Lightning

Lightning in Lucca!

2009-10-22T01:46:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody,

I've got great news!!!
Camilla and I applied for taking part on the Workshow programme at Lucca Games and Comics this year.

And we made it!

This means that LIGHTNING will now be developped with the help of international tutors (Michael Moorcok, Robert Gould, Donato Giancola. Patrizia Puricelli, Flavio Ferron ecc.).
After the conclusion of the three workshops which will take place at October 2009, February and April 2009 there will be a big presentation for the project at Lucca Games and Comics 2010.

We are terribly excited and very very happy about this big opportunity.
I can't wait for the WorkShow to begin!!!:)

The Return of Florence

2009-07-23T08:24:00.000-07:00

Hellooooo back!

In case you were wondering about the progress of Lightning, I have splendid NEWS for you.
My cousin just finished the entire script for the first episode.

We were discussing a lot about the complexity of the first episode, the character design, the story itself and I have to say... The script rocks more than ever!!!

So, now it's up to make the visuals...
I will redraw the first 3 pages, shouldn't be too much work.
In the whole we should have around 22 pages.
I let you know how it goes...

In the meantime, some scribbles for you from a much more "emo" Florence.

Back with feedback

2009-05-20T13:55:00.001-07:00

Hey everybody!

It's been a while since my last post, but no worry: we're still working on Lightning.

In fact, I collected some very precious feedback about our little project while I was visiting Emerald City Con and Stumptown Comics Fest in the US!
And because of all this feedback we're currently revising our script for the first issue and I also changed the character design of Florence.

They were multiple complaints about Florence's design not matching the other characters and the backgrounds.
So, I went with a slightly more realistic version.

I think it's natural to make a lot of changes in the beginning of a project.
But I don't have any problem with the "kill your darlings"-thing.
We wanna do a GOOD comic book, therefore we need to be open to criticism.
And now...Back to work!

Page three

2009-04-08T22:36:00.000-07:00

Hey folks,
I'm currently working on a different comic, but I'll be back for Lightning by the end of April.
In the meantime here's the coloured version of page no.3.

And also I'm very happy about all the positive feedback on our project on Emerald City Con in Seattle. That's very encouraging!!
So, hooray!!

Some more characters...

2009-03-26T15:12:00.000-07:00

Hey again!
Here are some other characters which appear in Lightning.
On this page I put only scribbles of Florence's schoolmates. I used actors, singers and other famous people here as a reference. Alex for example was inspired by Milo Ventimiglia ("Heroes") who seems to have his own comic book production as I've heard.

And now back to my desk! *puff pant*

Progress

2009-03-18T04:40:00.000-07:00

Hey folks,

thanks a lot for your suggestions! I did some little corrections on the last 2 pages, including a new font which I really like much more than the old one.
Thanks to Stefan Dinter for his advice!

Then there are the pencils for the third page.
I do them with my beloved light blue Colerase pencils. Since I have an electric sharpener I use up one pencil a page...

At the moment I'm preparing a short portfolio of this project for Emerald City Con at Seattle. Any suggestions on the portfolio or on DO's and DONT's? (e.g. don't talk to Bob Schreck about his current career or don't talk about Dave Sim with anybody)

Have a great sunny day everybody!!

First pages!

2009-03-09T02:40:00.000-07:00

Hey world!
The first two pages are ready!!
The only thing that's missing is the text for the document the abbot is holding in his hand. My cousin's working on the perfect formulation.
I thought a lot about the right kind of coloring for our comic and decided for a very dark, mignola-like color palette. After all it's not one of my funny cartoons.
I worked with textures and different kinds of brushes in order to give it a "painted" and slightly disturbed look.
If you have any suggestions, also regarding the lettering, I always like to hear them!
I especially don't know if there is a better lettering font and if the font size is too big.
So, let me know if you have any ideas!

More scribbles...

2009-03-02T14:26:00.000-08:00

Hey there again!
As you can see I put up some more scribbles.
Some readers suggested that the dialogue between the two brothers on page 4-5 in the previous post reveals too much information. We agree and are currently working on it.
Another reader comments there are too many changes of settings in the first pages.
What do you think?
The next 4 pages I put up stay longer with the protagonist. I also used some silly photo reference again. In the first panel I'll draw Florence stepping out of the train. I built a 3D taxi in Google Sketchup because I just hate drawing vehicles. This helps a lot.
So, let's hear your opinion!!
Yippie yay!!

First scribbles

2009-02-27T07:09:00.000-08:00

Hey everybody,

I'd like to show you the first scribbles I realized after Camilla's script.
I won't explain anything further about what's going on in the story because I want you/the reader to understand it as it is drawn.
So please, if something isn't quite clear, tell us!! We really take every criticism seriously!!!

Okay, only some explications:
Of course nothing's on model in these drawings. The scribbles purpose is to set the camera angles, perspective and the rhythm of the narrative.
Some of the dialogue and caption texts will be reviewed, but if something seems odd, please tell us anyway!

So, we'll be happy to receive comments!!

Finding Florence

2009-02-18T00:52:00.000-08:00

Hey guys,
this time I wanted to show how we worked on our protagonist's look.
I remembered how many character designers let themselves be inspired by actors, singers or other celebrities. The first time I noticed this consciously was in Harald Siepermann's work who's well known for his excellent work for Disney and luckily has been a teacher at the animation school I went to.

I was looking for a shy and mysterious girl, some kind of a "dark" beauty, fragile but clever...
Well, of course I stumbled on Wynona Ryder ( she actually had a career back in the 90ties before she took up shoplifting). She was just perfect in any sense.
I especially thought of her character in "Girl, Interrupted".

After my cousin and me agreed on that type I did a lot of scribbles. This is just a selection.

We decided on a more feminine type and I worked out a few details.

Then we still needed that little "something" which made her look special. Camilla thought of giving her a special taste in clothes and we decided on a kind of elegant "gothic lolita" (yeah, stupid term, I know). That's convenient for me, since that style is very trendy and I can find TONS of reference.
Finally, we were really happy. I did a coloured version which you can see in my earlier posts. Hope that was interesting for you!

Florence

2009-02-15T06:15:00.000-08:00

Florence’s background

Florence is a child who doesn’t know her father. She was raised in Rome by her French single mother Lydia, who refused to reveal the identity of the father. Florence is 15 when her mother dies of cancer. As she has no relatives who could care for her, she ends up in a public orphanage.

One year after Lydia’s death, the last Will and Testament of a well-known tycoon and notorious ladies’ man has a crucial impact on Florence’s future. On his death-bed, in the presence of a notary, Glauco Badetti appoints his illegitimate child as his sole heir. It is Florence.

Glauco nominates his brother Enrico as Florence’s guardian, and expresses his wish for her child to attend a boarding school with a tradition of academic excellence and rigorous disciplinary system. Switzerland is chosen.

Enrico suggests the Dénoirdieu College in Geneva, because “it’s one of the most exclusive international education institutions in the world”, says he. “Besides”, he adds, “it was our grand-grand-mother who contributed to the prestige and splendour of the school when she was headmistress. She’s the pride of our family.”

Glauco reproaches his brother. “There were strange rumours going about our grand-grand-mother. I wouldn’t be proud of her”, says he. Enrico blames him for being superstitious, but Glauco insists he doesn’t want Florence to attend the Dénoirdieu College.

Glauco dies that very night from lung complications. In his testament, he includes three clauses. He requests that his Will will be executed in all secrecy, in order to withhold Florence from the truth; that as testamentary executor and Florence’s guardian Enrico would act through the intermediation of a lawyer; that Florence would take possession of her inheritance only at the age of 24.

Convinced to work for the good of his niece, Enrico makes the decision not to indulge Glauco’s superstition. Instead he instructs a lawyer to contact Florence and tell her she will go to Geneva to attend the prestigious… Dénoirdieu College.

The Abbess

2009-02-11T08:52:00.000-08:00

Some more details about the background of the college:

The Abbess

The historical archives of the school refer that at the beginning of the twentieth century an Abbess became headmistress of the school. She chose severe educational methods, and gave the school grandeur and prestige.

Feared and respected by both students and members of the religious community, the abbess ran the school for 30 years, until she mysteriously disappeared.

The legend connected to the Abbess still survives in popular tales. It is rumoured that she was beautiful and never grew old. People who met her told she was a woman with magnetic, enigmatic eyes, intelligent, educated, and reserved. After her disappearance, strange rumours started going about.

The cemetery keeper claimed he had seen the Abbess moving around the graves in the dead of the night. A farmer claimed he had met her in the wood and he swore he had seen her vanish under his eyes. One of the students at the time revealed, before her suicidal, that the Abbess visited her every night in her dreams.

The Dénoirdieu College

2009-02-06T15:51:00.000-08:00

Hey again!
Thanks for all the comments! That's very motivating!!
Today I decided to blog about the background of the setting. I don't know if what I post is too much too read, so just tell me! I included some of my inspirational sketches. So far I'm still working on the final look of the place.
The story mostly takes place at the so-called Dénoirdieu College in Switzerland. But read for yourself! Enjoy!

History of Dénoirdieu College

Located in an isolated position on a hill that dominates the city of Geneva, the Dénoirdieu College was originally an abbey of monks. It was built in 1123 by Count Dénoirdieu, a famous alchemist.

The abbey consists of a complex of red brick buildings, which include a church, cloister, library, refectory, dormitories, and infirmary.

1860 Abbot Michel Lavrier established the Dénoirdieu College as a boarding school for higher education. A community of nuns joined the foundation in 1866, and the college, until then exclusively a male school, opened to female students.

The abbey was built on the site of a Celtic construction. The portal of the church, the colonnade and the walls are decorated with esoteric symbols. The presence of these symbols inside the abbey, and the mist that shrouds the area, have increased the mystery of the place.

Count Dénoirdieu

According to legend, Count Dénoirdieu was addicted to occultism, and had the ability to evoke spirits and demons. The story goes that before he died he wrote a book of black magic containing formula to evoke extremely powerful dark forces.
Furthermore, according to legend, the subterranean of the abbey are swarming with narrow tunnels leading to secret chambers which are inaccessible. Residents of Geneva believe that disturbing presences hide in the fog that covers the abbey at night…

Getting started...

2009-02-04T12:05:00.000-08:00

Welcome everybody to this brand new blog!!

Let me introduce ourselves:

My name's Sarah Burrini and I live in Cologne, Germany where I work as an illustrator and cartoonist. Amongst others I've published my work in the German edition of the MAD magazine, in the anthology "Panik Elektro", in Comicgate Magazine #3 as well as in the fanzines we publish with our lovely group Pony-X-Press. Besides I have a webcomic on the German site Comicgate.

My cousin's name is Camilla Martini. She studied Communication and Advertising in Vienna and currently lives in London, UK where she got her master's degree in screenwriting at the University of Westminster.

Obviously we just HAD to do a project together where we not only could live out our creativity but also indulge in our passion for mystery and horror stories!

By means of this blog I'd like you to accompany the process of developing a comic book story and we'll be very happy to get a lot of constructive feedback on it!!!
At the moment we're planning to do an introductive issue of 22 pages which we're very excited about!
But let's get to the story now...

Lightning is a supernatural mystery-thriller comic, featuring a 16 year-old college student named Florence as the central character and heroine.

Synopsis
Mother dead and father unknown, Florence is rescued from orphanage by a mystery man who pays for her to attend a prestigious boarding school in Geneva.

Coming from a working class environment, Florence feels out of place at the exclusive Dénoirdieu College, where the student body consists of the children of the international elite. During her escape attempt from the college she is hit by a direct bolt of lightning, and miraculously survives, but her life dramatically changes.

In fact, as a consequence of the lightning strike Florence develops clairvoyant abilities, perceiving information about future events and approaching dangers that involve people around her. Besides, Florence can now sense an evil presence lurking inside the college…

That's it for now. In the next days I'm going to publish more about the background of the story and the characters.
For those of you who come and visit, thanks in advance. I hope you enjoy it.