In developing ideas for a final five-panel narrative sequence, I explored a lot of ideas and traditional mediums. I eventually settled on exploring the 'purpose of humanity,' aiming to use this project to get my own views across about such an existential subject. I chose to illustrate the panels in a detailed way, with the illustrations accompanying the respective part of the "story." While the text does not tell a story, it is more of a narrative on humanity's past to the present, relating to five key aspects that I identified.
1) War
2) Space Exploration
3) Natural Destruction
4) Reproduction
5) Art
As you can see from the finished sequence, each panel has its own medium and use of colour appropriate to the topic. The sequence also has collective elements of perspective, directional lighting, and understanding of colour theory.
1) Coloured pencils. While the colours are unrealistic to the scenario, there is a clear source of light. The red and blue are complimentary to each other and act as the emotional struggle present in war. These colours meet on the soldier, showing his own struggle to distinguish good from bad actions, and whether the situation is as black and white as he once thought it to be.
2) Pencil. This panel was left as its original pencil drawing, which is intended to reflect the untouched nature of space. The future of expansion into space is a mystery for humanity, and a journey that will define our colours - much like the illustration. As this vast and unpredictable future is unwritten, so too shall this version of the International Space Station (our first steps among the stars) remain unfinished.
3) Fineliner. Showing the destruction of nature by humanity, I decided to implement a heavy use of black to this illustration. Black in this instance represents death and shadow - with the machine being nearly encased in shadow from the light coming from the right of the illustration. This brings across the idea of these machines as man-made harbingers of death. White in this instance represents emptiness and lack of life, while also being the light. Through all of this, the illustration retains a good balance of both black and white areas.
4) Promarker. This medium allowed me to get a bright colour of yellow, so that it could reflect the light of life, as well as all the positive emotions the colour conveys. The illustration is of a family silhouetted by the light, yet connected together. As this image of a united family is so iconic, any identity could fit into the roles of these people - which is why they remain ambiguous. The idea of parents with their children is all that is required to show the theme of reproduction in humanity.
5) Coloured pencils. By using the real colours present in several famous artworks, I have shown art in its true form. The paintings are laid out in a gallery in perfect display, showing how important art (of any form) is to humanity. Expression is required for humanity to get ideas across and evolve.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
