xXxHolic art(2)

[meganbmoore]

 I remain obsessed with the art in xXxHolic.  Typically, I'm neutral on the art front.  All I really require of art in sequentially illustrated storytelling is that it not hurt my eyes and competently tell the story.  I think this comes from reading comics since I was 12.  With over half my life spent with good art randomly being replaced with art so bad it hurts to look at, I can be generous as long as it does the job and is consistent, I'm good.  Besides, after Skottie Young, manga art can do nothing to me.

I make an exception, though, when the art style and execution is central to the book, such as in xXxHolic and Blade of the Immortal.  The art in xXxHolic is an extreme study in black and white and negative imaging.  There are no greys and no shading.  Where there would usually be shading, there is either pure linework with some blacks and a bit of the condensed "shading" lines(as opposed to the full shading of most manga art), heavy blacks, or thin black lines of varying density to create the illusion of shading, all of which adds to the mythical and otherworldly feel.

Compact lines to create the illusion of shading:









Negative imaging:









Negative imaging AND fake shading:



Extreme blacks and whites:











Amazing linework;





Random pictures(which I could probably put somewhere above if I wanted, but I'm lazy)



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