Something You Miss

This exercise was inspired by the work of of Nadine Redlich and Pablo Holmberg.

You will need:

paper
a pen
some Post-It Notes
a deep longing for something.

Instructions:

1. Write a single sentence about something you miss.

2. Repeat one composition over three panels.

3. Draw another panel, only this time, something is different.

4. Incorporate your sentence somewhere in your panels.

5. Look at what you made, expand or contract, rewrite and redraw as needed.

Example:

Thoughts:

A panel is essentially a moment in time, and when panels are repeated, the time we spend in that moment lengthens. I often find that when images are repeated, especially images of nature, I become more receptive to emotional content. It’s like I am lulled, through that repetition, into a more open mindset. I think this happens because I am not worried about following plot, or taking in dialogue or narration, and so I am left to feel and experience the moment in a more present way.

The goal of this exercise is to put the reader into an open mindset… and then to sucker punch them with something emotional.

If you’re interested in having new exercises and comics sent to your inbox…

you can sign up for that here.