Some photographs hold more than an image. They hold someone's place in a home, a familiar gesture, and the way we felt together. Photographs like these became the starting point for MIA — Your Place in Our Hearts, an illustrated story in memory of MIA the cat, alongside Olga.
I wanted MIA to remain at the heart of the story: among the cushions, by the window, and close to her person. These ordinary moments are often the details we recognize immediately in a photograph.
A story that began with photographs
The first step was to study the reference photographs carefully. MIA's long silver coat, green eyes, and round face needed to make her recognizable from one panel to the next. Olga's likeness mattered just as much: her illustrated portrait was revised through comparison with her photographs.
I kept character references separate from the story scenes and followed the same visual traits across all four pages. For this project, a successful illustration also needed to be one in which the family could recognize the characters.
24 panels for the moments that stay
The story has four pages and 24 panels. I chose a sequence of moments rather than forcing a complicated adventure: favorite places, small rituals, glances, and the closeness between MIA and Olga.
Saurus appears only at the beginning, as an introductory character. Then MIA takes center stage. This episode has its own pace, with attention returning to her and the memories we keep of her.
The scenes are artistic reconstructions inspired by photographs, rather than exact recordings of events. The photographs remained the reference for appearance and surroundings; the comic brings them together in a form that can be read and revisited.
A simple ending: a pawprint
As the project developed, I simplified the ending. I kept MIA's moments and removed the images of documents and ceremonial objects. The last panel shows only a pawprint, with the dedication:
In loving memory of MIA.
I wanted this final image to leave room for her memory. After pages of gestures and moments together, the pawprint closes the story without further explanation.
From comic pages to two videos
I prepared the story as a PDF and in two video formats: a vertical version for phones and a widescreen edition. Both preserve the same 24 panels in the same order and open with a dedicated cover. The story's captions are in English.
The illustrations were made with the help of artificial intelligence, using photographic references. Scene selection, likeness revisions, continuity checks, and text checks were part of the work. The comic style, with ink outlines and retro print textures, was chosen to keep MIA recognizable and the lettering easy to read.
Watch the story in whichever format suits you:
- Watch MIA — widescreen edition on YouTube.
- Watch MIA — vertical edition on YouTube.
- Open the Memory playlist.
Your pet's story can be preserved, too
This project showed me how much a story built from photographs and personal memories can mean. A spot on the sofa, a look, or a familiar habit can become the beginning of a comic to keep.
If you enjoyed this kind of video and would like us to create a memorial story for your pet, write to sauruscomics@gmail.com. Tell me about your pet, the moments you would like to preserve, and the photographs you have. That is where we can begin shaping the story.