Dean Jacobs's Blog
December 20, 2018
An illustrated novel: An evolution of reading?
Nowadays, we are beginning to favour the visual.
Computers, devices and iPhones, as a society we are becoming more visual and our attention spans are lessening, emphasising the need for entertainment to be instant, in an attempt to maintain a level of focus. In literary terms, the role of illustrations, or visual text, is not a new concept; however, when the visual text becomes equally as important as the written text, and narrative is embedded into those visuals, a new cross-genre is formed; the illustrated novel.
Return To Whitechapel: The Ripper's Knife
I am creating these works of fiction, further exploring the thesis of my doctorate, where I examined the role of visual text in the traditional novel. I create detailed illustrations, meticulously created with symbolic values, to allow the reader a small insight into the written text. A blend of hand-drawn and digitally illustrated works, employed throughout the novels, provide another dimension of understanding to cater for a diverse literary range of reader.
The vast spectrum of reading levels can generally be seen at differing stages of literary comprehension. Some readers digest words and comprehend written texts more effectively, whereas others prefer reading visually, and can decipher images to better understand meaning. My latest work ‘HOLMES’ allows for both types of readers to enjoy a text and will promote the advantages of reading to a wider audience.
What is your opinion of using visual text to further deepen the understanding of written text, to attract a wider range of readers?
Holmes
Return To Whitechapel: The Ripper's
Knife
Computers, devices and iPhones, as a society we are becoming more visual and our attention spans are lessening, emphasising the need for entertainment to be instant, in an attempt to maintain a level of focus. In literary terms, the role of illustrations, or visual text, is not a new concept; however, when the visual text becomes equally as important as the written text, and narrative is embedded into those visuals, a new cross-genre is formed; the illustrated novel.
Return To Whitechapel: The Ripper's Knife
I am creating these works of fiction, further exploring the thesis of my doctorate, where I examined the role of visual text in the traditional novel. I create detailed illustrations, meticulously created with symbolic values, to allow the reader a small insight into the written text. A blend of hand-drawn and digitally illustrated works, employed throughout the novels, provide another dimension of understanding to cater for a diverse literary range of reader.
The vast spectrum of reading levels can generally be seen at differing stages of literary comprehension. Some readers digest words and comprehend written texts more effectively, whereas others prefer reading visually, and can decipher images to better understand meaning. My latest work ‘HOLMES’ allows for both types of readers to enjoy a text and will promote the advantages of reading to a wider audience.
What is your opinion of using visual text to further deepen the understanding of written text, to attract a wider range of readers?
Holmes
Return To Whitechapel: The Ripper's
Knife
