Comics & The Graphic Novel

1. Comics & The Graphic Novel

2. What are comics ?

3. Comics definition

4. Standard of Ur – War 4,500 years ago

5. Standard of Ur - Peace

6. Comics history – tomb paintings circa 1300 BCE

7. Comics history – Egyptian tomb painting Akhenaten & Nefertiti awarding gold necklace to Aye, circa 1330 BCE.

8. Comics history—Bayeux tapestry (20 inch x 230 feet) 1064. Edward is King of England. He talks to his brother-in-law Harold, who leaves with his companions and hunting dogs. He holds the hawk. He arrives at a church and prays for safe passage and they set sail. Note: sequential art, but there are no panel divisions but rather subject divisions..

9. Comics basics • American comics are usually read from left to right, top to bottom.

10. Comics basics • American comics are read from left to right, top to bottom. • Pages are often produced using a basic grid.

11. Comics basics • American comics are usually read from left to right, top to bottom. • Pages are often produced using a basic grid. • The space between frames is called the gutter.

12. Comics basics • American comics are usually read from right to left, top to bottom. • Pages are often produced using a basic grid. • The space between frames if called the gutter. • A panel is usually outlined with a frame.

13. Comics basics • American comics are usually read from right to left, top to bottom. • Pages are often produced using a basic grid. • The space between frames if called the gutter. • Panels are usually outlined with a frame. • Dialogue is shown in floating balloons; narration in boxes.

14. Principles of the Comics Panel The single image that is usually laid out within borders is known as a panel. These panels would be similar to individual frames of film. Panel frames The border or edges of a panel, when drawn, are called frames. These are normally rectangular in shape, but this shape can be altered to convey information to the reader. Bleed Full bleed is usually used on a comic book cover, and is when the art is allowed to run to the edge of each page, rather than having a white border around it. Splash page Splash page or sometimes referred to simply as a "splash", is a full page drawing in a comic book. A splash page is often used as the first page of a story, and includes the title and credits.

15. Principles of the Comics Panel The single image that is usually laid out within borders is known as a panel. These panels would be similar to individual frames of film. Panel frames The border or edges of a panel, when drawn, are called frames. These are normally rectangular in shape, but this shape can be altered to convey information to the reader. Bleed Full bleed is usually used on a comic book cover, and is when the art is allowed to run to the edge of each page, rather than having a white border around it. Splash page Splash page or sometimes referred to simply as a "splash", is a full page drawing in a comic book. A splash page is often used as the first page of a story, and includes the title and credits.

16. Principles of the Comics Panel The single image that is usually laid out within borders is known as a panel. These panels would be similar to individual frames of film. Panel frames The border or edges of a panel, when drawn, are called frames. These are normally rectangular in shape, but this shape can be altered to convey information to the reader. Bleed Full bleed is usually used on a comic book cover, and is when the art is allowed to run to the edge of each page, rather than having a white border around it. Splash page Splash page or sometimes referred to simply as a "splash", is a full page drawing in a comic book. A splash page is often used as the first page of a story, and includes the title and credits.

17. Principles of the Comics Splash page Splash page or sometimes referred to simply as a "splash", is a full page drawing in a comic book. A splash page is often used as the first page of a story, and includes the title and credits.

18. Scott McCloud, the comics philosopher

19. The essence of a cartoon: focus From Scott McCloud’s, Understanding Comics

20. Universality From Scott McCloud’s, Understanding Comics

21. Closure To understand closure, take out two dimes and a quarter. From Scott McCloud’s, Understanding Comics

22. Reality Vs. Iconic An icon is any image used to represent a person, place, thing, or idea. Simple drawings and/or iconic cartoons allow us to forget about the messenger and focus on the message. In other words, ideas become clearer and louder when the messenger is easy to understand.

23. How pictures become comics? The action takes place between the pictures. We ‘read between the lines/pictures.’ From Scott McCloud’s, Understanding Comics

24. The Gutter Gutters are the spaces between the panels. “To kill a man between frames is to condemn him to a 1000 deaths.” --Scott McCloud

25. Transitions: Moment to Moment From Scott McCloud’s, Understanding Comics

26. Transitions: Action to Action From Scott McCloud’s, Understanding Comics

27. Transitions: Subject to Subject From Scott McCloud’s, Understanding Comics

28. Transitions: Scene to Scene From Scott McCloud’s, Understanding Comics

29. Transitions: Aspect to Aspect From Scott McCloud’s, Understanding Comics

30. Transitions: Non-sequitur From Scott McCloud’s, Understanding Comics

31. Film Terms & Principles • Establishing shots [often highly detailed] show the reader/viewer where they are.

32. Film Terms & Principles • Establishing shots [often highly detailed] show the reader/viewer where they are.

33. Film Terms & Principles • Establishing shots [often highly detailed] show the reader/viewer where they are.

34. Differentiating Language • Sometimes the artist wants to show differences between characters and how they speak.

35. Differentiating Language • Sometimes the artist wants to show differences between characters and how they speak.

36. Differentiating Language • Sometimes the artist wants to show differences between characters and how they speak.

37. Differentiating Language • Sometimes the artist wants to show differences between characters and how they speak.

38. Showing sound • Zip lines can indicate movement.

39. Film Terms & Principles • Shots: XLS, LS, MS, CU, XCU • Reverse angle Two successive shots from equal and opposite angles, typically of characters during conversation. Characters are usually kept on the same side of the picture throughout a scene.

40. Good comics … … like films, tell a story visually and create a dialogue between viewer and artist.

41. 1950s - Classics Illustrated

42. 1950s - Classics Illustrated

43. The Graphic Novel

44. The Graphic Novel definition

45. The Graphic Novel definition Graphic novel is to novel as comic book is to short story

46. The first “graphic novel” Bloodstar [1976] was the first graphic novel to be advertised as such, although Will Eisner’s A Contract with God [1978] trade paperback used the term also. But …

47. The first “graphic novel” In 1842, the first major graphic novel was published in the United States. The Adventures of Obadiah Oldbuck by humorist Rodolphe Toffer, appeared in a weekly humor magazine called Brother Jonathan. From A Brief History of the Graphic Novel by Stan Tychinski

48. Neil Gaiman’sThe Sandman Considered the most popular graphic novel is Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman.

49. The Sandman The series consists of 10 volumes and is drawn by various artists.

50. Other popular graphic novels The Books of Magic