‘Field Diary’ is my Senior Project in the Visual Communications department at Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design, class of 2022.
It is a 60-page graphic novel, written and illustrated traditionally in pen and ink, and colored digitally.
The story is somewhat autobiographical- I had experienced a traumatic loss in the previous year, and was looking for ways to channel my feelings of despair and depression into a cathartic piece of art.
It is a 60-page graphic novel, written and illustrated traditionally in pen and ink, and colored digitally.
The story is somewhat autobiographical- I had experienced a traumatic loss in the previous year, and was looking for ways to channel my feelings of despair and depression into a cathartic piece of art.
Writing the story was challenging. I knew I wanted to provoke a deep emotional response in the reader, and the best way to do that is to bare my own feelings, being honest about them. But I still wanted to keep it vague so as to not make it a story about me specifically, but a story about the universal feeling of loss, of being scared of the future.
After a month of writing and editing I finally felt satisfied with the story and proceeded to plan out the storyboard. Then, I started to draw.
Using photo references that I took myself, I drew the entire book straight-on, in pen, with no preparatory sketches. I wanted it to resemble a personal sketchbook-an illustrated travel journal, intimate and personal.
If I needed to erase anything, I used white-out and blank stickers. The sketchbook I used for the project is all patchwork- layer upon layer of stickers, hiding mistakes or regrets, with new lines over them. The idea was to always be moving on, never get stuck on a certain detail, and build upon my mistakes, even when I felt doubtful.
Then I decided on a very limited color palette and colored the book digitally, with free, broad, light strokes. I used to color to just give a hint of depth and hierarchy, but my priority has always been the sketch, the lines themselves, because they contain the story and movement.
After drawing I proceeded to make a Hebrew font to match the lineart style.
Some of the responses I got from readers truly brought me to tears. Some people said it made them sad, others said it gave them hope, and peace.
Having experienced loss sometimes leaves people cynical, cold and closed up, in hopes that the next time will not be as painful. I wanted to leave the reader with an optimistic feeling- it's ok to be soft, and sad, and hopeful. Life, nature, everything moves on, and this current pain will pass, eventually, somehow. I'm happy and honored I am able to give readers this feeling.
