(Leo)
(Leo’s) original collection in the Archive spans 10 years, 1975-1985, ages 4 years and 11 months to 14 years and 8 months. The full collection contains 1,907 items, which are reproduced on microfiche in the Reference Edition. (Leo) primarily used markers to create narratives in line, with color highlighting or adding to the action. Narratives are often adventures, voyages, journeys, or paths of discovery, including encounters with the unexpected. Mapping, large space, and distance are characteristic of the settings in which adventures occur, with copious detail and motion as well as extreme variation in the line unifying the work. (Leo) appears to be gathering, recording, and explicating experience. Treatment of scenes implies events preceding and following, as opposed to studies of single moments. Over the 10 years, (Leo’s) work evinces increasing interest in and capacity for control and precision of line and decrease in ambiguity about space and perspective. Cartooning begins to appear in year 5, linear perspective in year 6, humorous treatment of previously serious subjects in years 7 and 8, with more character study, less narrative, and increased range of mediums and of color and form in years 8 and 9. (Leo’s) early written stories are transcribed from dictation, often as captions for the adventure drawings. As he increasingly writes the stories down himself, he continues adventure stories in a variety of settings, often blending elements from history, folklore, or legend. He also writes descriptions, reports, and opinion essays. Humor permeates much of his writing (including word play, captioned cartoons, exploration of idioms). His later adventure stories are full of action and conflict, with detailed and descriptive language.