graphic novels intro # 2

Imagination and Creativity in Graphic

Novels

It is common for many people to believe that

Graphic Novels do not allow the reader to use

their imagination and creativity as

they read.

They believe that the graphics do not allow you to imagine the scene, but rather presents it there before

you.

They have a valid argument… but!

There is more happening in graphic novels than meets the eye.

ClosureIn Scott McCloud’s book, “Understanding Comics,” McCloud discusses what is called “closure.” Simply put, “closure” is when the mind pieces together cues or evidence given to create a complete image or story.

Let me show you what I mean.

Closure can have many forms. For many this image or cue can create closure simply because they recognize this as a symbol for Michael Jordan.

Closure can also be more complicated

But I’ll let this scan from Scott McCloud’s book explain this part.

So what does closure have to do with comics?

Closure for comics is quite similar. According to Wikipedia, closure in comics is, “the process by which the mind fills in missing details between the panels of a comic”http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Closure

This space between the panels is called the gutter by some, but lets see what

Scott McCloud has to say about the

gutter.

This is where imagination comes into the reading of a Graphic Novel.

As McCloud just pointed out, it is in this gap between panels that the reader’s imagination is allowed to create what is not shown (otherwise known as closure). It’s this gap that allows the reader to use creativity and imagination, giving the graphics motion and action apart from what is drawn.

In these panels it is your imagination (closure) that puts the characters in motion. As you read along, you can visualize the boy raising and lowering his sandwich.

In a broader spectrum, your imagination can create the whole scene around the boy eating the sandwich and if you really try you might even be able to hear some of the noises of the schoolyard.

Sometimes though, closure is not limited to what is between the panels.

In some instances, one panel can create closure. Let me show you what I mean.

In this scene here, there is no gutter, but as you read left to right, your mind (imagination) creates the scene and its movement. - Just another way your creativity and imagination can be used while reading a Graphic Novel.

From what we have looked at, it is plain to see that the reading of a Graphic Novel does not eliminate or lessen our use of imagination or creativity. In fact it might be more beneficial especially for the student who has trouble picturing a scene or character from a ‘conventional novel.’

Pictures were obtained from the following websites.Listed in order of appearance.

http://mentalmodels.mitre.org/Hyperlinks/The_Project_Thesis.htmhttp://www.specproductions.com/strip_scene/strip_scene2.htmlhttp://atulsharma.wordpress.com/2007/03/21/eye-sketch/www.nbaloud.com/2006-07/

The scans in this PowerPoint came from the following Graphic Novels.

American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang

Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud