The Secret Language of Comics: Visual Thinking and Writing

Author: Ja'Mya

Anatomy of BeatsbyDre

Student Posts

For this final sketch, I was finally able to find something to take a picture of rather than drawing my stick figures. I look at writing, especially within this class, as an internal process that I have to go through. So while thinking of something to write, I was listening to music which helps me think and then I realized this was it.

The Frame:

I looked at the frame of the headphones and assigned that to Rhetorical Composition. I assigned it this only because when I look at the class I feel like rhetorical composition is the bones or the foundation of the class that you need in order to be successful.

Earphones (Right & Left):

I assigned the earphones to the actual thinking processes, critical and visual, because what comes out of the earphones is what I am processing when listening to music and causes me to think. When I am critically and visually thinking and trying to produce something, its this same internal process that I live through when listening to music.

Headphone Jack for Wires:

I assigned this to Digital Identity. I did this because I feel like you can go in and out of your digital identity at anytime. You choose when to plug in and when to plug out of it. Just like you can choose to use wires or go wireless. Literally, wired in or wireless.

Charging Port:

Writing as a process was assigned to the charging port because I feel like all good writers eventually need a recharge. Sometimes you produce so much that you either start repeating yourself or you become drained and cant produce. At that point you need to recharge and then you can produce more.

ON/OFF Button:

Last but definitely not least is creative freedom. I look at creative freedom as something you can turn on and off on command. Some situations require it and some do not so you are free to use it when you would like to.

Reflection of Revision

Student Posts

The entire literacy narrative project has helped me to approach my writing in a different way. I came into my first semester at Emory knowing that I could not take a difficult writing class because I would drown. I feel like it was almost fate that I was able to be a part of this class because it has helped me grow as a writer and a person which is exactly what I hoped for going to school out of state. It has helped me realize that I am a visual thinker. I am able to clearly produce works when I first draw it out which has helped me improve my writing process as a whole and how I critically think about what I am producing.

Since realizing that I am a visual thinker, when I returned to my alphabetic literacy narrative after creating my comic I knew exactly what I needed to do to really get my point across. Before I felt like I did an adequate job at explaining the difficult topic of my anxiety and how I see it and deal with it, but with part 3 I believe that I did an excellent job at explaining it. The comic for me was so strong and really showed me exactly how to present my ideas.

How do you see the story you are trying to tell in different terms now? Was your analytical thinking process any different? Before the comic, I used to see my problem as an internal issue. But as I explain in part 3, I realized that it wasn’t internal and that really allowed me to do well in explaining my issue. At first it was almost like I was belittling myself and my work, but now its more of a battle story where I am able to overcome and defeat my restricter. Overall this project strengthened me.

Reflecting On My Comic

Student Posts

The process of completing my literacy narrative comic was difficult in the way that I had one idea and the finished product was completely different. However, I do like how the finished product came out and it has created some thoughts already in how I would edit the sole text version of my narrative. I believe that through this assignment I was able to meet the learning objectives of visual thinking and critical thinking and reading resulting in writing. I pair these together as the outcome of this assignment because it took a lot for me to figure out a way I wanted to represent my story and I went through so many ideas.

The reason it was a hard time for me to visualize how I wanted my narrative to read as a comic is because in my mind I was going to recreate something like Allie Brosh’s “Adventures in Depression, Part One” that we read in class. I viewed my anxieties of wrting as something similar to that and really made connections with that work. But in my process of brainstorming I realized that I more so see my anxiety as a separate entity that comes from the dark parts of my mind. This is why I decided to make it such a dark force and emphasize its negativity in representing its dialect in different “font”.

When drawing my narrative I was constantly thinking about how if I had more time, I could have represented everything better and it would have made more sense. When imagining how my finished product would look I didn’t have stick figures in mind or a simple black and white theme either. Even though I added some color, in my mind it was supposed to be even more colorful than that. But I can say that after finishing the narrative, I feel like what I did serves its purpose and represents my story perfectly. No matter if they are stick figures they relay the message in a powerful way.

Once I completed making my narrative into its visual component gave me more strength I think and made me feel more powerful and more in control because I could see my story rather than just living it in my mind. I was able to depict the moments where I break free from the negative thoughts from my anxiety monster and the moment where it shrinks into something minor from something that was just so overwhelming and I felt proud. Even though I go through these tough moments and it often gets very difficult, I still overcome.

Cousins? More Like Monsters…

Student Posts

When starting my thought process for this assignment it was funny to me that this was the first thing I thought about to use to create my true story. Yes, this story is 100% true. No add-ons, nothing exaggerated, pure truth. To explain it in words, when I was younger my three very evil and older guy cousins would be over my house all the time and would basically bully me in my own home. This particular time they decided to pull a prank on me because I really wanted to go to the park but they wouldn’t take me but they tricked me into thinking we were by leading me outside and towards the park. Unfortunately, towards the park is also towards the train tracks at the end of my street. And thats where they put me and ran away without me.

It’s a sad funny story that I occasionally remember but I make them pay for it now that I’m older by having them buy me things of course. Since they wanted to be monsters when I was innocent this is what happens. Drawing the comic was a hilarious moment for me as well because I got to give them all evil faces which makes it even more funny when you have no idea whats going to come next in my opinion. This has been one of my favorite comics and assignments thus far.

Who Has My Best Interest?

Student Posts
Visual Representation of Data

A question that always runs through my mind is the exact question I tracked for the week for this post: Is Emory treating me well? I never thought I would end up here so when I did I was kind of surprised myself so this was just a test to see if I really do belong here. I decided to test my social life, what I thought about throughout the week, and how full I felt each day from the food Emory provides to me. Only for the first two I noted if it was connected to me wanting to go home or was it a feeling or action that the school and my surroundings genuinely brought to me.

In conclusion I could say that Emory is doing its best and I am not miserable here and don’t think about home 24/7. Socially I am thriving and there are things set up throughout the calendar that I am interested in and looking forward to. The hardest thing about this for me was tracking my thoughts for the mental aspect and seeing if I was really excited, fake excited, or not excited at all and it was just a blank thought. I enjoyed this experiment thought because it has reassured my place here at Emory.

Success vs. Doubt

Student Posts
Human Document by Ja’Mya Yancey

Determined Mrs.

Failure to excuse.

Destined to succeed.

Dissatisfied wish for selfish gratifications.

I went into this assignment thinking it would be difficult for me because I easily get lost in a page of words now that I’m used to graphic novels and comics. At first it was, but then I focused myself and began to dissect the pages I had. The poem I made is mostly talking about how you can at one point have such a positive view on your life and think you’re doing well and then another point you can think you’re spiraling out of control and not meeting any goals. This is often how I’ve felt throughout my few months in college so I felt very confident in my words. So confident I didn’t think any drawing in the background could add to the words alone so I just used color and a common symbol for success.

To-Do or Not To-Do

Student Posts
To-Do or NOT To-Do
By
Ja’Mya Yancey

This Sunday Sketch simply displays what runs through my mind as I slowly approach midterms. I hit the weekend with so much hope and so much relief and I know that I have so much to do still. Yet, somehow I end up on my beanbag chair with food in front of me watching some waste-of-time movie on Netflix instead of doing work or studying. The inner scholar in me is represented by the angel, and the inner scholar in me is often disappointed by my actions.

At first I had no idea what to create for this assignment because I hate having to draw something. But I honestly knew I had no other choice. Once I found out what I wanted to do, I couldn’t help but laugh because it was like drawing a comic about myself. The entire time I continuously giggled at the fact that this is exactly how it happens in my mind. I still have to study for midterms, and I have two in one day, but I could bet that after I finish this assignment the cycle is going to continue. I’m often extremely organized but following through with my lists and schedules is still something I have to work on.

But Most Importantly…

Student Posts
Image of Backpack and What Is Usually In It

My backpack includes:

  • Coral Umbrella
  • Chemistry Lab Manual
  • Safety Goggles
  • Pink Planner
  • Pen/Pencil Holder (including the pens and pencils in it)
  • Laptop
  • The Great Pianist (for my seminar)
  • The Best We Could Do (for english)
  • Folders (Chemistry and QTM)
  • Health Book

The inside of my backpack is pretty simple. Most of that is from back problems and a class that is super far. But even then, I have the most important things in my bag. Even when I only have some classes one day a week, like Chemistry lab, I still keep the manual and classes in my bag at all times. I am really bad with keeping up with things so I make things easier on myself by always keeping something in the same place. I think this assignment has been the best assignment because I think it really shows who we are. Also I think you can always tell a persons headspace by their level of organization. Clutter means a cluttered mind and organized means an easygoing and peaceful mind. Thats another reason I keep my bag simple. College is a stressful place but I’m more focused on keeping my peace of mind.

All for One and One for All

Student Posts
Image of my friends and I before a performance.

At the start of this weeks Sunday Sketch had me thinking for a long time. I really did not have a clue what I would use as a photo or what message I would convey. But I just took a second and scrolled through my camera roll and really looked to see what I could make out of some of them. Then I found this picture and it is both me in my element and me surrounded by those I love. To give more context to the photo itself, it was taken inside the dressing room for my high schools dance team which we were all a part of. The people in the photo are the other girls on the team who were in my particular grade. The night this was taken was Grammys night, a night where seniors perform as some celebrity and their background dancers can either be other seniors or underclassmen (which is where we stepped in). Since graduating I see that I really took moments like this for granted and pictures like this hit very close now.

The word choice I decided to use for this describes Renaissance High Schools Dance Workshop for the years I was on it. We all came from different backgrounds, different schools, different places within the state, but our bond was so close that none of that mattered and when we were together it was home. Before coming to the school and joining the team I would have never met any of these young women. Now it feels like I have known them my entire life. They bring nothing but joy into my life which is also represented in the image. We all came together with one purpose, dance. We developed one additional family for all of us and those to come.

All for One and One for All

Student Posts
Image of my friends and I before a performance.

At the start of this weeks Sunday Sketch had me thinking for a long time. I really did not have a clue what I would use as a photo or what message I would convey. But I just took a second and scrolled through my camera roll and really looked to see what I could make out of some of them. Then I found this picture and it is both me in my element and me surrounded by those I love. To give more context to the photo itself, it was taken inside the dressing room for my high schools dance team which we were all a part of. The people in the photo are the other girls on the team who were in my particular grade. The night this was taken was Grammys night, a night where seniors perform as some celebrity and their background dancers can either be other seniors or underclassmen (which is where we stepped in). Since graduating I see that I really took moments like this for granted and pictures like this hit very close now.

The word choice I decided to use for this describes Renaissance High Schools Dance Workshop for the years I was on it. We all came from different backgrounds, different schools, different places within the state, but our bond was so close that none of that mattered and when we were together it was home. Before coming to the school and joining the team I would have never met any of these young women. Now it feels like I have known them my entire life. They bring nothing but joy into my life which is also represented in the image. We all came together with one purpose, dance. We developed one additional family for all of us and those to come.

css.php