Topic: Zine

"Fragments", a case study by Christine Cortes

Topic: Narrative/Zine- In Depth Final: Proposal/progress

Container Proposal:
Since I am doing my narrative based on my memories from 2000-2004, I decided my container will be a backpack or a drawstring backpack.
It also serves as an added object that is mentioned in my zine, and it can hold all of the items (portable and durable).

Items Proposal:
- a scarf with hair
- a Folder (container within the container)
- a scanned check
- a handwritten card
- a letter
- baby teeth
- A bookmark from the year 2000!
-Homework from the year 2000-2002!
-a black and white cookie
- a couple of pictures of me then
- 1 diptych- picture of me then and now
- Photos I used to take when I was younger (little miss photographer)

PROGRESS PART 2- ZINE PAGES/CONTENT!
STARTED PRINTING AND TESTING TRANSFER TRIALS WITH THE CHART PAK MARKER.
VERY COOL! REALLY HAPPY. NO PROBLEMS SO FAR.
ALSO, PLEASE ENJOY THIS FUN PIC

#NothingHasChanged

PROGRESS PICS 1- ZINE WRAP/COVER

Response to Readings: Book Fair

I chose to go to the "Short Stories, Big Ideas" lecture Art Spiegelman lecture at the book fair.

It was interesting hearing the short stories, big ideas. In particular, I really enjoyed listening to the design/thought process of Frank Viva's novel, "Sea Change". It helped me reflect how a story based on his childhood could be interpreted in a different view (in a more fictitious, fun way). I thought it was funny how he said he didn't know what a "coming of age book" was, when that genre is what the publishers told him he created. He considered it neither good nor bad, but then said that its more of a way to categorize a personal story from his childhood or feeling that can be interpreted in many perspectives. I really admired the way he designed the book, not just with the story but with the way the font, illustrations, and text are formatted in. Leela Corman was another author that I really admired her one pager comics. In such small space, she is able to create a whole narrative, and I enjoyed seeing watercolor used in comics the way she composed her book, "We All Wish For Deadly Force". After the lecture, I took some pictures of the pages of the book that really drew my attention.

Art Spiegelman's lecture could have been really great, except he was sharing the same conference room as Bernie Sanders. Art's lecture started at 4:30 and Bernie's at 6pm.. So even with all the time in between, the moderators kept rushing Art through cutting him off while talking and speeding through his slideshows which were about his new book and the origin's/influences of the Maus books. Overall, Art really spoke about the influences for the narrative, rather than the work itself, which is a major important factor in a good story. A majority of his lecture was talking about Si Lewens' "Parade", which was --completely rushed-- because of Bernie Sanders... but still was really beautiful to see. The book is composed in an accordion form and shows movement through the marks in the illustrations. After the lecture, Art had a book signing for ONLY The Parade, but I managed to get a picture with him!

Topic: Zine/Narrative- Small Works 2

I went about this piece as a starting point to my zine/ In depth project, thinking about events that I have experienced-- even though the memories are fragmented but still very much visually clear in my mind. With that, I decided to put that into the panels--3 very vivid images in my mind onto paper.

Personally, I feel that my work is stronger when it comes from a personal standpoint (subjective), but also with enough objective knowledge that I can then be adding to the conversation.
With that in mind, I decided since I'm not really very "good" or don't really have enough skills in drawing I would experiment with something imaginary in my mind (since memories are only versions of the truth) and would put it into a drawing (which is a version of the truth in its own form) to get my mind exploring about possibilities for my zine/in depth at the same time as being able to narrow down topics/emotions/actions that I want to specifically communicate with in my work here and in my in depth/zine. :)

Topic: Zine Small works- Comic 1

For the comic piece, I paid attention to the layout panels and content of the piece.
When reading the article on the comics, I took into account when _ said that a comic should be an addition to a conversation that was already started (and all of art for that matter).

I also wanted to keep it fun. Comics, in its simple form, are fun illustrations that add humor or mock sometimes really bad situations but keeps a dialogue to spark thought.

I also researched Scott McCloud's "Understanding Comics" to understand how panels can be set up and what the overall intent of certain scenes do for transition/message/story telling.

The story I created was made up from the personality of my cat.

Response to Readings: Comics Poetry

***** THIS WAS SAVED AS A DRAFT AND I JUST REALIZED THAT IT WAS NEVER UPLOADED TO THE BLOG OFFICIALLY I AM SORRY*********

I considered a lot what it means to draw such intentional lines and forms in small panels when reading the article. As a visual artist who doesn't have enough skills, I see this topic itself as a challenge to get an idea of how visual communication is created in comics. When reading the article, I paid attention to details such as the way __ described how the comic isn't talking about something that has already been said, but more in a way that can add to it or question the intent of what is going on (if that makes sense).
I also paid attention to the way panels help create a sense of unity, transition, and effective communication in narrative to comics/drawings. I went about my small works in this way, and am hoping to use this same method in the rest of my works (even if it isn't drawing), because photography works in the same way as a "panel".
There was a part in the comic in which the way transition in a story line can be effective which I associated with what Carol was describing in the lesson for the comics-- about how a narrative is a version from the truth, and that because things happen subjectively in each individual (through experience, memories, perception), there is no way to factually describe something. For example, if a story is passed down from generation to generation, it is sort of like playing telephone. "I got this from my mother, and her mother before her, and so on and so forth".
Over time, the same story can be updated, changed, and subjectively different in any way for any reason stated earlier. I found it interesting that comics in itself can be the same way. It also helped me be able to start distinguishing "art for the artist" or art communicating to the audience-- The intentional choices made in limited space (in this example of panels) that assimilate to the goal.

ALSO, I'M ADDING THIS AS A BONUS TO WHAT I READ IN THE COMIC. I THINK THESE TWO IMAGES ARE REALLY HELPFUL FOR THIS TOPIC AND FOR FURTHER RESEARCH ON TOPICS LIKE THIS ARTICLE.

Topic: Narrative In Depth Project- Citiy of Valdrada

For the In Depth Project, I chose the city of Valdrada,

which describes a city that is frequently used for pleasure rather than truth.

"No part of the city looks the same.. and while the city are twins of eachother, they are complete opposites."

The city overlooks a huge lake which reflects the truths of the people in the city, which is why through my piece, I created a shanty/rugged/dainty city that can also see different perspectives through my mirror (lake).

" The Ancients built Valdrada on the shores of a lake, with houses all verandas one above the other, and high streets whose railed parapets look out over the water. Thus the traveler, arriving, sees two cities: one erect above the lake, and the other reflected, upside down. Nothing exists or happens in the one Valdrada that the other Valdrada does not repeat, because the city was so constructed that its every point would be reflected in its mirror, and the Valdrada down in the water contains not only all the flutings and juttings of the facades that rise above the lake, but also the rooms’ interiors with ceilings and floors, the perspective of the halls, the mirrors of the wardrobes.
 Valdrada’s inhabitants know that each of their actions is, at once, that action and its mirror-image, which possesses the special dignity of images, and this awareness prevents them from succumbing for a single moment to chance and forgetfulness. Even when lovers twist their naked bodies, skin against skin, seeking the position that will give one the most pleasure in the other, even when murderers plunge the knife into the black veins of the neck and more clotted blood pours out the more they press the blade that slips between the tendons, it is not so much their copulating or murdering that matters as the copulating or murdering of the images, limpid and cold in the mirror.
 At times the mirror increases a thing’s value, at times denies it. Not everything that seems valuable above the mirror maintains its force when mirrored. The twin cities are not equal, because nothing that exists or happens in Valdrada is symmetrical: every face and gesture is answered, from the mirror, by a face and gesture inverted, point by point. The two Valdradas live for each other, their eyes interlocked; but there is no love between them. "