Navigating comics: an empirical and theoretical approach to strategies of reading comic page layouts
Like the sequence of words in written language, comic book page layouts direct images into a deliberate reading sequence. Conventional wisdom would expect that comic panels follow the order of text: left-to-right and down—a Z-path—though several layouts can violate this order, such as Gestalt groupi...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2013-04-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00186/full |
| _version_ | 1828842022532808704 |
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| author | Neil eCohn |
| author_facet | Neil eCohn |
| author_sort | Neil eCohn |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Like the sequence of words in written language, comic book page layouts direct images into a deliberate reading sequence. Conventional wisdom would expect that comic panels follow the order of text: left-to-right and down—a Z-path—though several layouts can violate this order, such as Gestalt groupings of panels that deny a Z-path of reading. To examine how layouts pressure readers to choose pathways deviating from the Z-path, we presented participants with comic pages empty of content, and asked them to number the panels in the order they would read them. Participants frequently used strategies departing from both the traditional Z-path and Gestalt groupings. These preferences reveal a system of constraints that organizes panels into hierarchic constituents, guiding readers through comic page layouts. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T20:15:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1e4817f8272142a8bc9ff27772d605ce |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T20:15:49Z |
| publishDate | 2013-04-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-1e4817f8272142a8bc9ff27772d605ce2022-12-22T00:13:23ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782013-04-01410.3389/fpsyg.2013.0018646474Navigating comics: an empirical and theoretical approach to strategies of reading comic page layoutsNeil eCohn0University of California, San DiegoLike the sequence of words in written language, comic book page layouts direct images into a deliberate reading sequence. Conventional wisdom would expect that comic panels follow the order of text: left-to-right and down—a Z-path—though several layouts can violate this order, such as Gestalt groupings of panels that deny a Z-path of reading. To examine how layouts pressure readers to choose pathways deviating from the Z-path, we presented participants with comic pages empty of content, and asked them to number the panels in the order they would read them. Participants frequently used strategies departing from both the traditional Z-path and Gestalt groupings. These preferences reveal a system of constraints that organizes panels into hierarchic constituents, guiding readers through comic page layouts.http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00186/fullspatial representationcomicswriting systemspage layoutreading orderwriting systems. |
| spellingShingle | Neil eCohn Navigating comics: an empirical and theoretical approach to strategies of reading comic page layouts Frontiers in Psychology spatial representation comics writing systems page layout reading order writing systems. |
| title | Navigating comics: an empirical and theoretical approach to strategies of reading comic page layouts |
| title_full | Navigating comics: an empirical and theoretical approach to strategies of reading comic page layouts |
| title_fullStr | Navigating comics: an empirical and theoretical approach to strategies of reading comic page layouts |
| title_full_unstemmed | Navigating comics: an empirical and theoretical approach to strategies of reading comic page layouts |
| title_short | Navigating comics: an empirical and theoretical approach to strategies of reading comic page layouts |
| title_sort | navigating comics an empirical and theoretical approach to strategies of reading comic page layouts |
| topic | spatial representation comics writing systems page layout reading order writing systems. |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00186/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT neilecohn navigatingcomicsanempiricalandtheoreticalapproachtostrategiesofreadingcomicpagelayouts |