Graphic Novel Terminology

Front

layout

Back

arrangement of everything on the page

Front

panel

Back

image; single drawing

Front

frame

Back

borders

Front

gutter

Back

space between panels

Front

speech bubble/thought bubble

Back

characters’ words or thoughts (hint: look for the tail)

Front

captions

Back

extra text that usually serves as narration

Front

onomatopoeia

Back

sound words

Front

bleed

Back

when the image extends beyond the frame OR beyond the page’s edge

Front

graphic weight

Back

how some images draw your eyes more than others – the “heaviest” images based on factors like contrast, size, and color (think: where are your eyes immediately drawn to?)

Front

foreground

Back

the parts of the image that are closest to the viewer – most detailed