dk

@grimmshood.bsky.social

he/him - 25 - self ship artist - im crazy but i am free i like dbd / osomatsu san / obey me rn #art grimmshood.straw.page

A new translation was recently published of a seminal manga/comics studies essay in 1995 that documents and explains manga iconography with 120 examples. It's so exciting to see a precursor of what I'm doing rn with the Comics Devices Library www.japanesestudies.org.uk/ejcjs/vol24/...

Abstract:  In the following translation of an important essay from seminal Manga Studies work How to Read Manga (Manga no yomikata, 1995), manga creator and editor Takekuma Kentarō examines the full range of manga iconography (manpu) and visual effects in this sweeping survey of over 120 concrete samples. He calls these “shape metaphors” (keiyu) and classifies them into two main branches: stand-alone icons and picture-dependent metaphorical effects. If a giant sweat mark has been drawn on the back of a character’s head, one can tell that he is in a panic just from seeing that back figure even though this image is unrealistic. This is a type of visual metaphor and the profundity of such expressions are distinct to comic books. Takekuma’s “shape metaphors” have such refined functions that express the situation or the state of mind of a character, often efficiently and even humorously. Through their use, comic book artists have been able to liberate their stories from the bare bones of plot and create additional layers of psychology and mood all through these seemingly nonsensical and excessive graphic marks. For the first time, this translation presents in English the writings of this seminal manga artist, humorist, critic, and scholar and provides an encyclopedic-like guide to some of manga’s most interesting and irrepressible visual tropes.A set of expressive lines used in manga to denote motion and feeling.
Reimena Yee 🦇@reimenayee.com · 3y ago

The Creator's Guide to Comics Devices is OPEN!!!!! comicsdevices.com An online library and meronomy of visual-narrative devices that are used in the medium of comics and other sequential art. 🎨🎨🎨🎨🎨🎨🎨🎨🎨🎨🎨🎨