Wednesday, August 26, 2009

McCloud and Understanding comics

What is the difference between a realistic face and a Cartoonish face? What is the effects of each? What is the significance of their difference?

Before we can differentiate the cartoonish face from the realistic face, we must explore their similarities. McCloud states in his book that What we see on paper is NOT a face, but a drawing of one. We have to understand that our mind enables us to see a face rather than see objects. Even through irrelevent and chaotic patters do we see faces. Something as simple as ":)" appears to be a face, even though it is actually a colon and a right parenthesis. McCloud points out that our species is a self centered one. applying our likeness on things when there isn't the slightest resemblance. McCloud states that comic book artists are often able to get away with crudely drawn people because people automatically recognize and acknowledge the pictures to be drawings of people.

With that said, the difference between a cartoonish face and realistic face is the degrees of detail in the drawing. Realistic faces often incorporate texture, shading, cultural identity, subtle age markings and various humanly things. Cartoonish drawings often exclude these things.

Obama and DeBord


"The spectacle presents itself as a vast inaccessible realty that can never be questioned. its sole message is: "What appears is good; what is good appears." The passive acceptance it demands is already effectively imposed by its monopoly of appearances, its manner of appearing without allowing any reply."

When reading this aphorism, the first thing that came up in my mind was the Barack Obama Presidential campaign. (Will continue further after much more thought and meditation)