In contemporary times there are many professions one can choose from. The selection range has widened up to include many novel options in the last decade or so.

Unconventional job profiles such as wildlife conservationist, radio jockey, sommeliers, makeup artists etc have opened new gateways for students today. The horizon of opportunities continues to grow with more dynamic skill requirements.

One of the most recent industries to come up is the graphic novel industry. This is an outcome of the increasing popularity of graphic novels among both the young and old readers. So, the demand for adept professionals who can deliver and contribute to the growing industry has surged.

Role of a graphic novelist: At a very high level the skill set calls for a creative mindset to express with either words or drawings. The idea is to create visual concepts and work on the treatment of the story. The visual concepts can be created manually or by computer software. The expected result is communication of ideas that inspire, inform and appeal to readers. Designer is another category that can be added to the flexible term of graphic novelist.

The designers work on creating an overall layout and a production design for the books. The creation of a graphic novel is a collaborative process which entails a good story (writer), illustrations (artist), and a layout (designer). Graphic designing on its own is a separate career, with a lot of potential.

Graphic novels convey most through visuals and a few words. This means it’s like writing a storyboard or a movie that is visuals with captions. The process involves conceptualisation of stories through works which form the dialogues and determine the pace, develop the plot and its setting, construction of characters and injecting them with the elements of action and emotion.

Illustration techniques are used with softwares such as Adobe Photoshop for designing and editing. Illustrators give a form to their creative skills by blending art and technology. Their works speak through pictures, images and text.

Originality in ideas and design is a fundamental requirement for designers. Graphic designers need to be adept in using a variety of design tools and techniques to create forceful and intriguing work.

Challenges: Many often face the challenge of originality of presentation, ideas and even in terms of conveying their work. Artists need to constantly experiment with various art styles, in order to expand their own portfolio.

It is easy to become comfortable with a certain style, but that usually means restricting the kind of work one can do. Writers on the other hand have to come up with a gripping story which can lend itself well to a visual description.

Writing a graphic novel script is quite different from writing an ordinary novel. It requires the writer to visualise the story panel by panel.

Creating the layout is another challenge. While the script might lend itself well, the illustrations do justice to the story, but if the layout of the story is not attractive, the graphic novel will lose its appeal.

Scope: Many colleges, both vocational and professional, offer training and degrees in creative writing, fine arts and graphic designing. Aspirants can also take up professional courses and certifications in the market to upgrade their skills. Being creative and expressive is a mandatory requirement that cannot be compromised.

The growing acceptance and recognition of graphic novels is sure to fuel the demand in the near future for storytellers, artists and designers. So, to get into this niche industry segment one could look into a degree for fine arts, creative writing, or become friendly with tools like Photoshop, Corel etc.

The writer is director, Campfire