Graphic Novel Terms

English 9 Honors

Panel

the box or segment that contains the image and text

Frame

the border that surrounds and contains the panel

Gutter

the space that lies between panels

Bleed

when an image goes beyond the borders of the page

Graphic Weight

the heaviness or intensity of a line or block of shading for visual focus. The bolder the graphic weight, the greater the visual focus, making that element more salient in the scene

Caption

a box or section of text that gives details on the background and setting of the scene. It sits separately to speech and thought bubbles, often at the top or bottom of the panel

Speech Bubble

this contains the dialogue spoken by different characters within a scene. It's usually enclosed in a bubble or another shape; otherwise, can stand on its own, close to the speaker

Thought Bubble

similar to the speech bubble, this contains the internal dialogue of a character and is usually shaped like a cloud, coming from the character's head

Special Effect Sounds

words that give a sense of sound on the page such as BANG, or THUMP to heighten the impact; bold or graphical treatment to make it stand out on the page

Layout

the configuration of all the elements on the page; the way in which the frame, panels, speech bubbles, etc. are arranged to tell the narrative

Close-up

an angle that zooms into an image, like a character's face, to allow for closer view. This technique is sometimes employed to convey a feeling of intimacy between the reader and character, such as when a character reveals their thoughts or revelations

Rough

the drawing is generalized, places and faces are generic

Streaks

suggest fast movement, or velocity

Sweat Drops

fear or pressure

Jagged Voice Bubbles

anger, or a raised voice, yelling

Black Squiggles

simmering anger

Foreground

FRONT (largest)

Midground

MIDDLE (medium)

Background

BACK (smallest)