GRWLXS

Mort Walker's "Lexicon of Comicana" is a tongue-in-cheek taxonomy of different symbols used in comix.

I got interested in his chapters on Grawlixes because I like to think of them as primitives for abstract and non-object drawing. (when abstract drawing is drawing that employs as its original subject matter a real physical object and  non-objective drawing does not)

Following up on this idea I have categorised the Grawlixes in the following way;

1. Sphericasa capturing the external state of an object

2. Emanata relating to the internal state of an object

3. Taboo; the rejected or censored state of an object

4. Transfer of object related to a non-object state.

5. Emanata in the absence of an object

 

1. Sphericasa capturing the external state of an object

-Direct-a-trons show where the object came from or is heading to.
-Throwatron shows the trajectory of a thrown object.
-Sailatron is like a dot out for a walk.
-Staggeratron is the trail of a moving object.

2. Emanata relating to the internal states of an object

-Neoflect let us know that something is fresh and new.

-Plewds indicate emotionality.
-Indotherm warn that something is hot.
-Waftarom show that something smells.

3. Taboo, the rejected or censored state of an object

-Grawlixes are erased, censored, unreadable or asemic writings, sometimes also Japanese symbols.

4.Transfer of object to non-object state.

-Agitron show ambivalent or paradoxical  feelings to a situation.

5.Emanata in the absence of an object



-Squeans and Spurls can show all kinds of  intoxication

-Jarns are used in relation to frustration and profanities

(unmentioned here  are  Solrads, Lapsebeams, Vites, Dites, Hites and Uphites, Swalloops, Swishatrons, Bolumpatrons, Turnatrons, Quimps and Nittles and more).

Saul Steinberg with some Jarns, Nittles and Maladictia.