In class I got to experience what a lot of Carl Bark's work was like while reading the comic books of Donald Duck and his nephews. I found the content to be quite different than the usual gag jokes in the way of seeing the creators implementing a sense of morals into the story. You can take something away from almost any one of those comics and it's like a mini life lesson.
Growing up, I read a LOT of Calvin and Hobbes. I probably own about 10 to 15 different comic books. Again, the simplicity had me hooked with Bill Watterson's ink work and when I got a hold of the colored series I was in heaven. Calvin and Hobbes was great for my imagination, always pulling me with him into his adventures. Sure there was a load of immaturity that was hilarious but this series also had it's deep moments.
I enjoyed the Donald Duck comic a lot but I'm not into it as much as other comics styles. I knew it was part of the Disney series and once you know that, you know that they strive for perfection and cleanliness with the work. Sure it is eye appealing to the typical person but I love the grittiness of Krazy Kat or the controlled chaos of Watterson's Calvin and Hobbes. For some reason if it looks too perfect it kind of turns me off. If I really think about it, it is kind of like making sure EVERYTHING in the scene is perfect and clear so you know exactly what it is but I don't mind the abstractness of things and letting my own mind try to figure out what things are. To each his own though!
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Comic Strips
In class we took a look at the Peanuts comic strips along with Krazy Kat. I remember ever since I was a child growing up, anytime I saw a newspaper such as the Herald Tribune laying around, I would immediately flip to the comic section and the Peanuts comic strip was usually one of the first ones I would lay my eyes on. I didn't have any interest in the stressful problems that would be on headliners. I was just a kid, who had time to make the day even harder and worry about something totally out of your power?
In both the Peanuts and Krazy Kat, I adored the simplicity. You know exactly which character is which with just a slightly different mark than the other. Every peanuts character had the same body type for the most part but their silhouettes would be totally different based on their clothes or hair shape. In Krazy Kat, we know the difference between the characters because it is a contrast of species. Krazy Kat is a genius comic strip with a nice balance. One of my favorite things about the artwork while reading it in class was by far the environment and background landscapes. They felt so fun and surreal and made the realm Krazy Kat existed in so believable. It's truly amazing how he took the concept of a character throwing a brick at another and twisted it in so many different ways. I look up to the artwork in both of these comic strips because I admire the fun simplicity anyone creates. I tend to over think my artwork all the time. People tell me the content in my sketchbook is gold compared to my final illustrations. I'm really struggling to find a happy middle ground in my own work.
In both the Peanuts and Krazy Kat, I adored the simplicity. You know exactly which character is which with just a slightly different mark than the other. Every peanuts character had the same body type for the most part but their silhouettes would be totally different based on their clothes or hair shape. In Krazy Kat, we know the difference between the characters because it is a contrast of species. Krazy Kat is a genius comic strip with a nice balance. One of my favorite things about the artwork while reading it in class was by far the environment and background landscapes. They felt so fun and surreal and made the realm Krazy Kat existed in so believable. It's truly amazing how he took the concept of a character throwing a brick at another and twisted it in so many different ways. I look up to the artwork in both of these comic strips because I admire the fun simplicity anyone creates. I tend to over think my artwork all the time. People tell me the content in my sketchbook is gold compared to my final illustrations. I'm really struggling to find a happy middle ground in my own work.
Understanding Comics
Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud was a very refreshing read for me. Comics have very useful lessons for every artists because they apply the same principals but under different circumstances. My favorite lesson is this information was the subject of the icon. Even letters of words are icons because they're merely abstract symbols that our brains put together to form words that give us specific meanings.
The very idea that the words I am typing on this blog are understandable to someone else is a pretty cool milestone for humanity since the cave man days. Icons are the symbols we use for getting an idea across. As artists, many of us are looking to create things that the viewers can relate to. With their connection of relation comes the idea of understanding and deep down that is all we really want.
I thought the section about taking the idea of a character and stretching him between being realistic or being super simplistic was very interesting. Why do cartoon characters appeal to us so much? I think it's like when you see a new animal. You know it is another living thing on this planet with you and you can relate to something that's trying to get by, just like you. Animators are breathing life into their characters, deceiving audiences by drawing thousands of frames that create the illusion of movement and rhythm. Scott McCloud wrote about how when you take away a lot of the detail of a unique person and it eventually just becomes a head shape with basic eyes, nose, and mouth; it just becomes so easy for us to connect with that creation.
The very idea that the words I am typing on this blog are understandable to someone else is a pretty cool milestone for humanity since the cave man days. Icons are the symbols we use for getting an idea across. As artists, many of us are looking to create things that the viewers can relate to. With their connection of relation comes the idea of understanding and deep down that is all we really want.
I thought the section about taking the idea of a character and stretching him between being realistic or being super simplistic was very interesting. Why do cartoon characters appeal to us so much? I think it's like when you see a new animal. You know it is another living thing on this planet with you and you can relate to something that's trying to get by, just like you. Animators are breathing life into their characters, deceiving audiences by drawing thousands of frames that create the illusion of movement and rhythm. Scott McCloud wrote about how when you take away a lot of the detail of a unique person and it eventually just becomes a head shape with basic eyes, nose, and mouth; it just becomes so easy for us to connect with that creation.
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