Olozuland - And why I Never Rush Art
Olozuland is the title of a science fiction world I invented in my head; inspired by a plethora of movies and books I have absorbed since I was a kid. Specifically, Olozuland is a place that exists on the planet Plepulon Flive, which is inhabited by many unique and diverse creatures including Pleple- the human equivalents of this fantastical universe.
I started drawing characters for Olozuland six years ago (!) in 2018. It started how all my creative projects start- I become hyper focused on an idea, churn out piles of content, then question why I committed to so much work and inevitably move on to whatever piques my interest next. Except this project is different.. because I have become emotionally invested in the world and characters.
So emotionally invested in fact, that half my art unrelated to comic construction deals with themes in Olozuland. You might have noticed these bizarre catlike aliens popping up in illustrations and sculptures I post. Half of the art for Olozuland has not even been shared with anyone.
Second Date- Mechanical Pencil *You know a piece is Olozuland universe if I add #Olozuland
Jujube Tile - Sgraffito Porcelain
At first Olozuland was going to be an indie game, but after taking a two year course in advanced game development I concluded that if the technical aspect of something makes me cry I probably should not spend years pursuing it (3D modeling by itself is a different story for another post). One day while reading webtoon it struck me that comic format was the best way to bring this world to life. I want drama, dystopian themes, riveting cliffhangers!
Early sketch collage inspired by 80’s fantasy film covers- The art has gone through several evolutions, ripe for a future post
The new problem? I had only written boring high school essay prompts and some unhinged ramblings in the form of a 2015 dream diary. When starting to draw the comic I realized that without a full script and arc, there is no way to add juicy foreshadowing and details. So I put it on pause. I know my limits when it comes to math, but figured writing is creative like drawing. I started clicking writing blogs and YouTube videos. I discovered my favorite method of story development is using a site called draw.io (thanks Brandon from AIE).
Thus the diabolical plot chart was born! Here is at the end of 2023:
Each block of text is like it’s own thought bubble or event. The upper left is a color key for describing what different blocks mean, for example light orange is a turning point or climactic event, and purple is for romantic scenes. It fulfils my undiagnosed need to categorize extremely well.
I revisit the plot chart every few months, started a real script in word, and have streamlined my comic making process. As a result of taking my sweet time with the writing I have cut out unnecessary noise that I didn’t initially notice, introduced more interesting characters, brainstormed twists and weird details that would have been impossible to manifest in the first few months of creation. The ideas have to evolve together, and they come out of nowhere at the most unexpected times; Usually when I don’t have access to paper.
I cannot promise I will finish this story since I work better without pressure, and it has 60 chapters to write, storyboard, outline, color, format and promote. But I came up with a light schedule to at least get things moving again. Writing the comic might be one of the most ambitious things I'll ever do seemingly just for personal satisfaction, but will it be as hard as ignoring the plight of the inhabitants of Plepulon Flive??
Time will tell.