Comment by Glew

Strange how unrealistic facial proportions usually don't even register as odd, but even slight "deviance" in real life looks "freaky".
This came to me while contemplating incentive-Sev's eyebrows. Eyebrows that are roughly the size of his mouth or ears, yet they still look acceptable.

Is there a scientific/artsy explanation?

Reply by Asterai

If you ever get the chance, read Scott McCloud's "Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art". Short version of the relevant lesson from that book: When things are simplified and exaggerated in art, they become more universal. A smiley face could represent... almost anyone. Anyone with a mouth and two eyes and a symmetrical head. It becomes a symbol for a person, rather than a literal depiction of a person.

In real life, though... humans are evolved to be mighty good at distinguishing human faces. We've actually got a designated section of our brain just for that, for telling apart the miniscule differences in peoples' faces. That's why drawing people is so hard; it's not because faces are objectively more complex, it's because we're better at seeing any mistake, any flaw.

The final piece of the puzzle has to do with the fact that there is a consistent art style in the comic. If everyone else looked realistic but Sev looked like he does, well, you'd sure as hell notice something was off. But because the world in the comic is full of cartooned people, you accept it. Your brain accepts these images as symbols of people.

Your brain does this, at different levels, for every medium in which a story is told. Take books: These are not squiggles on a page, they represent sounds. These are not sounds, they are words, they represent ideas. These are not ideas, they are events, and insights, and thoughts. These things are not isolated occurrences, they are a cohesive narrative, a STORY in all caps, an unbroken chain of causality that tells us something about how the world is or should be or might be.

So in short... your brain does magical stuff! It turns real but meaningless things into not-real but meaningful things. It does this all the time, constantly, without ceasing.

Reply by Glew

Wow, thanks. Insightful inputs.

Reply by notepadgirl

My god, thank you. I mean, you just spoon-fed a cupcake to my brain. I'm definately going after that reference!

Thank you, misterious Asterai, whoever you are!

(I'm exaggerating but I'm sincere)

On a separate note, we're the nerdiest fandom. Look at the crazy discussions we have here in the comments, blooming from innocent considerations, again and again! Shazzbaa be proud of your fandom.

Reply by Shazzbaa

You guys are the Actual Best Readers. ;u;

Reply by Asterai

Heh heh, glad I could be of service. I find these things quite tasty as well.