Class Exercise 1: Defining Sequential Art

What is Sequential Art?
In my opinion, sequential art is something that's really minimal most of the times, meaningful, and narrative.

I feel that it is minimal because everything that the creator wants to put forth has to be constructed within the small panels. Each panel must be carefully created in order to create meaning. For instance, creators have to decide which parts of the scene to include, which area to focus, etc within the small panel size in order to get maximum meaning out of it. Since the panels restrict what can be shown by the creator in each panel, I see it as something that's minimal, yet at the same time, meaningful.

Making meaning out of the least information available.

Next, it must be narrative as well in order for readers to create an understanding of the piece of art. What I mean by narrative is that different readers can decode the pictures (without text) differently, as long as it makes some sense to them. All sequential art should be able to make some sense, be meaningful yet showing minimum information most of the time.

However, after reading Scott McCloud's text, I believe that my understanding of "sequential art" is still not wholesome enough. He brought in issues like visual, time, space, aesthetic concerns, etc etc. There are really too many interesting ways to define "sequential art" but ultimately, it is still open to greater debates according to Scott McCloud, which I agree. :))
Here's a random example of a sequential art of MY definition:
-minimal (no words, no detailed background, etc)
-meaningful (able to make some meaning and create some kind of story out of it)
-narrative (it tells a story, from first panel to the last)

(http://www.chocolatemalta.com/images/pokeypocket_1.jpg)

Reflection

Sequential art definitely does not seem as easy as it sounds. I believe many theories and concepts come into play when crafting a comic. It is definitely not just taking out a pencil and paper and start drawing. Effective methods of story-telling come into play. What kind of art, how the art should be created, etc etc affects the whole process as well. Definitely aroused my interest in this module. :)