LOL: The Explanatory Hand

[joerules]

Someone just e-mailed me with this gif and asked me to start switching it up a little.



So funny. I defended myself by saying, "How many webcomics go through the trouble of drawing hands when they don;t have to." But admitted that it was time I lay off it for a while.

He called it the "Pleading Backhand" but I call it the explanatory hand. A gesture that a character makes when they making a point or explaining something. Most people talk with their hands so it feels natural to me. I know I do switch it up from tie to time but this is my unconscious go to hand position. It's definitely time to switch it up.

[Optimist With Doubts]

constant games of rock paper scissors

[logosmonkey]

I just think it's awesome that you're at a level of popularity where you have someone go through the trouble of doing that

[taekwondogirl]

Nonono, this is where it becomes a shtick!

[LincM]

How can someone stab Grimace is you don't show their hand, though?

[Tom Brazelton]

You've been catching a lot of shit from people telling you to change up your style lately. First Grimace abuse, now the explanatory hand.

Fuck that noise. If it feels natural to you, I say keep doing it. Anything that keeps the comic from being panel after panel of talking heads I think represents an understanding of how people actually communicate with each other.

Although I do think logosmonkey is onto something - Obviously you've cultivated a dedicated following, or why else would someone go to this much trouble to make their point.

Put the image on the front page. Take their power away from them by dismissing the criticism... out of hand.

NOICH!

[Optimist With Doubts]

I direct you here good sir
http://www.mitchclem.com/mystupidlife/97/

[afr0puff]

As a shout out back to the person, the next comic you do, should have every character in every panel do the hand gesture.

[joerules]

Oh snap, that's brilliant.

[taekwondogirl]

You should totally do it!

[knives]

IF people gesture like that in real life, put it in every panel.

[cooljammer00]

If they aren't doing it in a panel, give them a third hand just so they have one doing it.

Even Penny Arcade has criticism over this sort of thing. Over at the PA boards, we call it "The Phenomenon". It's a certain hand gesture, probably even more exact than the .gif, that is used quite a bit in PA comics.

[Tom Brazelton]

I would like to see "The Phenomenon"

[DeathbyChiasmus]

I think every artist has their own "fallback gesture" or default position for hands. It's okay to have one--helps you draw more efficiently--but the trick is to not get lazy with overusing it.

Or to make a joke of the gesture itself. Honestly, I think that's an excellent suggestion.

[batsofchaos]

Heehee, God has an explanatory hand.