Winter Term Project Proposal
Christopher Tan 9681396
For Draw 399G-Winter
For the semester long project I have chosen to draw inspiration from my interest in tabletop roll playing games. Specifically I have decided to write about a fictionalized version of the Dungeons and Dragons group that I myself play in. Having been a player and game runner for a few years has allowed me to observe some of the nuance involved in keeping a group of players happily together. Judging by the many “Actual Play” podcasts out there, the issues that arise are recurring obstacles that many groups must overcome. Tensions tend to form around things such as play style, scheduling, out of game relationships and player chosen character actions.
In my comic series, I will attempt to illustrate the tensions that have come up in my current group, my past groups, and podcast playgroups that I follow online specifically tensions that stem from the ideological differences between players regarding religion, sexuality, and political beliefs. The series will take place in both the in game imaginary world as well as the real world in which the players live with the distinctions often blurring as they tend to do for players at time. The form will be a single continued story that follows a campaign arc but that is presented in a more episodic way (play groups tend to meet weekly at a regularly scheduled time) to follow the issues that arise but always tend to be smoothed over before they can derail a group. I have found that more often than not, any conflicts outside of the game will be fought out more passively because members actively avoid putting the whole group at risk. Being able to meet regularly and escape with friends is a cherished thing thus the risk of jeopardizing play sessions will often force conflict under the surface until it can’t help but escape in bizarre ways.
Throughout this project, I aim to further develop my drawing skills especially my ability to properly use a tablet to draw digitally. It is my aim to produce all of the pages digitally with the traditional drawing techniques being used for roughs only. This medium is specifically at odds with the tabletop roll playing system, a decidedly “analogue” way of playing games in an increasingly digital age.
This assignment will also allow me the opportunity to improve my inter-character relationships on the page. My current style shies away from dialogue and text in general, as I prefer to draw more cinematic scenes that derive all of their dramatic tension from pictorial composition. Hopefully the consistent practice of both digital drawing and character dialogue will help me develop a more robust art practice.
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