page 09 - action, what action?

pup thinks. this was mentioned in mccloud's presentation i posted some entries ago.

pages, what pages? use what browsers give you. use them scroll bars.

page 08 - the art of falling

drawing style differs from each artist, that's obvious. but, as i've mentioned in previous post before, there are a set amount of storytelling techniques. alright, maybe not a set amount, i'm sure there are a lot of it out there that i've yet to discover.

these are two pages of completely different artists telling the same thing: falling.

these are just two samples that made me go "HAH!" since it's just about a dude falling over something or other, right? exactly. but there's completely two different event here. one is trying NOT to fall, one is... simply falling.


first here is done by bernie krigstein (LOOK HIM UP). these four panels depict a man falling backwards over an edge (of a subway platform, but i'll leave that detail out). first panel, excuse the small scan, is of the man just starting to fall and he's in mid-air; he hasn't realized he's falling yet, until... the second panel! where his expression changes to pure shock, arm raising up still in his motion of falling. third panel, BAM, he's grimacing, he's clenching his fists, he's bringing his arm down, he's trying to regain his footing back on the platform. fourth panel, his left hand is reaching out to grab something, but there's no hope. these are illustrations of a man trying not to fall.


second one, style should be familiar, come on guys, by CLAMP. another falling sequence. but can you already tell the difference from krigstein's? first, second and third panels of these just depict the shocked and surprised expression and showing moments of falling. there's not much to say of this one other than the stylistic flat renders of window panes and hallway lights, as these illustrations only show a falling moment, no attempts of regaining his balance or footing (which is actually part of the story now that i think about it).

so there you have it. same moment, yet, already showing completely different personalities between two characters.

page 07 - drip, drip, drip

ah, yes, i cannot not mention manga in this blog. and CLAMP is one of my favorite artists to date. so there will shameless plugging of their work here. with good reason.

i'm having trouble trying to choose a good sample for this, because i pretty much view each page of their work as a superb work of art. talk about putting them up on a pedestal.




i don't need to go into details as images above should be clear enough showing what's going on.

alright. if not, keep reading.
there's another page before and after these sequences, but i felt these ones are the main focus.

we read this starting from the top thumbnail. within this first page, start from the right top panel, showing the lady looking unhappy, clarified with the slanted eyebrows we all get when we're frowning. the middle stand alone panel, shows a close up on her face and framed, not only with the octagon-shaped frame, but also with the scattered-flying leaves around her, starting from the top right and across to the left bottom side of the frame; and these leaves are outlined thickly and hatched, emphasizing on their weight and still moment in time. this sad expression stays on her face and is exaggerated even further on the last panel; showing her closing her eyes, as we all do when we're very very disappointed in something.

the second page beneath, starting from the top. this shows her form a side view, we now see she is sitting along on a bench (this is actually clarified in the pages before the previous page). the second frame after that shows the same view only it's completely blurred with a small hint of recognition with her same pose. these frames are blurred and seemingly smudged together. and while there is no white between this frame and the most bottom one, the smudged and organic white shape melting from the second frame stands on its own as some sort of liquid, which is then clarified in the last panel to be a tear drop on a cheek.

there will be more pages from their work to come, i assure you.

page 06 - ways ways ways

an essay on storytelling and comic books.

page 05 - hergé

come oooooooooon, don't tell me you don't like tintin. it's only one of the iconic characters ever.

for your viewing pleasures: tintin online.

page 04 - talking pages

another scott mcloud's. i can't seem to stop plugging the dude, but this time. if you're too lazy to read his book, check this video out where he spoke at TED (technology, entertainment, design) conference way back when.

page 03 - past&present

http://superdickery.com/ is perhaps one of the most amusing collection of comic covers ever. should go see this website for humor and not seriousness. a lot of the things they have there make me chuckle.

it archives a bunch of comic covers from the past and few in recent years, i think most are way back when and gives more attention to superhero comics though.