1. Basic Graphic Novels Vocabulary

2. Essential Questions for this unit
How do graphic novels create meaning differently from traditional literature?
How can graphic novels use simple images to convey complex ideas?

3. Panel A box which contains a given scene
Example : from Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson

4. Panels
Different artists use panel size, arrangement, etc. to create pacing, suspense, emotion and to draw the reader’s attention to certain things

5. Panels Panels offer a different experience than simply reading text:
The spatial arrangement allows an immediate juxtaposition of the present and the past
Unlike other visual media, transitions are instantaneous and direct, but the exact timing of the reader’s experience is different for each person

6. Gutter The white space between panels
Example: from Maus by Art Spiegelman

7. Gutter
The size, placement, and presence or absence of the gutter affects the way you read the page
Example : Incognegro by Mat Johnson and Warren Pleece

8. Bleed An image that extends to and/or beyond the edge of the page
Emphasizes particular details and requires the reader to infer what’s missing

9. Border The outline of the panel
Examples from Comics and Sequential Art by Will Eisner

10. Balloons The container of the dialogue spoken by the character
There are speech balloons (with solid tails) and thought balloons (with circle tails)
External vs Internal Dialogue
Example: from Comics and Sequential Art

11. Figures
Faces - Faces can be portrayed in different ways. Some depict an actual person, like a portrait; others are iconic, which means they are representative of an idea or a group of people
Faces can be drawn without much expression or detail; this is called an “open blank” and it invites the audience to imagine what the character is feeling. It also allows for easy identification.

12. Figures (Cont.)
Hands/Feet: The positioning of hands and feet can be used to express what is happening in the story.
Hands that are raised with palms out suggest surprise
The wringing of hands suggests submissiveness or discomfort
Hands over the mouth depict fear, shame, or shyness
Turned in feet may denote embarrassment
Feet with motion strokes can create the sense of panic, urgency, or speed

13. Style
The manner in which an artist draws
Dave Gibbons
Marjane Satrapi

14. Who creates comics?
Writer: the person who writes the story and dialogue
Penciller: draws the comic book in pencil
Inker: goes over the pencil drawings in black ink
Colorist: adds color to black and white line art. Most colorists today use digital media
Letterer: is responsible for all the letters in a comic book; titles, captions, credits, letters in speech balloons, etc. Using different fonts creates a different feel for the title or different characters
Editor: oversees the whole process and assigns the different jobs

15. Comics Creators
Many famous comics creators, especially from independent and underground comics, both write and draw their own work