Introduction
Visual conventions are employed in media, such as
illustrated artworks, graphic novels, comic strips and cartoons, to better
communicate with the audience. Some of these conventions such as Economy and
Minimalism change the way the work is produced and presented so that the
meaning can be more clearly perceived. Others such as Anthropomorphism alter
how we see the main characters and what qualities we attribute to them, by the artists‘
discretion, based upon their appearance. Other methods such as the employment
of Graphic Symbolism in these media help to amplify the story, i.e. by adding
to a moment or communicating an emotion, and so aid comprehension. I will examine
the three themes of Minimalism, Anthropomorphism and Graphic Symbolism in the
context of visual media to better understand the visual codes at work.
