Paul Mackender
← Illustration

Storytelling

Show Me the Way!

This project demonstrates the kind of storytelling work I was regularly commissioned for. A client sends a written prompt for each panel, and I turn it into a finished, full-color illustration. Projects like this arrived several times a week, each with a 36-hour turnaround, and moved from sketch to draft to final using Google Slides, Procreate, and Photoshop. Each panel below is shown beside the prompt it was drawn from.

Tools
Google Slides, Procreate, Photoshop
Title card: Show Me the Way! A runner silhouette on a smartwatch face beside a city skyline

Prompt 1

Johnny, a 45 year old black man, dressed in a tank top, shorts, and running shoes is doing stretches on a wooded path in Central ParkPlease show the NYC skyline in the background of the trees.There are other runners and people walking by him.Johnny wants to run 3 miles today but doesn’t know where to run in Central Park.He is looking at his Apple Watch and thinking “I want to run 3 miles and try to beat my personal record of 6:15 per mile. Where do I run and for how long?”

A runner stretches in Central Park, thinking: I want to run 3 miles and beat my personal record of 6:15 per mile

Prompt 2

Show Johnny looking at his Apple Watch.There are other runners and people walking by him.A call out from the watch shows a map of central park with yellow highlighted path.The watch also pops up with a notification that says “ I have three options for you to run 3 miles in Central Park. Would you like to stay on a path or have a blend of sidewalk and nature trail?”

His watch offers three route options for a 3-mile run in Central Park

Prompt 3

LHS: Johnny taps his watch and selects BLENDED PATH from a list that also includes:Nature Trail only
Sidewalk only
Road onlyRHS: A callout from his watch shows a fully highlighted path.Below the callout is another callout that asks “What pace would you prefer?” And show a scrolling list of times with “6:30 per minute” highlighted

He picks Blended Path and a 6:30 pace on the watch
He taps Start as a yellow route appears on the path ahead
Johnny taps Start as his route appears on the path ahead.

Prompt 4

Show Johnny running on the path passing by the Metropolitan Museum of Art (see image)There are a lot of people walking, running, sitting. It’s a busy day.His watch pops up with a notification that says:“One mile completed and your pace is 6:14 minutes per mile. Keep it up!”Show a small map below the notification to illustrate where Johnny is on the running path.

One mile completed at a 6:14 pace

Prompt 5

Show Johnny running on the path passing by the Central Park Boathouse (see image). There are a lot of people walking, running, sitting. It’s a busy day.His watch pops up with a notification that says:“Two miles completed and your pace is 6:24 minutes per mile. Keep it up!”Show a small map below the notification to illustrate where Johnny is on the running path.

Two miles completed at a 6:24 pace

Prompt 6

Show a distant view of Johnny running over the Gapstow Bridge (see image)His watch pops up with a notification that says:“Only 1/4 mile left!! Your pace is 6:28 minutes per mile. Keep it up! You’re almost finished!”Show a small map below the notification to illustrate where Johnny is on the running path.

Crossing a bridge with a quarter mile left

Prompt 7

Show Johnny at the Columbus Circle entrance to Central Park,(see image). There are a lot of people walking, running, sitting. It’s a busy day.He is drinking a bottle of water with sweat dripping off of his face and body. He looks happy and is smiling. His watch pops up with a notification that says:“Great work! Total time: 19:30 at a pace of 6:30 minutes per mile!”

Finished: total time 19:30 at a 6:30 pace

The full sequence

  1. 1Stretching in Central Park

  2. 2Three route options

  3. 3Blended path, 6:30 pace

  4. 4Tap to start

  5. 5Mile one: the Met

  6. 6Mile two: the Boathouse

  7. 7Gapstow Bridge, ¼ mile left

  8. 8Finish at Columbus Circle