Fairy Tales of
THE ORDINARY OUTSIDERS
A comic-based project that reinterprets traditional fairy tales by focusing on background and “ordinary” characters, using dry, dark humour and contemporary visual storytelling.
READ THE COMIC HERE
The Begining
Aim of the Project
To create the first issue of a comic series that retells classic fairy tales from unexpected perspectives, combining humour, illustration, and storytelling.
Objectives
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Develop a strong personal illustration style
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Improve storytelling through comic panels
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Experiment with humour and tone
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Explore alternative viewpoints in familiar fairy tales
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Combine traditional drawing with digital techniques
Concept & Inspiration
This project explores what happens around famous fairy tale moments rather than retelling the main story.
Key inspirations include:
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The True Story of the Three Little Pigs – alternative perspectives
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Grimm’s Fairy Tales – traditional source material
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Hans Christian Andersen Fairy Tales – classic storytelling
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I Hate Fairyland Vol. 1 – dark and subversive tone
Research & Development
Research Included
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Studying classic fairy tales and their origins
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Analysing comics and graphic novels for layout and pacing
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Exploring comedy through short stories and stand-up
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Visual research into character design, stereotypes, and symbolism
Sketchbook work shows experimentation with:
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Characters (heroes, villains, side characters)
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Shape and form
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Cover designs
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Alternative story ideas for future issues
Style & Visual Approach
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Comic and graphic novel format
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Simple shapes to express character traits
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Consistent illustration style across issues
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Different colour schemes to set tone
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Mixture of hand-drawn and digital methods
Character Delelopment
Final Outcome
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First issue of a short comic
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Focused story based around Cinderella, told from the perspective of an ordinary onlooker
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Completed cover design
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Final comic pages and mock-ups
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Additional concepts for future issues
Audience
Target audience: Teenagers and young adults (16–24) Readers interested in comics, humour, and dark fairy tale twists The tone is deliberately blunt and dry, aimed at a more mature audience.
Reflection
This project helped me:
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Strengthen my narrative illustration skills
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Develop a clearer personal style
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Improve pacing and storytelling
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Explore humour within visual narratives
It confirmed my interest in illustration-led storytelling and comic-based work.
