This project was about creating a webcomic on the topic of volunteer work. We could design the comic in whatever style we wanted and were also tasked to animate GIFs on each page to make the story more engaging.
I got feedback that my initial character draft looked too pretty and feminine for someone who was meant to be a dishevelled nerd. Hence, in my final design, I made Alicia's eyes more flat and dead looking. I also changed her outfit to the Willing Hearts shirt. I tried to make her look less feminine because from my own perspective, I feel that nerds often have a more ‘lifeless’, undefined look to them rather than feminine/masculine.
Alicia Pang is a Secondary 4 mega nerd who only focuses on her studies and thinks everything else is a waste of time. She is forever cooped up in her room mugging for O levels trying to get a top score. However, she soon finds out that she only has 1 LEAP point, which would hinder her eventual O level score. Her teacher forces her to do some volunteer work to increase her points and she reluctantly decides to volunteer at a place called Willing Hearts.
At Willing Hearts, Alicia is so lost in the action of preparing food with the other volunteers, that any thoughts regarding her studies soon drift away from her head. Instead, she finds herself chatting amiably with the other volunteers, learning why they chose to volunteer and she finds productivity and inspiration in a very different yet meaningful way from studying. She goes home feeling exhausted yet satisfied. She vows to herself that she would volunteer again not for points but to destress from her hectic daily life and help those in need.
Wanted to go for a style that was In order to dramatise thoughts
simple but distinctive simple through and emotions, I wanted a very
the use of simple facial expressions pop-up feel that was inspired by
and perspectives, but distinctive some of my favourite webtoons.
through the use of different shades I also wanted to have differently
and shadows and a lot of blending, shaped panels of different sizes
especially for the longer panels. to have a more whimsical feel.
Brighter tones, mostly used for Darker gloomier tones that kick off
sunset gradients towards the end the story as they convey a sense of
of the story to signify a happy negativity within Alicia.
ending for Alicia.
