Kian • 16 • Dublin

This piece is the third page of a comic I hope to continue, inspired by Irish legend. Legend of the fomorians is the title of this chapter. I researched old celtic clothing, and neolithic art, as well as looking to ancient manuscripts for their curling lines and expressive patterns. For the fantastical vessel I mixed aspects of Greek triremes, Irish currachs and viking longships. I designed the characters with distinct traits before placing them in the scene and enjoyed drawing Medbh's ferret. I sketched using a light pencil and used pens of various thickness to add depth. I then scanned the images to frame them in panels, and used software to add my story's script in word balloons. Fantasy means a lot to me, being a genre where one's imagination is unrestricted, and encouraged to be let loose! I was inspired artistically by tales of the celtic 'otherworld', from Yeats' The Wanderings of Oisin to Lord Dunsany's the King of Elfland's Daughter. Those stories with their written descriptions so vivid that they pale reality, enchanted me. I want to bring that other-world to life, the way that I see it, so that reality can benefit! I believe comics are the perfect medium for young imaginations looking to tell vivid, compelling stories. Why should the magic of a mind be confined to prose? Artistic and storytelling traditions should mix!