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Jack Arnold

Ms.Dott

English III

25 October 2017
I’m Txtng While Drvng Visual Analysis Essay

The artifact created by Mike Luckovich called Im Txtng While Drvng.

Lol shows a 2 panel comic (Luckovich). In the first panel it's a rainy day and dark shadows

consume the sky. An older lady is behind the wheel of a simple car, but despite a storm and

heavy traffic she continues to focus on her cell phone instead of focusing on the road. From her

phone a textbox shows the words “im txtng while drvng”. The women is unbothered by her

decision to text and drive and is so comfortable she is steering with one hand and has a grin on

her face. The second panel is a simple picture of the grim reaper. The background of the picture

is black which makes the grim reaper stand out more because he is dressed in a light robe,

masking his face. His scythe is held between the crook of his elbow while his skeletal fingers

text the response “Lol”. This visual artifact created by Mike Luckovich relates to the current

societal problem of texting and driving, and shows what possible consequences look like.

The artifact depends on symbolism to stress the point on the dangers of driving while

texting. One of the most important things in the artifact is the grim reaper. In this comic, the grim

reaper can be seen using a phone and sending a text stating “Lol”. The audience can infer that the

grim reaper is responding to the woman in the car. Mike Luckovich wanted the audience to

connect texting while driving with death. This is because the grim reaper has always been

associated with death, due to his skeletal hands, cloak, and scythe. The grim reapers appearance

in the photo stresses the consequences of texting and driving and is another way of claiming

death without straying away from the comics’ cartoonish theme.

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The absence of color in the comic emphasizes detail and sets the mood for the art. The

use of shading and cross hatching allows a one dimensional picture to develop depth. The use of

depth intrigues the audience and invites them to place themselves in the situation instead of just

witnessing it. For example, the shading around the top off the car illustrates rain hitting the roof

in a powerful manor. This gives off a gloomy mood because of the dark shading. The artists

simple drawing style create a more dramatic and concise piece. The use of black and white draws

attention to the speech bubbles and allows the audience to focus on the irony of the messages

being sent.

Some people may argue that the artifact would be more effective and visually appealing

with color. However, if the comic were to be done in color the tone of the piece would have

changed and the effect on the audience would not be as strong. The use of black and white makes

the audience pay more attention to detail and the variety in shades develops texture and depth

(Duey). In fact, most artists can agree that shading is one of the most important aspects to a

drawing. Brian Duey, author for dueysdrawings.com, states that “Good shading textures and

tonal flow add a lot to a drawing.” If the comic were done in color, the panel images would

seem cartoonish and would not make the image as clear and believable as it is.

In conclusion, the visual artifact created by Mike Luckovich does a great job at

portraying the issue of texting and driving. It does a good job at getting the attention of the

audience and allowing them to reflect and put themselves in the comic, to further understand the

meaning of the artifact. The use of black and white colors, simple drawings, and shading all

combined allow the audience to focus on the textboxes and give the comic an easily

understandable message. The use of symbolism with the grim reaper also stands out as an

important factor by allowing the audience to understand the comic without the artist having to
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use an excessive amount of words. Ethos is also very apparent. Mike Luckovich, the artist of the

comic, is a very well-known editorial cartoonist who has worked for The Atlanta Journal-

Constitution since 1989 and is the recipient of two Pulitzer Prizes (Dyer). In all, this visual

artifact created by Mike Luckovich relates to the current societal problem of texting and driving,

and shows what possible consequences look like.

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Works Cited

Duey, Brian. “ How to Shade in Drawing.” Shading Tutorial, How to Shade in Drawing,
www.dueysdrawings.com/shading_tutorial.html.

Dyer, Candice. “Mike Luckovich (b. 1960).” New Georgia Encyclopedia,

www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/arts-culture/mike-luckovich-b-1960.

Luckovich, Mike. Im Txtng While Drvng. Lol. Digital image. Cartoonist Group. N.p., 24 Jan.
2013. Web. 2 Nov. 2017.