For those in Introduction to Design, you all have encountered one of our required readings for the class, Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art by Scott McCloud.
(Image by Me, Daniel Daquigan)
For those who haven't (which I hope is not the case), you are truly missing out a great read. The reading goes into depth on the subject of comics: from the history of comics, going as far back as 3,000 years, to the anatomy of comics, to the concepts of picture and word, the path of creating a work, and everything else comic related.
What makes the reading a standout is the overall design of the book. Unlike a typical textbook for other classes - hardcover, bulky, tedious, strictly text, etc. - Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art takes on a different direction. McCloud applies the information he has to offer about comics in the form of a comic book itself. He takes on the basic form of all comics that most of us have encountered, using panels, talk bubbles, and illustrations to convey his knowledge of comics. Even with this basic form, McCloud is able to appeal to the reader's senses as well.
In Chapter 5 of the text, titled Living In Line, McCloud asks the reader "Can emotions be made visible?" (McCloud, pp. 118), showing a sequence of illustrations that convey a mental state, such as joy and anger.
(Image by Me, Daniel Daquigan)
By showing different applications of lines, Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art fully engages with the reader's senses within only a few pages.
The book's illustrations are a great complement to all of the main points McCloud successfully comes across. Everything about the book's design - from it's general layout, to the way McCloud incorporates himself into the text as a animated character - helps the book exceed substantially past its purpose of informing readers about comics.
Sources:
Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art by Scott McCloud
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