Phew about flippen time I completed the story board for my narrative... before hand it was just creating random imagery and hoping it would fit into the book... which it mostly will... why didn't I do this properly earlier?? It's ok.. just 4 double page spreads.. it'll be all good. (I did do some story boarding earlier, but this one has a far more complete order. And not just certain sections of the narrative selected... it's the whole shabang! Here's a sneek peek! Some images have already been completed so I'm relieved... but I really want to create interesting perspectives for this... being a rainforest story there is so much potential for it.
Image for one of my final pages
Hand rendered text for the front cover. I really should have remembered from my last narrative unit that work really begins to happen once the story is physically written out. Then you can print it out and separate it up into sections for images which support the text in conveying the story.
Well enough procrastination, happily I can use most of the imagery I've produced so far.. looking forward to the final outcome... I really want to continue this on for my FMP... then produce merchandise for it too... toys and what not... we shall see what the future holds!!
Give the story a read if you like: (though some parts wont make exact sense without the imagery) and a little disclaimer, I own this story and all related imagery, if you have any interest in using any of it, or related materials; you must ask permission, and really I only want it published if I've been the one who has illustrated it ;) as any illustrator would! Hope you enjoy!
Ari was born in a treetop village, here
everyone can fly,
Ari was a boy without wings. This made him
very sad.
‘One day I’ll fly… somehow…’ he told
himself.
He had caught almost every bird in the
forest, ‘No bird can out smart me!’ Ari chuckled.
‘Once I’ve collected a feather from each
one, that’ll prove to everyone in the forest that no bird is out of my reach…
even if I am a boy without wings!’
However, there was one bird, the giant
Quetzal, King of the birds that Ari hadn’t caught… Ari had heard many stories
about the Quetzal and his beautiful tail feathers…
He thought I saw him once, maybe he didn’t…
So it was Ari’s next mission to find the
Quetzal and pluck one of his tail feathers to add to his collection.
He climbed high , and searched low,
Explored in dark caves, and among the
lights where the brightest flowers grow.
He looked through the tiniest cracks, and
the great expanses…
Collecting more feathers along the way of
course! But he just couldn’t find the Quetzal!
‘Maybe I’ll never get one of his
feathers….’ He grumbled.
Suddenly the branch Ari was standing on
snapped and he fell, which often happens when you are a boy without wings…
He fell further and further …
Right into a giant spider web!
‘Oh no! I’M STUCK!’ Ari cried.
He wriggled and squirmed and tossed and
turned but there was just no way that he could get out of the web! The spider
had noticed Ari trapped in the web and was coming closer and closer…
‘I’d rather lose these feathers than get
eaten! And I don’t need this coat either!’ Ari thought as he dropped the
feathers he was holding and slipped out of his orange coat.
He looked around and webs were everywhere,
he couldn’t climb down the tree… there was only one choice... he had to jump!
‘But it’s such a long way to fall!’ Ari
whimpered. ‘If only I wasn’t a boy
without wings!’ He gulped, scrunched up his eyes and leapt away from the
spider’s web.
Just then there was a flash of green…. And Ari wasn’t
falling anymore.
The Quetzal had caught him on it’s back!
Ari was ecstatic! “The Quetzal is trying to
save me!” he yelped.
The Quetzal swooped in and out of the trees
with such grace. Ari loved feeling the whoosh of the wind in his hair; it
really was amazing to be flying!
The Quetzal flew right above the highest
treetops and perched on the tallest branch.
Ari really didn’t want to get off of the
Quetzals back, ‘how amazing it was to fly on the back of the King of the
birds!’ Ari thought.
Then much to Ari’s surprise the Quetzal
began to speak! “I’ve been watching you collect the feathers from the birds in
the forest. The birds need their feathers and I want you to stop!’ He said.
Ari’s face fell. “But how will I show
everyone that no bird is out of my reach… even if I can’t fly…” He murmured.
The Quetzal looked at Ari long and hard. He
had a good think and decided ‘If you stop taking the bird’s feathers, I can be
your wings… every once in a while. You just have to meet me here, at the
highest treetop on the tallest branch.’
Ari was so happy! He was going to be flying
on the back of the King of the birds! He agreed with the Quetzal and promised
to stop catching the birds of the forest.
Ari kept his promise and all the birds were
very happy to keep all of their feathers, and keeping his promise, every once
in a while, the Quetzal did take Ari flying.
So even if Ari is a boy without wings, he
can still fly! Thanks to the giant Quetzal.
