【明報專訊】Hi, I am Chattie. I am a cloud. I have been travelling around the world and have seen a lot of people and places. In my free time, I read a lot of books. Sometimes I read comics. Yeah, I like comics a lot. I think comics are a kind of art, especially in Japan and America.

In Japan, you see pictures of Japanese comics everywhere. They are printed on food packages, stationery, fashion magazines, walls in shopping malls and even factories. You see statues of comic characters in streets. Comic culture is very important and popular there. Many animations, virtual idols, action figures and video games are derived from comic. They are famous not only in Japan but also in other parts of the world. American comics are also rocking the world in different ways. The medium we are most familiar with is hero movies. Kids and comic lovers can tell you much about the abilities and histories of the heroes they like.

Cartoons are well received by many people though some say they don't like reading comics. Day after day, cartoon culture blends into our lives. It is in the theme parks you go to on your birthdays. It is on the ball pens your friends use. It is on the school bags your baby sisters have and in the TV programmes they like. Though you do not live in Japan, you are still in close contact with cartoon culture.

Why is cartoon so popular? The design of cartoon characters is a very important reason. The design of a character should help show his characteristics. Let's think. Should we choose a lion or a snake to be the king of the forest? Normally, people would choose a lion because it looks stronger, and strength should be characteristic of the leading role. What if we want to create a very tricky character? Maybe a snake is more suitable. Moreover, costumes and accessories are also used to create clear characters. A rich female character should wear fur and high-heels instead of a T-shirt and sports shoes. A sporty character should wear a tracksuit rather than a suit. A happy child should wear a cap rather than a tie. Well-designed characters help telling their stories and are well remembered.

Comics are not commonly viewed as a kind of art in Hong Kong. Some adults think they are kids' stuff and those who read comics are childish. I hope they will look at comics differently so that they can enjoy this special art form.

◆Activity

Design a cartoon character that represents you! What are this character's characteristics? Show it to your parents and friends after you have finished it.

■Vocabulary Words

comic 漫畫

animation 動畫片

virtual idol 虛擬偶像

character 角色

characteristic 特性

costume 服裝

accessory 裝飾品

◆Jeffrey Chan

•An artist, theatre director and English teacher.

•He is interested in breaking frames in his living, direction and teaching.

•A co-founder of Sparky Creative.

◆Travis Ying

•An artist, theatre stage designer, illustrator and registered teacher.

•He is interested in spotting arts in daily life and he cannot stop sketching at meetings.

•The creator of Chatties and Friends, a co-founder of Sparky Creative.

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