Process

Develop Script

  • I wrote, wrote, wrote!
  • Edited and received feedback from professional script readers.
  • Got initial community feedback and contributions to deepen story for lead character, Cadence. This is ongoing!
  • I am reaching out and developing new relationships with additional communities for consults, feedback and contributions for the characters Alexandra and Roam (for this book and in preparation for the next novellas in the series). 
  • Script excerpt – pre final revisions and insert into images: PDF RADIFY Emily Mode copyright 2022. Intro excerpt
  • The Story Blurb is on the homepage if you missed it.

Create Facial Expression Reference Sheets

  • One of the strongest indicators for emotions is our face, and emotions express our rich and diverse humanity, so I chose to cast real people for RADIFY’s lead characters.
  • Each lead is cast from within their community,
  • Photographed and test sketched, and then
  • Photographed in over 40 emotional states and at three different angles.
  • Check out Realism (Europe) and Social Realism (US), both helped inspire my approach to drawing RADIFY.

Visualizing the Script

  • Each page of the book is made up of multiple pen and ink drawings.
  • I have not been hand-drawing the text for now (dialogue, narration, etc.); this is to allow for adjustments and final feedback from intersex project participants.  Though I am beginning to play with methods of adding the written words, and (when it feels right) will post a few example pages.
  • I have left color correction and the addition of multi-color pages unfinished for now. This will allow for decisions and adjustments in the final book edits. 
  • Here are some sample book pages as of 2022, pre text:

 Drawings

 

Community Engagement Ongoing

Community engagement is ongoing and will grow through each book in the series.

  • Face models for lead characters were cast from within their communities for the facial expression reference sheets.
  • RADIFY’s three protagonists’ personal stories are based on a range of true-life experiences.
  • Sensitivity script readings, feedback, and consultations with community members and organizations have and will continue to happen at various stages of production.
  • Book contributions developed and to be developed with communities include:
    • Heartfelt letters to fictional characters from their real life community
    • Zine contributions
    • Syllabi pertaining to ideas in the book
    • Diagrams pertaining to ideas in the book
    • Appendix 
  • See current face model and contributor Bios.

The Book

What else is there to say?

I initially expected the book to be around 280 pages long, but I am now certain it will be longer!  You can keep up with progress by checking out Updates.

To Any Aspiring Graphic Novelists perusing this site,

I never seem to take the easy route. This is a very time consuming process! You have been warned!

Best Wishes

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