Seconds
Graphic Novel
For my second year thesis project, I decided to create a graphic novel, called "Seconds", revolving around an indian middle class family, awakrd moments between relatives and food. This book really tested my illustration skills in creating a full fledged book from start to finish, while maintaing consistency throughout.
Type : Thesis Project
Date : 2020
Location : Guwahati
Mentor : Prof. Mriganaka Madhukailya, IIT G
Link : Read Here
Welcome to world of inquisitive aunties, hungry children, and bottomless piles of food.
Have you been there before?
Seconds revolves around the awkward yet sweet relationships in an Indian family. The protagonist, a college-going student, is put in a tought spot when her nosy relatives visit home, and she is forced to put on an angellic facade to brave them.
Read the book here
Deliverables : A printable graphic novel
Preview
Illustrations
The illustrations have a warm, raw feel, characterized by watercolor washes and grainy textures. The whimsical characters feature exaggerated emotions to enhance the drama. The artworks were traditionally inked on paper and digitally colored after scanning. The style emphasizes simplicity, using basic shapes and features for easier recreation of objects and characters.
Behind the Scenes
Here's a quick tour of what went behind the scenes.
The Process
add process and timeline
The Story
The graphic novel delves into the intricacies of Indian family culture, drawing from personal experiences with relatives. It humorously captures the essence of growing up in a middle-class Indian family, where interactions, though often charming, can also be awkward and repetitive. It reflects on how these familial bonds persist and evolve over time, despite the occasional irritation they may cause. Through whimsical and exaggerated scenes, such as aunts over-serving food with overwhelming love or nit-picking on physical looks, the novel highlights the blend of affection and irritation inherent in these relationships. The story resonates with a wide audience, especially teens who can relate to the depicted experiences, but also appeals to adults who may see reflections of their own family dynamics.
Characters and Color
The branding of Sakaré utilizes a robust serif font, Cormorant Garamond, a Garalde typeface with a classical look that suits both traditional and modern settings. In a world currently trending with modern decorative serifs, the decision was made to use a more robust typeface.
While selecting a typeface, considerations included price, licensing, support for French glyphs and numerals, and versatility in terms of weights and styles. Cormorant Garamond met all these criteria and is available on Google Fonts.
Garamond is not just a single typeface but a group of typefaces originating from 16th-century France, created by Claude Garamond. Garamond's work emerged during a transitional period when old-fashioned black-letter fonts were being replaced by more modern Roman typefaces. His designs, which resembled a more legible version of pen-and-ink handwriting, inspired the printer Jean Jannon to create a similar type in the early 17th century, leading to a revival of Garamond's style.
Dimensions and Layout
The primary graphics for Sakaré include French stripes, inspired by traditional French textile patterns such as Breton stripes and ticking stripes. This simple pattern can be easily recreated and connotates a sense of "Frenchness." High-contrast patterns like these stand out on packaging boxes and complement the designed logo, chosen fonts, and colors.
The icon mark can be tiled to create a more delicate pattern, suitable for use on wrapping sheets or butter papers.
Illustration Process
The process involved creating rough thumbnails, illustrating and inking traditionally on paper, scanning the pages, and then digitally coloring them. The final illustrations were updated to the book layout, and dialogues were added in.
Takeaway
This project was my first comprehensive visual design experience, allowing me to explore print design and comic illustrations under the mentorship of my professor. I enjoyed the challenge of selecting a creative direction for the book and brainstorming stories and themes before settling on a whimsical and humorously relatable narrative.
Acknowledgements
Thanks to my professor for guiding me throughout the process and helping me introspect into my preferences as a designer, which contributed to finding my sense of self. I also appreciate Manvita for her contributions to the dialogues and writing. Lastly, thanks to Gossip Girl for keeping me awake and providing company throughout the project.
Rough Thumbnail
Inking
Coloring
Dialogues
Color Grading
Case Studies
The primary color of Sakaré's branding is a sophisticated teal green (Deep Sea #063F51), evoking a tropical and natural feel. This is contrasted with a creamy white (SUGAR #F8EEDF) to create high-contrast striped patterns. Complementary colors are to be used for different editions of menus and various packaging products. The color palette is designed to evoke a somber feel, utilizing muted tones to emphasize a sober ambiance while also connecting to the natural colors of ingredients.
The Process
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