Chapter 2

Chapter 2 was long and heavy, filled with great ideas! However, one concept that struck out to me is McCloud’s views on abstraction. He states that the abstraction of realism into cartoony style allows for the communication of more information with less information on the page. I agree with this concept, as counterintuitive as it seems. Abstraction, even in the world outside of comics, is often needed to clarify details that matter and improve readability. In McCloud’s line of reasoning, he argues that cartoons allow people to better self-insert, which is why cartoons are often so popular. After considering this notion, I don’t believe it applies to me. Whenever I watch cartoons, I enjoy the abstraction because it creates a more familiar character, one with obvious details. I also enjoy that it is not in a realistic setting and that the rules of the world can be played around with. In this sense, I am out of alignment with McCloud, although I agree on his points about abstraction.

Chapter 5

From chapter 5, I enjoyed his explanation of lines and how they impact an audience’s perception. Particularly in the last panels, as he zooms in, differennt qualities of the lines can be more easily seen, such as its shape and direction, which explain why the zoomed out version communicates different emotions. Artists can use this to connect their work or separate it, an important staple in recognizing who an artist is from their pieces. I struggle with keeping clear and consistent lines, so this chapter helped in explaining some of the qualitites I should keep in mind when lining.