Shake it out.

The story didn't really come together until I put on Florence & the Machine's "Ceremonials". It really inspired the tone of the thing and after twelve hours sitting with a Word document, it was done! Well, as done as it can be at that stage. I had the bones and the sinews and a pretty firm idea of what this baby was going to look like.

I did not write a full script, exactly. Instead I sat down with the outline and started sketching full-size (8.5"x11") thumbnails of each page. It might be too time-consuming a process to make a habit, but I wanted to really see how the words and art worked together right away, and solve the worst layout problems before I sat down to do the finished art. 

Right in the middle of all this, I developed tennis elbow and couldn't draw or write for six months. As insufferable as I was, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise - since I couldn't do much more than read, I found myself plowing through books I'd impatiently ignored before; books like "Story" by Robert McKee and "Bambi vs Godzilla" by David Mamet. I learned that Hollywood sucks and that my story needed a lot of work.

For six months, I moped and mulled it over in my head. It improved! Now, the first full set of thumbnails are awaiting review from my husband, the sagacious Jesse Hamm. (Who is also giving my blog the once-over, apparently.) Until he can find a gap in his busy schedule, though, I will have to get cracking on character designs and  scenery.