draws you down diagonally to the mutant and then the eye goes across to the area of highest contrast (and on as your arrows indicate).
Great stuff PJ, you're one of the good guys!
Gordon was kind enough to ok the inclusion of the script in that post, so now there's even MORE to it! (Updated text in green).
Glad people seem to find it interesting. Please pass the link around!
http://pjholden.posterous.com/composition-57
That's great - really very useful. Thanks to you and Gordon for that.
In a similair theme, the following post has a new coloured page (the page isn't new, and the colouring is just me playing) but also a "how I'd redraw this" sketch.
http://pjholden.posterous.com/composition-revist
Cool...
Yea, it might be a little stiff in the original, but come on P.J. ,it was still a great splash page!
I can relate to the desire to redraw pages later...why is it the ideas only come up after its been published? ::)
I've updated that page - Al Ewing pointed out on twitter, that, in the context of the story, the figure of Dredd being less knowingly heroic works far better (in fact, I think, the more heroic Dredd would really have worked against the intent of the writer/story)
In the context of a poster or one off image, though...
-pj
QuoteI've updated that page - Al Ewing pointed out on twitter, that, in the context of the story, the figure of Dredd being less knowingly heroic works far better (in fact, I think, the more heroic Dredd would really have worked against the intent of the writer/story)
It could work in an ironic way, though - the contrast between the heroic pose and shambolic looking armour.
Ach, well, story's too bed now... I was thinking of reworking it as a print or something... maybe...
-pj
Yeah, composition can be really, really frustrating.
I've known of several artists who use the "golden section" form of composition, but I've always considered it a bit limiting. Rather, let the page compose itself. The page is made up of image and text, so what may look right un-lettered may turn out to be too fussy looking when letterd. Vice versa, a page which looks a bit "light" image-wise may look just perfect once lettered.
There's no real hard and fast rule for composition that I've seen in 20+ years of drawing comics.
This is how I compose a page.
Read the script.
Go do something else for a bit.
Lay out the borders of the page.
Re-read the script and make some very general marks on the page about roughly where the panels are and what they contain. (blobs and stick figures)
Re-read the script with a view to space needed for lettering/logo etc.
Indicate on page roughly how much space is needed for the lettering.
Re-draw/re-align panels and images to make room for lettering.
Start the final pencils and do the inks.
Generally this method works (for me), though unless you do the lettering yourself you can never guarantee where exactly where the letterer will put certain balloons. As a result some pages work, some don't. As long as more work than don't, then you're on to a winner.
Hope this may help.
Cheers
Colin
Thanks for that post Colin, very useful.
There is an analysis of a couple of manga pages looking at how the art (and lettering) help with the flow across the page, I think it fits here:
http://telophase.livejournal.com/91840.html
PJ - just read it through and I really really love that. The greatest thing an artist can do is pick apart their method and reconstruct the way they draw. I know it's all guff coming from an ameytoor like me but that's my favourite thing about your art - it's always constantly shifting forward. I shall utilize this.