Time To Waste

You’ve got time to waste and i’m not sorry

Well- apparently I have time to waste– because here I am, writing my last blog (related to this class).  I am just reallllly excited to take all the knowledge and experience I have learned throughout this course into my teaching career.  This class has opened my eyes to ‘different learning styles’ as well as different forms of media art.  Comics have such a large impact on the reader but the trick is to help the general public realize that comics are not hard to read or understand as well as use for a tunnel of information.  I never gave comics any time in my day, other than a possible Sunday morning graze.  I have learned a lot about numerous people’s histories as well as world history by the one and only, word and picture association, or as I like to call them, comics.

I just wanted to say:  Thanks, Andy.  For teaching me how to analyze these comics as well as exposing me to this new world, the world of comics.  I mean, honestly, I never would have guessed.

Until Thursday; I say good day.

think!

I mustttt think of something amazing to write about. Im sick of the same old hum drum. I need a juicy plot. ninjas possibly?? with an evil squirrel.. plotting against the peaceful kitten (is that possible)  in the land of…. woah. see why its hard for me to get anywhere?!?

Asterios Polyp = love.

Say Whattt?!

I’ve been thinking about WHAT? over break. Oh, that’s right, my comic assignments.  I can’t wait to get them back.  I wish I had revised 3 more times before turning it in. I guess that’s the life of a college kid.  I also wish I could win the darn lottery!! But…. you have to play to win so… anyway, I just wanted to say that it’s been a scattered couple weeks for me and I will be excited to get back to normalcy for a bit.  Normalcy : School. Oh no. This year will soon be over and I think I will miss our class chatter.  Ok ok.. spring break just ended…. SUMMER… WHERE R UUUUU

Analysissss

Well it has been an interesting evening.  Homework is always fun to do while watching Animal Planet… so many distractions though…  Anyways, I have been working on the analysis for class tomorrow and I think I screwed it up.  I switched from 1st to 3rd person many times and mixed my own thoughts in with analyzing the actual piece from an outsider view… Hm.  Did I mess up or did I make it an intermingled thought process that not only gives insight behind each section of the comic but also questions why things were put there in the first place.  Looking back on my submission I wish I had reviewed it again before actually submitting it.. So now it’s like a piece of artwork that is on the gallery wall and all you want to do is grab it and run away. I’m going to stick behind my paper. Because sticking to things is cool.

Anyways-  this was a hard process because it required self analysis.  What was this in front of me? A blurp in my life that meant nothing to someone who didn’t live the actual moments.  How could I see this through a different lense?  That was the hardest part of this.. this.. ANALYSISSSS…. AHHH

Ugh.

Analyzing and revising my comic is fun! HA! I have added an ending which was the most difficult thing I have ever DONE (while drawing a comic) and I don’t even realllly like the end?  It’s interesting to see where my comic ended.  This story doesn’t really have an ending.. it’s my hair and I still have hair and it’s just changed over time.  I would have a never-ending comic if I just kept going.  I figured out a way to tie in my friend Carmen (who was part of the beginning of the story via text messaging) which made me feel like my story had more a circular plot.  I have added more shading to parts that needed some depth but I don’t know how that will turn out when I have to actually put it on the computer or scan it on other paper.  I feel like I still want to venture into the land of ink and go over all of my pencil work but the style will change a lot.  I am still revising even with an hour and a half before class.  I hope I can change enough so it is different enough to make some sort of revision impact.  Hm. Did that make sense? Doubt it.

Half the Battle

Hmm.. so here I am. Sunday.  Trying to squeeze some extra comical creative juices out of my weekend logged brain.  Half the battle this weekend was thinking of what part in my life should be shared and drawn out in a comic.  Personally, I feel that I have quite an uneventful life… is that good or bad?  I’m sure I’ve been through some standard growing up pains and some crazy family fights/laughs/trips but nothing too crazy.  So, I guess I decided on the latest adventure in my life that has severely consumed my thoughts.  This ‘adventure’ was the worst mistake of my life (least minor mistake of my life) which was getting a perm.  This is a process in which your hair gets chemically altered to add wave.  Hm. Bad plan.  Anyways, it was sort of fun getting my major frustrations out about this terrible idea through a comic.  I got to express how I felt and how I feel now without ripping my hair out! So, I guess I would say that creating this autobiographical comic is interestingly creative while still personally expressive but half the battle was thinking about what to share about my not so eventful life.  Hair seems to be the answer.

—> add on*

This is an extension of the last post “Panels/Walls/Boundaries”…

McCloud references iconic images as a solution to understanding comics.. what we don’t see is engraved in our brains which completes the puzzle of the comic strip.  It is interesting to think of the things we don’t see as finishing the story.  We understand more with the less that we see.  Page 68 emphasizes the imagery that finishes our thoughts or completes the pictorial.  In comparison, on page 85 McCloud speaks of finding the balance of too much and too little.  What does the reader know and understand.  This has a lot to do with the icons you know and the words that portray an action (much like the words ‘Thank You’ on the swinging door posted on trash cans, this is thanking us for throwing out or trash but it is also telling us what those boxes are for, we somehow combine the two without ever considering what else the box could otherwise be).

Page 128 tells us about the picture that isn’t a picture anymore, more of a visual metaphor, or a symbol.  This is an interesting concept because everything seems to be a symbol.  All around us we see words, signs, and patters that evoke a different thought or interpretation.  This entire book is separated by chapters yet it is all together in the fact that comics are a combination of what we know as symbols and artistic interpretation.

I am excited to keep learning.. *NERD*