They're Action Figures!

This post is dedicated to the brilliant Scott McCloud. I thought about the difference between what is considered "graphic novel" and "comic"; hence the title. Figurines, action figures, barbies. When words and stories are given to them, they perform action. In chapter six, it wasn't just about image and text, but also about the stigma that goes along with 'comics': their purpose, the culture that pervades them, and the way the art of comics is viewed by the public versus those who understand McCloud's argument. My favorite part out of the reading:

(Obviously). This kid is adorable. Somehow, McCloud was able to make him identifiable to us with the complete opposite of exaggerated expression. The words, barely any changes in his body language, and the subtle changes and interjections from the teacher (off screen) made it exactly clear and imaginable. Without the words, he wouldn't have had any kind of story. This generally is my favorite type of comic, because I've always been a huge fan of Garfield. (Generally the same environment, little change in movement or expression, but the words do the rest of the work). I find that type of comic brilliant, because the words allow the reader/viewer to project his or her own nuanced interpretations onto the character. To a darkly sarcastic person such as I am, Garfield has a whole attitude, a disposition that has developed over the time I grew up reading the comics. I began to think "Garfield wouldn't do that, because he's Garfield" when anything demanding effort would present itself to him. Then, later, I heard a joke that Garfield was a stoner, and because he looks out of it, grumpy and lazy (and always has the munchies) I started to see him that way too! 

But 'graphic novels' create an entirely different idea in my head. There is a class here in the English Department called Graphic Novels, which I have unfortunately never had time to take. I read some of the course material through a friend's recommendation and wondered if graphic novels were simply just more dark. But it really is just an extended comic. Sequential action, all of the types of ways to convey the passing of time or an idea are necessary of course in the graphic novel. But it's not a haiku, it's a novel. It would make sense that each page or two isn't a few panels and a punch line. I also wondered if it had anything to do with the art style of both comics and graphic novels. It really doesn't. Lynda Barry for example, has a very pronounced cartoon style, but maintains an overarching story in One Hundred Demons. Each chapter is a skit or scene, out of order when compared to each other, but all before a certain age in her life with themes of love, family and identity were rampantly in question and upheaval in her life. 

I really enjoyed Scott McCloud's work here. Not only is it dynamic for the short attention spans of current college students, but it's also highly informative, comprehensible, entertaining and metacognitive. My actual favorite page(s) where a little less like Garfield and more of a grateful relief that someone drew it and acknowledges it. 

I really enjoy when people vocalize a stigma, yet it bothers me that it doesn't really change anything. I had a really good friend who seemed to know... everything. Turns out, he had several volumes of world history in a crate under his bed that he would read whenever he couldn't sleep. They were comics! I found myself getting really into the story of Muhammed and the Mongolians and even the cavemen. The comics were what kept me interested, entertained, and aided buying into the comical thought that humans have been and always will be ultimately the same. I have retained those historical facts and dates better than any other approach. This surprised me, sadly. But we connect words to images and things. Words stand for things just as images do, but the signifier and signified are different things: the signifier (the word: chair) versus the actual pictorial or physical chair that the word is referring to. In language classes we are shown pictures of objects or the signified that the words represent, rather than just a list of translated definitions. This is so that we associate the signifier word with the object because it is most direct. I find McCloud's argument hilarious because it's a no-brainer! Image and text have always been the same thing, though text is a term now for words. Ideographs, (some) cave paintings, hieroglyphics may not be called text but they function the same way as words do, by conveying an idea. I like the idea of ideographs (not to be redundant) and hieroglyphics because there is a dimension of complexity that comes from them that just words cannot offer. I learned about Chinese ideographs in the origins of the Taoist practice, and how so much of the belief system is based on characters (literally) in the symbols, performing an action, or literally a drawing of the object itself. Watching a drawing of a bull go to a pictograph to finally the calligraphy form of itself, made me rethink language entirely.

This is getting way too meta. But long story short, McCloud is a huge inspiration. The subtleties are where it's at! It's all in the tiny details. He does a great job of oscillating to and from very basic ideas to complex ones. The converging image and text allows him to create depth, layers and extra context to ideas that would otherwise need much more word development to achieve what he does here. And props to McCloud for the upper left hand corner of the second screenshot. I laughed! It's nice to hear an artist bring that to our attention, but also stick up for his art by reinstating its legitimacy through the perceptions of other comic artists. My reaction to MOMA was similar actually. Until I became 'educated' and then all the fun was taken out of it! 

I'm currently making comics with friends for fun (and seriousness). I illustrated for a comic my friend wrote called Bitter Hipster. He gave me the ideas and words, but it was up to me to show the scene. I had a panel for each hipster per age. I thought of McCloud as I was drawing it, because it is definitely us interdependent. Can't have one without the other! I had to put in the references to set the scene as well as develop facial expressions to add to a very minimalist script of dialogue. It was a really interesting challenge. Huge inspiration: Kevin Hooyman. If you don't know him, look him up. He has some really really deep thoughts with the strangest art. It's the best, and also made me cry in public with laughter. Here are a few shots form my favorite comics by him.

I could get this tattooed: 

The design aspect comes next, but that's a whole other thing. The tie between image and text is thoroughly understood to be the groundwork for all multimedia projects. Conveying ideas in certain ways is all it is!

Totally Audacious Audacity & Meditations on Writing

So this is my super late post about the Audacity tutorials. Overall, they served a great purpose. I was already familiar with the program by the time we went over it in class. The only criticism I have is that the resolution was so low that I couldn't tell which buttons he was pressing! Even his podcast was a little quiet in the second one. The reading about Podcasting was very general, but it's always great to be reminded.

The "Shitty First Drafts" article we read I now have saved on my computer. I loved it. The writing game is all about getting excited in the moment. Inspiration can happen so easily when exposed to material like that. It's also comforting to know experienced writers go through the kinks too. Editing creative work is probably one of the most difficult forms of editing. The author first edits, which is all fine and good. But then when the editor comes in, it's difficult to stop and just copy edit. I find myself thinking: oh man that prepositional phrase should not go there, exist, or should just be... and it starts to blur the lines between style and grammar. 

The whole writing process is made so much easier when the writer can learn to relax. Take the pressure off, enjoy the experience. But when the urge to write comes... BY GOD GO WRITE. On several occasions I have left parties to go home and write. It's important to get it while it's fresh in your head.

Drafts are so important. They mature, as you do, with time. Stepping away for a while is a luxury you can only have when you don't procrastinate. Letting it breathe, getting out of your head, and changing the scenery are invaluable to making something that appeals to a wider ranging audience, or if it is the intent, a very specific audience. Perspective is vital. When writing the original draft that's just one train of thought in one moment of time. On second, third, fiftieth drafts we can jam in all the hair-fine details that makes creative fiction so lifelike.

For critical writing, my opinion differs slightly. This is something you can chip away at over time and do in parts. That is, ONLY if you have a central idea or thesis to tie it all in together. If you don't the paper is subject to change every time the author revisits it. It is my opinion that meditating on the the idea, letting it develop and take form while doing some general research in the meantime will allow the paper to flow naturally once it's written. Researching before writing also helps us find our topic!

Literary Criticism for example is all about focusing deeply on something with concision. This is where editing becomes really fun. Cutting is my best friend. Yes friends, cut that thing until it's clean! All of that extra stuff, those adjectives you can't part with so you put all three in, those superfluous words like superfluous used more than once, you know the drill.

It is also important to determine the tone, voice and narrative voice. I'm very informal in life, business, and writing. But I have trained myself to sound 'scholarly' when writing academic papers. My solution for matching the type of writing with the voice is to look at examples before writing. If I wanted to sound like the dense material I have read for my science classes, I would read that. But I would rather sound like Harold Bloom, who works a conversational tone in here and there.

Better Late?

Hey Y'all,

I'm Natalie. I'm not from The South, per say, but I am from down South, San Diego. A sleepy little surfer-yogi town called Encinitas. There is quite a distinction between North County (where I live) and San Diego - you should visit sometime and find out why. I love where I live, and I have to laugh at the quirky-pseudo hip attempts like a cafe and surf shop opening up together, called "Coffee Coffee" and "Surfy Surfy."

Sometimes, while on the bike path, I question the cliche, "Better late than never." Really? Is is really better late than never? Because being late is pretty annoying isn't it? If you know me, have had a class with me, or work with me, you would know I am notoriously late for everything. You've probably seen my green bike (or clothes) frantically pedaling along like the Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz, with the faint 'dun dunnunna nunna' music playing in my wake.

Art commissions are probably the most obscene, as I am always willing to take ALL of them on, but I (at least) prioritize school over those. I once spent an entire quarter with a blank white skate deck in my room reflecting my mounting guilt back at me, (probably preying on my nightmares while I slept). Then, when I brought it to my friend finally, he asked me to do one last thing. Well, that was another month. I ended up offering to pay him for the inconvenience!

Don't let my unkempt appearance fool you, I do shower and I sometimes sleep. I am the reigning queen of underestimating the amount of time there is in a day. But hey! Better late than never... I always say?

One thing I'm never late for, though, is with my undying dedication to the magazine I've been working on since April of last year. It's nearly been a year's work of what first seemed an insurmountable job to tackle, and that now is finally close to its debut. I've been called "catalyst girl" or "that Natalie from Catalyst right?" It's been hard to shed that from my identity, which is why I've included it here. It has become a vital part of who I am, though I wouldn't define myself by it. Working on this project, and for the majority, working on my own, I've had a lot of time to reflect on the reasons why people do the things they do. In regard to success, I have discovered there is no peace in living through your successes (and failures). Goals are so important! But I've learned not to assume things will drastically change, that I'll be "done" when this or that is finished. Well that got deep!

But really, who can keep that up? I'll accept a few B's and keep my sanity thank you. My new years resolution is to get back to my center. (Yep, here's the old Leucadia Yogini coming out in me). I really enjoy meditating, Yoga, (long walks on the beach...) and I'm an avid wakeboarder. Wakeboarding is a bro sport. It totally is. But I would say I'm better at it than my bro. So, knocked that stereotype! I've been going since 6th grade and it's something my dad was raised doing in upstate New York where my family is from.

Music = Necessity.

Things I like: Live music, discovering bands/artists at shows for the first time, Spoken Word (though I suspect I will never attempt it myself, though it is a secret dream), running and a good Scotch with my Paps. I write a satirical column for the Nexus about Manners and I work there as an illustrator as well. English Major, enjoy writing, and just learning photoshop! Favorite art medium: wood and burner.

I like talking about stuff. Really, any kind of stuff. I like stories. So tell me a story and I'll definitely listen! Also, I do art and I have this thing where I can only do art for other people. If you get to know me, it is more likely I'll surprise you with something. But if you ask, I'll probably agree on some price with you, then get to know you over the course of the commission, then give it to you.

I love a lot of things, am passionate about a lot of things, and have no idea where I will end up. I currently dream about living in New York, looking at art books with strangers on the subway, and running with my future mutt in The Park. I'm not sure what I'll be doing, but if it gets me to Brooklyn everything's groovy.

Looking forward to learning more about computers, because they give me headaches and sometimes make me panic, so this class will be great!

Very Very First Blog Post Ever

Hi! My name is Natalie.

I like coffee.