Panels and More Panels

How to Become a Comic Strip, Comic Book and Graphic Novel Artist

The Horizontal Panel 

This shape most closely fits the normal human field of vision which is 180 degrees. This shape can help to make the reader feel comfortable. This panel shape is good for panorama views also.

The Inset Panel

This is usually used to show a close-up of a detail or to highlight something you don't want the reader to miss.

Best to use a double border to separate it from the surrounding panel to avoid tangents as well as confusing the reader.

The Overlapping Panel

Usually used to make a stronger connection between panels or to really compress time.

Best to use a double border or cut-in to separate it from the surrounding panel to avoid tangents as well as confusing the reader.

Or a nice strong black in one background can separate the the panels. 

I see a hand raised. "What's a tangent?" I'm glad you asked. Let's go off on tangent now to answer that question and then come back to panels and page design.

Be here tomorrow for a visit to Tangent City.

read next - A nice method to do thought balloon lettering.

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Remember… Just Create!

If you are interested in further expanding your knowledge, then I recommend these books.

You can support this blog when you purchase a book by clicking the link below, I get a piece of the action and helps me to continue doing this blog. Support an artist today.

copyright 2012 H. Simpson.

Paging Dr. Howard, Dr Fine, Dr. Howard

How to Make a Comic Strip, Comic Book and Graphic Novel

Terminology Continued

17. PANEL - A single image with a border, usually.

18. PANEL BORDER - The line which surrounds the single image.

19. OPEN PANEL - A panel without a border.

20. GUTTER - The space between panels. This is where time happens. The reader fills in the amount of time. A good storyteller uses gutters as a tool to manipulate time.

21. PAGE MARGINS - The blank space around the edges of the page.

22. GUTTER MARGIN - The space between the printed area and binding.

23. BLEED -  Art that extends beyond the end of the page. A full bleed extends beyond all four edges of the page. This costs extra money to print and eats into your profits if you self-publish. Think about how much money you lose by bleeding for no reason that serves the story.

24. TRIM SIZE - Final size of printed page after excess paper has been cut away.

25. CUT SIZE - A standard size that matches the printed size and thereby requires no trimming.

26. CROP MARKS - Crossed lines placed at the corners to indicate where to trim the paper

27. BLEED LINES - Indicates the area beyond the crop marks. The penciler must draw to the bleed lines in order for the art to bleed off the page. Never just draw to the trim lines if you want to bleed art. The bleed size is set to 3 millimeters or 1/8 of an inch. You're wasting time and space if you draw beyond that.

28. SAFE AREA - The space to keep text and other important parts of your art so it's not trimmed. May also be called the Art Area.

29. FLASHBACK - Panels which refer to a past event. Their borders are drawn with a cloudy, wispy or other creative effect to suggest a memory or revelation.

30. SPLASH PAGE - The first or second page page of a story with full bleed page art. It acts a a second cover packed with action or emotion in order to entice the reader to buy the comic.

31. DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD - Two pages featuring one image so big one page cannot contain it. Sometimes used for panel to panel continuity. In this case, it is usually poorly executed if the penciler doesn't take into consideration that unless it's the exact middle page of the comic, then some information will be lost in the gutter margin.

Bonus! Check out these links about layout and making comics.
Making Comics

Little Rivkah's Journal

Webcomic Alliance

Creative Comic Art

Analyzing Comics 101 (Layout)

Making Comics  with Salgood Sam

to be continued…

Keep reading. Share with your friends. Please comment. JUST CREATE!

read next - Talk the Talk

previous - Paging Dr. Howard, Dr Fine, Dr. Howard

copyright 2012 H. Simpson

If you are interested in further expanding your knowledge, then I recommend these books.

When you purchase a book by clicking the link below, I get a piece of the action and helps me to continue doing this blog. Support an artist today.