Graphic Novel Terms

Layout

Overall arrangement of panels text and images

Panel

Framed section containing images and text that shows a scene or perspective

Frame

Border around a panel

Gutter

Space between panels where readers infer what happens

Bleed

Image extending to or beyond the edge of the page

Splash

Large panel spanning most or all of a page

Foreground

Closest part of the image or main subject nearest the reader

Midground

Middle area where the eye naturally focuses

Background

Distant part providing context

Graphic weight

Visual emphasis created by contrast color or shading

Style

Artist's overall drawing style and visual approach

Color

Colors used to create mood and meaning

Faces

Facial expressions and details showing emotion or character

Hands/Feet

Body positioning that conveys emotion or action

Voice over

Narrator speaks directly to the reader

Narration

Storytelling through narration alongside images

Captions

Text boxes for narration or scene

Speech bubble/Speech balloon

Shows a character's dialogue or thoughts

External dialogue

Spoken conversation between characters

Internal dialogue

A character's thoughts shown in a thought balloon

Special effects lettering

Stylized text emphasizing sounds or important words

Emanata

Symbols showing emotion or movement such as sweat drops or question marks

Camera angle

Viewpoint and distance of the camera from the subject

Time

How time is shown often nonlinearly across panels

Transitions

How one panel connects to the next

Moment to moment

Shows small changes over time

Action to action

Shows one subject performing a sequence of actions

Subject to subject

Switches between subjects within the same scene

Scene to scene

Moves across different times or places

Aspect to aspect

Shows different parts of the same scene at once

Non sequitur

Panels with no logical connection.