Sketch Excerpt from Untitled Graphic Novel

Below is one of the layout pages from an early point in the story (the editor suggested that I not tell you what's happening here [g], so this layout page does NOT match the sample script page, as you can see). This is great stuff-Hoang's done a terrific job of translating the script, and catching the sense of movement and excitement going on here. Only one small correction to be made: the script says that Dougal and Jamie are riding downhill, past "a weathered Pictish cross." But I hadn't sent Hoang either a picture or a description of what a Pictish cross is, so he's very reasonably rendered it here as a weathered wooden cross, rather than a stone one. Frankly, I think it looks good as is—but I have to consider whether leaving it as a wooden cross might raise questions—i.e., it looks like a grave marker, but there's nothing about a grave in the story—and confuse people. So I'll send photocopies from my reference library of several Pictish crosses, and Hoang can choose and adapt from those.

Now, please don't get all excited and start peppering my blog with complaints about Jamie looking too young, not slant-eyed enough, having elf-ears, or whatever. This is a S-K-E-T-C-H, not a finished panel. Ergo, the characters shown are just rough approximations and will look quite different when painted in the final version. Oh—and speaking of rough, the gent in the fourth panel is not Dougal MacKenzie, it's one of his clansmen (and not one you know, either, so don't start panicking about it not looking like you think Rupert looks). --Diana

Graphic Novel Sample Sketch