The Vocabulary of Comics

In the chapter ‘the vocabulary of comics’ McCloud talks about the what we recognize as a face and what we need to be able to relate to a character. This, he says, is very little. People can relate to a character with an ambiguous face of a line and two dots as well as they can a lifelike form. People are more likely to attach meaning and relate to a character or person with a more abstract and simplified face in a cartoon than a realistic one. Because by looking at a line and two dots, we see a face, but there is so much blank space to totally relate that into a face. So we fill in the blanks. So we make our own meaning in the abstract face. But with a realistic face, nearly all the information is giving to you, so it is harder to create your own meaning in the face or character.

I think this fact is clearly shown in the movie Howls Moving Castle. That is probably one of my favorite films, and I think it has more emotion than most ‘live action’ films that are made. The character faces are very simple in Howls Moving Castle, there is hardly any definition in the faces, and only a slight amount of shading. But the way they move and the slight expression shows more meaning and feeling than most actors can portray. The way that they are drawn leaves it wide open for interpretation and to insert your own personal experience and this, accompanied by beautiful backgrounds, is where it is able to generate most of the emotion.

chapter 1-setting the record strrrrrraight

Scott McCloud in the chapter 'setting the record straight' talks about the restrictions put on certain art forms and genres of art by society's view of the medium. The way people view and define a cartoon is very restricted to the way that he defines it. He proves that 'comics' have been made for thousands of years, and in many different forms. He expands the concept of comics as a medium and breaks a lot of pre-conceptions on the art form. Comics are usually seen as aimed at children and made for children, but from what I have experienced recently reading such comics as Sin City, The Legend of Drizzt and Marvel Zombies has broken a lot of my pre-conceptions. These 'Graphic Novels' are definately not the super hero comics of years past. They are not aimed at children and could be disturbing for a very young person. The way that they set out the novel is in a traditional 'comic' fashion, but the art work and language of the comic is very much for adults.

This is the same when it comes to the Disney films we were shown in the lecture. One of my favoirite films is the Disney version of Robin Hood. I saw it for the first time when i was about 5 or 6 and I still very much enjoy watching it now, and can take a whole different appreciation for the film. Another is The Sword in the Stone. The scene in that film where merlin fights the antogonist witch, Mad Madaam Mim, is still one of the funniest parts I have scene. I first saw that at around the same age, and i dont think i would have thought it as funny as I think it is now...Thats it, im gonna go rewatch it.

Manifesto for Growth

Begin anywhere- I think this is a big one, coming up with ideas, not even good ideas, is a very hard thing to do. I know that I and probably most people try to think of the perfect thing first go, and they end up coming up with nothing. They can sit for hours with a blank piece of paper because they are trying to start at the top. Beginning anywhere and brainstorming is a very powerful tool, and it leads to great things.

Harvesting ideas-  I think this really feeds off the 'Begin Anywhere' statement. Harvesting as many ideas as you can gives you a much bigger group to choose from when you actually want to start working on the idea. Even when you think that you come up with an idea that could be 'the one', the idea is to keep brainstorming because that idea could end up falling on its ass and you may end up with nothing. Or you may come up with something even better than your first idea.

Slow down- This is an aspect that I really think is true. It doesn't matter if you slow down by taking your time with an idea. Not rush into anything. Take more breaks. Because I think that rushing into an idea can end up being a very poor decision. This goes along with 'Harvesting ideas', because i think that the brainstorming phase is very crucial. If you rush that and start working on one idea too fast, then you leave yourself closed into anything else that can come along.

I think another big thing that wasn't mentioned is to not be afraid of cutting your losses, or changing your mind and going in a completely different direction. But this can be dangerous, I think again to make this decision you would have to apply the 'slow down' rule again. Although it is a good idea to change direction some times, its not a good idea to do it too quickly. One would need to stop and think before acting. Because you might find a slightly different direction with the same idea that you had, that works perfectly.

first walk, journal

2 days, this house must be pretty bad. She couldn't stand it here for more than 2 days. Friggin weird she moved out. She must have been very sensitive. or crazy. Thought spirits were here? and the feng shui was bad. crazy.

So windy today...I wonder how people simulate virtual wind. must be pretty hard do design that. Those roses look pretty good. 

Magpies in a tree. 7 of them. i thought there was only 3 or 4 then i saw another and then another. right at my eye level and about 2 metres away. they must be sitting in there together to get away form the wind. are they a family, or just grouped together? they are really used to human. funny, the magpie closest to me, looking at me and shifting its head to the side to get a better look at me. It's funny, but i dont think i would have noticed them if i wasnt looking for something to look at, and write about. i guess thats the whole point.

No-one else out today.

i wanna ride my freakin motorbike, bought it yesterday and havnt got to ride it yet.

I see a girl in a skirt riding a bike, her long hair blowing in the wind. it reminds me of a picture from the 1940's or something, very french 1940's, except she's not riding side sadle.

friggin wind, im getting blown around out here. as are the birds. that reminds me of the old 'how do birds fly?' thing.

Plastic bag flying in the wind. 'you want to see the most beautiful thing ive ever filmed' -American Beauty.

our lady of grace encased in carbonite. Wasn't Star Wars stolen from the bible or something? should look into that. That would be kinda cool though, Star Wars with biblical figures. Passion of the Star Wars. Directed by Mel Gibson. Racism by Mel Gibson.

friggin windy.