discarded object
Discarded Object describes an inanimate object of "narrative value" that has been cast aside, laying on the ground, or another surface.
"Narrative value" means that the discarded object should create visual storytelling — it should be explicitly shown or have a clear implication that the object has been used and/or was held by a character within the scene, and then dropped, thrown or placed aside. A discarded object might also imply a character who is not visible for some reason, or has left the scene if shown in a comic or animation. The exact object should be tagged as well.
Examples
- An image of a character transforming, with an empty Erlenmeyer flask laying on the ground nearby creates the storytelling implication that the character's transformation was caused by them drinking or pouring out the contents of the flask, and out of surprise or shock, the flask was dropped or thrown aside by that character.
- A two panel comic of a knight facing down a dragon. In the first panel, the dragon looms above the knight, who is holding a sword. In the second panel, the sword is shown thrown side on the ground, with the dragon picking their teeth, suggesting the knight's sword was discarded as they were grabbed and eaten.
In both cases, if the object was not interacted with, and is merely in the background — the flask is sitting on a table while the character transforms or there was a sword sitting in a pile of the dragon's hoarded gold for both panels — then the post should not be tagged "discarded object"
Discarded item tags
See also
- discarded_clothing
- trash (for litter that has no narrative value)