Hey all, My apologies for not posting, but work has had me bogged down before we went out of town. This article may fall in line with a topic I listed before, sources for making stories, but I've dealt with this particular method more this week while working on my newest series, The Trident Trilogy. I've gone to several websites(epilogue.net, deviantart.com, google images, elfwood.com, fantasyart.toplisted.net to name a few) loaded with great artwork to download samples for some examples of my characters in all of my books.
As I was perusing the various pics, I spotted some that captured my interest. Whether it was the character, the background, or the color, I kept thinking, "Hmmm, this could be a story." Despite the fact I already had a decent grasp of my current characters, downloading some pics allowed me to study them a bit closer. During my inspection, characteristics began formulating as I sat in observation. The color of the artwork, the facial expression, the armor/clothing being worn all came into play in feeding more detailed ideas into my mind.
One thing I learned in high school and college was a unique study format that allowed me to comprehend things very quickly. I would read my notes/text and formulate my own test questions. On an index card, I would number them and write 4-5 questions on one side with the numbered answers on the back. As I wrote the questions, I used as many of my senses in the process: reading, hearing, seeing, writing. Doing so allowed things to sink in quicker. The same principle applies in using a pic with other mediums. For example, have appropriate music in the background, or have a related movie playing nearby. Even "mood" lighting can come into play. Utilizing all these factors, along with your imagination, can enhance your ability in creating that special character for your next success story.
In relation to the pics, you can also create files specific for a particular novel you are working on, or gather pics under a specific type: villain, knight, cleric, detective, priest, etc.
Good luck! Take care, Nick G. Giannaras
As I was perusing the various pics, I spotted some that captured my interest. Whether it was the character, the background, or the color, I kept thinking, "Hmmm, this could be a story." Despite the fact I already had a decent grasp of my current characters, downloading some pics allowed me to study them a bit closer. During my inspection, characteristics began formulating as I sat in observation. The color of the artwork, the facial expression, the armor/clothing being worn all came into play in feeding more detailed ideas into my mind.
One thing I learned in high school and college was a unique study format that allowed me to comprehend things very quickly. I would read my notes/text and formulate my own test questions. On an index card, I would number them and write 4-5 questions on one side with the numbered answers on the back. As I wrote the questions, I used as many of my senses in the process: reading, hearing, seeing, writing. Doing so allowed things to sink in quicker. The same principle applies in using a pic with other mediums. For example, have appropriate music in the background, or have a related movie playing nearby. Even "mood" lighting can come into play. Utilizing all these factors, along with your imagination, can enhance your ability in creating that special character for your next success story.
In relation to the pics, you can also create files specific for a particular novel you are working on, or gather pics under a specific type: villain, knight, cleric, detective, priest, etc.
Good luck! Take care, Nick G. Giannaras