The #1 task of comic artists, I think, is to tell the story in the best way that they can without the help of word balloons. Often this is lost under the strain of deadlines or because the artist is only drawing pretty pictures without any thought of deeper storytelling.
It takes a fair bit of psychology to pull this off because the artist is trying to predict what the average reader will be able to understand. Whereas the interpretations of paintings, illustrations, and sculptures are often subjective from viewer to viewer, the job of a comic artist is to narrow down the number of interpretations derived from the work. Not everyone will get the same thing out of your art-in-sequence, but they should all have a similar understanding of what’s going on in terms of mood, action, character, etc.
So, as comic books artist, we’re predictors of strangers. We’re trying to imagine ourselves as the man in the audience and not as the magician.
One problem I feel from this is that, because we’re trained for the task of magician, our special knowledge can be too much of a departure from where the average reader is standing. Our involvement in comics is as a professional, a craftsman and as a storyteller. The reader’s involvement is usually as a fan: someone who’s in it to be entertained by the art or the story. With some artists, this might not be a big deal because they are often fans as well. But I know there’s a handful of artists out there who don’t usually read comics and often get involved with projects we don’t like or understand, which can compromise the process. (Often times I feel like someone working on the inside while simultaneously standing OUTSIDE and looking in.)
The second problem arises from the fact that comic artists often spend a lot of time alone while the readers lead normal lives.
For example, I talk to my editor once a week. I only leave the house to buy food, hit the gym or hang out with a small group of friends (who are also artists). While I work I can listen to what I want, be it a CD, a DVD or some documentary on Youtube.com or Ted.comactivities which only reinforce what’s already in my head. Working alone, I’m left to pursue my interests without being challenged or having to answer to society. It’s freeing on one hand, but it’s also self-entrapment by walls of my own making. Human beings are social creatures, and a personality unchecked can go awry. This is why artists are often so passionate, odd, or extreme right or left.
In a way we’re handicapped from communicating with the average reader. We rarely deal with bosses or other employees we don’t like. Usually we don’t fight traffic, we don’t get salaries, we don’t take drug tests, we don’t get off at 5pm, and we don’t live for the weekends. It’s hard enough for us to deal with normal people at random neighborhood BBQs and family events. How easily can we communicate with thousands of people with a pencil, paper and panels?
On one hand, we’re the most equipped. We spend a lot of time trying to get into people’s heads and imagine how they’ll be affected with pictures in sequence. But on the other hand we’re the least equipped because, in order to STUDY such a thing, it takes a lot of isolation from your subjects you’ll eventually be reaching out to.