Graphic Novels Graphic Novels Graphic Novels Graphic Novels

What are they?• A mixture of narrative, picture

books and comic strips• Both the pictures AND the text

combine to tell the story• "a fictional story that is presented

in comic-strip format and presented as a book."

Graphic Novels• Their purpose is to recount a story

and entertain • It is a new form of novel writing –

only about 30 years old

Graphic Novel Terms• Panel – the story is

told through a series of panels that contain bits of information. Each panel represents a single moment in time

Terms cont.

• Transitions – The space between panels is the ‘gutter’. Panels transition from left to right and/or top to bottom.

Transitions

• There are 4 main kinds of panel transitions.1. Moment to moment (same subject/continuous

movement)(pg. 45)

2. Action to action (same subject, continuous action)

(pg. 47)

Transitions3. Subject to subject - (different subject/continuous

scene) (pg. 23)

4. Scene to scene (different or same subject/different scenes) pg.

Perspective• The angle in which we

view the picture.• It is the reader’s point

of view such as looking down from above, or looking up at a subject.

• Changing perspective is a technique that the author uses to maintain visual interest and for specific effects

Narrative/Caption

In order to tell the story there are speech & thought bubbles, that tell the characters thoughts and feelings, and captions that tell the events of the story.

The captions are brief

Visual Language

• Just like picture books, graphic novels use a variety of visual language techniques to highlight ideas and themes

Size of Object• The size of an object creates meaning

within an image• A large object suggests the idea of power,

importance, significance.• Page 60 – What is the large image and

why is it significant?• A small object suggests insignificance

powerless, unimportant etc.• Page 47- What is the small image and

what message does it create?

Visual LanguageLayoutThe way in which panels are placed

on a page for effect Framing This involves techniques such as

shot type, angle, vectors

Shot Type • Involves shots such as long shot,

mid shot or close-up • Creates a sense of distance

between viewer (reader) and the subject (character)

• Find an example of each shot type in “The Odyssey”

Angles

• The use of perspective to position the viewer in relation to the subject

• Involves low, high and eye level angles

• Find an example of each from “The Odyssey”

Vectors

• Lines that direct our eyes to an important subject or image

• Page 85 of “The Odyssey”. What are the lines drawing our attention to and why do you think this vector has been used?

Colour• Colour is used symbolically to evoke ideas,

feelings, emotions, concepts etc about a subject or image

• Depends on the brightness and shade of the colour

• E.g. Blue= sadness, calm, depressing, boring, cleanliness

• Red= anger, passion, love, danger• Yellow= happiness, excited• Green= natural, envy, wealth• Black= evil, emotionless, death, depressed• White= innocence, purity, emotionless, pale

The Odyssey• Because it is primarily a visual

text, all of these visual techniques are used throughout the graphic novel ‘The Odyssey’ to create meaning.