![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/e9cd542e81cd1fe2675a9f9f1dd40449/a879099b-9e1d-4ab7-b2db-b15888002def_rw_3840.png?h=e0aef788e6d81878d832fb9a4d1d9017)
As a former football player at Oregon State University, I was the only person to play football and be a second-year grad student. On top of that I overcame two hip surgeries to earn a starting position on the team. During that time, I had a weekly comic strip I did for the paper. Flash forward 4 years, I was contacted by the Oregon State Alumni Association to work on a project for their Alumni Magazine. Essentially, they wanted me to tell my story in a way that engages prospective students and alumni at Oregon State. They saw my journey as a success of their program, and they wanted to support me through my work.
What was the role:
Writer, Character Design, Book Design, Illustration, Lettering, and Colorist.
Writer, Character Design, Book Design, Illustration, Lettering, and Colorist.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/e9cd542e81cd1fe2675a9f9f1dd40449/44aec6ee-ca12-41ae-bea5-afb1f8ffdb47_rw_1920.jpg?h=ea990701585bc2ec6dcfa877b3db9b73)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/e9cd542e81cd1fe2675a9f9f1dd40449/cf137249-6a59-4153-b221-8af2643a29d5_rw_1920.jpg?h=3deaacd0c4261b8e76b0e3c22a27baea)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/e9cd542e81cd1fe2675a9f9f1dd40449/22c8fc14-b979-43de-baca-4f547ec4a93c_rw_1920.jpg?h=95ebaa8baa3527146d6e80c7a3b4f6f5)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/e9cd542e81cd1fe2675a9f9f1dd40449/cd45376d-b8dd-46bd-b013-af5b34da5cdd_rw_1920.jpg?h=8a8a1236e10252d772a18d5b4b8a6141)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/e9cd542e81cd1fe2675a9f9f1dd40449/2dcaa406-872a-46b5-8a85-c1256aec42ad_rw_1920.jpg?h=1fef41ec7ac6cc339a635988bb436abc)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/e9cd542e81cd1fe2675a9f9f1dd40449/7ae993f1-ce20-44de-a777-4e045cd3e61f_rw_1920.jpg?h=9b2d820ac39f9b1c1dbed1036a276c03)
What was the process:
Like many of my comic book projects, it started with writing the ideas. I sent the OSU person I was working with a list of key points and she transcribed an interview I did with follow up questions. Afterwards, I was sent a transcript with some highlighted points they wanted me to include. After a few drafts to parse down the pages of information, I began drafting the visuals. I started in Adobe Photoshop with a double page spread. Since it was about my journey, I instantly though about the yellow brick road from the Wizard of Oz and how I followed that to the point I am at now. I felt it was an easy way to show all the adversity and nuances of my journey because it shows a complex path of me going from the top left corner of the page to the bottom right corner of the page in a time longer than expected.
Like many of my comic book projects, it started with writing the ideas. I sent the OSU person I was working with a list of key points and she transcribed an interview I did with follow up questions. Afterwards, I was sent a transcript with some highlighted points they wanted me to include. After a few drafts to parse down the pages of information, I began drafting the visuals. I started in Adobe Photoshop with a double page spread. Since it was about my journey, I instantly though about the yellow brick road from the Wizard of Oz and how I followed that to the point I am at now. I felt it was an easy way to show all the adversity and nuances of my journey because it shows a complex path of me going from the top left corner of the page to the bottom right corner of the page in a time longer than expected.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/e9cd542e81cd1fe2675a9f9f1dd40449/7280e9a1-d01d-4f04-ba84-00b684a0a274_rw_1920.jpg?h=27a057b3e879965862eba36369a0e36a)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/e9cd542e81cd1fe2675a9f9f1dd40449/b4137c5b-7457-43f9-89aa-9d43c4524b33_rw_1920.jpg?h=b7739e684ceac1412eddffe6a4868e70)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/e9cd542e81cd1fe2675a9f9f1dd40449/aa92d6bd-1705-44cb-807d-a5ab66676edf_rw_1920.jpg?h=8d19e082b2a3f538c94d630fef471c0b)
The composition took about 5 different drafts before I settled on one that OSU liked. The hardest part was trying to tell a story that is quirky and passionate without it being too wordy and preachy. I wanted people to follow my journey with their eyes and attention, but not dwell on specific sections because it was too complicated to understand. As a storyteller, much of the work is on the presentation. If someone gets lost in the journey, the whole purpose ends up being for nothing.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/e9cd542e81cd1fe2675a9f9f1dd40449/40df195d-c319-48ca-add7-3eb8062418eb_rw_3840.png?h=1108a50f51a180f42a7f199dacbb783b)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/e9cd542e81cd1fe2675a9f9f1dd40449/0ff65bc6-be3e-4ad8-81ea-2e6f543b4aa0_rw_3840.png?h=4676c220a43563af5fda53be12778fec)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/e9cd542e81cd1fe2675a9f9f1dd40449/0007941a-78f5-4ffc-a8c3-6255c7fa3853_rw_3840.png?h=53bdb0f68b43cb6e7f4496afe744f4be)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/e9cd542e81cd1fe2675a9f9f1dd40449/ad823770-121f-47ac-aa25-ba16edec4036_rw_3840.png?h=7fa97321a9fbdf03076c27378cb144bc)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/e9cd542e81cd1fe2675a9f9f1dd40449/6c159f27-30ce-49dd-b42a-4b44d8a4586c_rw_3840.png?h=7a17efe3a51796a5589321dd3b7019d4)
After I settled on the design, I brought the sketch into Clip Studio Paint to do the linework. Adobe Photoshop is great for many things, but I can’t get clean vector lines from a rasterized program. After the final linework is done, I bring the file back to Photoshop to color. I had very little issues with the coloring process since I use a consistent color palette with my work. Heavy emphasis on color and saturation to create expressive, vibrant contrast. I added a space themed background because, during that time it felt like I was always working eggshells during my journey. Being a college athlete puts you in the limelight especially at a major division 1 program. Any mishap could derail the path I embarked on. With my injuries, it forced me to take many routes I never expected to take. If I would have quite or got distracted, I could have easily fallen off my path.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/e9cd542e81cd1fe2675a9f9f1dd40449/57208f41-dec8-4783-8417-84b6fb95bc30_rw_3840.jpg?h=15528092a466ed08a6e52fbb92626326)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/e9cd542e81cd1fe2675a9f9f1dd40449/e88d1509-c035-488b-8984-6c13cb3ee936_rw_3840.png?h=0cad2fbe530024aef403df4beaa97c19)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/e9cd542e81cd1fe2675a9f9f1dd40449/d526f599-1cca-4d1c-97ab-5941edb964b6_rw_3840.png?h=52a4d9fcedc7df795bd907fb3f26253b)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/e9cd542e81cd1fe2675a9f9f1dd40449/10536307-93f1-4fdb-b3ee-7946a62a9270_rw_3840.png?h=55b37954cc3c137b057d5b98ea2104f8)
Obviously, because it goes into print, I had to play with margins and dialogue a bit after so that the key elements fit the printing guidelines with the book format.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/e9cd542e81cd1fe2675a9f9f1dd40449/5833f7c2-ebb7-4ef8-b9ab-9b9df3780e9d_rw_3840.jpg?h=68b81fcab3e90701da9cd7fb6327a675)