Design Elements and Principles: Arron Borja

Posted on September 24, 2019 by Arron Borja

I chose the 188th page in Scott McCloud’s “Understanding Comics” because of the intense use of color in the “window” on the very top of the page. I believe that McCloud’s layout is effective in using shape, direction, and texture. Regarding shape, Lovett stated that a shape is “a self contained defined area of geometric or organic form.” In the middle parts of this page, there are three cubes, each with a different amount of squares in them. Taking that Lovett stated that a shape is an area of geometric form, the example in McCloud’s layout takes this literally in making actual geometric shapes (squares). The upper “window” shows great movement. Lovett stated that vertical movement suggests balance, horizontal movement suggests calmness, and oblique movement suggests movement and action. McCloud’s layout is a great example of oblique movement, seeing that it’s not exactly horizontal nor vertical movement, but a little all over the place/diagonal (oblique). Texture also plays role into this because there is surface quality on the red glove of the figure to the right in the “window” on the top. The lines on the glove suggest that the glove is smooth, but in movement because there’s a sense of retracting or bending on the glove. 

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