update on mask

This is my first attempt at making a toad mask.As you can see I was way off with making it even slightly familiar.Tape was all over my attempted to try secure a mask that was falling to pieces.I do not like this one at all.

Here is my better updated version which I worked at home on.I am ten times happier with this one and I feel that it actually looks like a toad.The eyes are LED lights that were taken from my cupboard.I am glad that I had them put on my toad as they can light up and look like galaxy eyes.

Below are pictures of it from a diffrent angles;

Next week I will be finishing off the back and then painting the front.

toad drawings

My picture of toad draw in from today.

Didn't get time to finish it today so my task for next time is to complete it.

I'm glad I researched toads outfits as this helped lot.I made sure I had worked on the checkered top.

Toad and study's

For my Wind in the willows costume I thought it would be appropriate to study a Toad and it's movements.This way I could get a better feel of it and become more familiar.Here is a video I found of a Toad jumoong(I belive it's a recreation)but still serves its purpose.

http://youtu.be/FvxEkFymua8

Unfortunately my search for toad movements failed(although it did bring up a lot of petitions which was entertaining) I found this very intresting picture which explained 

The insides and workings of a toad.This could give me a little help later on and is quite intresting in its self.

A generally look at Toads outfit gives off a posh sophisticated air.He wears long trench coats and a hat.He's also quite fat which,in the time of which Wind in the willows was written,would have been a stature of wealth as it showed that you had money for food and so fourth.The toad below seems to have a more happy modified look then others I have seen but still fit a the character. I have bought a trench coat that I will have to slightly edit to look like his.

comic layout ideas

For my comic work I decided to look at the diffrent types of layouts in comics and magazines.This would help me with creating my choice and how dramatic I would like it to be.
Here are some examples I found that inspired me:

The first one that caught my eye was this comic strip that seemed to use semi real people and then using comic effects to make them blend in. The background includes a varsity of colours that draw your attention and seem to fit in with the comic quite well..I like how parts of the comic have been draw (and I assume are made to look like so).

The layout it's self is quite standard but fits well.This makes it so that the comic goes in order and is easy to read.

Text is placed in little boxes that separate it from the picture so ,again,makes it easy to red. 

This comic features a black and white colour effect which gives it a dramatic look.Some pancakes of the comic are darker then other this too me adds drama and gives a nice subtle effect.In my work I would like to achieve something similar to this if possible.Thsi comic,like the first one,is easy to read and understand. Even though there is no actual writing.Detail has been put into this work .The layout itself is very slanted(as if it will fall off the page) And the borders have been outlined.

Last but not least I have picked one if the most simple layouts(this is just standard as you can see and there's no comic in its self).Thsi layout gives me a idea for my own as I want my comic to have a sketchy border to it.

This will be my focus through out. 

My final idea is to make my comic similar to this style (but still keep the Jim Davis simple panel style) :

My favorite part about the idea above is the way the boarders are not at all straight and give the comic a bit more life to me.

While searching for layout ideas I cam across a very useful comic direction guide.This gave me the idea of how I would go about pacing a comic ans how the audience would read one of my comics if I decided to do it in this way.(As seen below)

The red arrows give indication of the pace as stated.

study of toads(small)

For research into my toad mask I decided to look into diffrent feature of a toad to give me a idea of what I will be making.I will be making these out of cardboard and then covering it in paper mache.
Main parts of a toad:
Eyes

Toads mouth:

Back of head:

Jim Davis (comic artist) basic information

James Robert "Jim" Davis (born July 28, 1945) is an American cartoonist, best known as the creator of the comic strips Garfield and U.S. Acres (aka Orson's Farm), the former of which has been published since 1978 and has since become the world's most widely syndicated comic strip. Davis's other comics work includes Tumbleweeds, Gnorm Gnat and a strip about Mr. Potato Head.
(Taken from Wikapedia)
Examples of art done by Jim Davis :

I really want to use Jim Davis as a artist for inspiration because I feel that both are styles link(such as the way the eyes are drawn ) I also would like to take reference from how his comics are played out.

The example shown above gives me a idea of how his comics are drawn out and the way he adds drama in his pictures without actually using words(this means that even if there wasn't any speech you would still be able to have a idea of what was going on and it would still grab your interest. 

Starting comic designs

So to start my project off I decided to look at diffrent styles of comics and the way characters are protrayed:

First off I looked up one of the most common comic styles I know which would in fact be Manga.Manga characters are known for having big eyes(this is supposedly because they are ment to represent innocence like a baby).Manga has a barbarity of diffrent genres like for example,slice of life,romance ,horror,etc...

Over the years manga has began to increase in popularity to such a extent that some books were animated (this is called anime).

Above we see a example of anime/manga.showing the big eye theme.

As I read Garfield when I was little I feel as if it is very close to my heart.I have always adored Garfields lazy nature.As well as having comic books published Garfield was also shown in The Daily mail here is a example seen below:

I find Garfield strips to be quick and snappy which is what I hope to do with my work in the future.I love Jim Davis comic style and also the way he draws each individual character so the are automatically recognizable. I would like yo use his work as future reference in my comics.

For example with Garfields ginger and black fur and eyes I would recognize him.

The next style is the more realistic one(even though the characters them selves my not be).In the sponge Bob comics we see inanimate objects take on life.This  is a great example for our work with comics.In one page we take in a lot of information.