The complex shoelace formula for the signed area of a triangle with vertices given by the complex numbers $a, b, c$ is $$\frac{i}{4} \begin{vmatrix} 1 & 1 & 1 \\ a & b & c \\ \overline{a} & \overline{b} & \overline{c} \\ \end{vmatrix} $$
I have seen the algebraic proof for this formula using elementary row operations and the multilinear nature of the determinant, however that style of proof appears to imply that the simplicity of the final result (i.e. a determinant involving only conjugates) is a coincidence; furthermore it provides little intuition.
I am looking for a way to understand this formula through a geometric/intuitive argument (not necessarily rigorous) in order to gain a deeper understanding rather than just accepting that the algebra works out.