WHAT ARE THE ELEMENTS OF A COMIC STRIP? - DUDAS - 2025

The elements of the comics are born from the combination of text and visual information, among others. Also called comics or comics, they are a means of expressing ideas through images.

Within the comics there are diverse types, such as comic strips, super comics (or superhero comics), manga (or Japanese comics), webtoon (or online comics) and graphic novels.

Due to the particular nature of comics, there are a number of specialized terms to refer to the elements that compose them. These terms have been developed by the writers and illustrators to refer to unique elements of the comics.

The elements of a comic can be classified into two groups: those referring to the general design of the comic and those referring to the text. Regarding the elements of the design, some of these are the panels, the frame, the street, the margin, the bleed and the plane. In reference to the text, the elements of a cartoon are the balloons, the signs and the cartouches.

Cartoon design elements

Panels

The Sandman - More Than Rubies page by Neil Gaiman, Sam Kieth and Mike Dringenber

The panels or vignettes are the basic units that make up a comic. Comics are sequences of panels, which follow a chronological or anachronistic order. In this sense, when talking about the panel, each of the paintings that make up the comic are referred to.

Traditional panels are square or rectangular; however, circular or even amorphous panels can be presented.

These can be made up of images and texts. The panels vary in size according to the importance of the scene or the needs derived from the design represented.

Comics differ from regular written texts, because the panels allow creating juxtaposition between the present and the past. Furthermore, the transitions between one scene and another are instantaneous, but their speed depends on the reader.

The frame

The frame is the line that limits the panels.

The street

The street is the blank space between two vignettes.

Photo obtained from Death Note, Chapter 1, by Tsugumi Obha

The street is the space between one panel and another. It is generally narrow and uniform, and contains no additional graphic elements. However, in some cases, objects and text boxes can slide off the street; this is known as bleeding.

The margins

Margins are the spaces that separate images from the edge of a page.

The bleeding

In the lower right, a “blood” image shows.

Photo recovered from Doctor Who, The Ninth Doctor Collected Comics

Bleed is a visual element that occurs when an image exceeds the boundaries of the frame or street of a vignette. When an object does not respect these edges, it is said to be "in blood".

Graphic weight

The graphic weight refers to the degree of importance given to some images, making them attract more attention than others. The graphic weight is determined by the focus, the use or absence of colors and the use of light.

With respect to the use of light, images with high contrast, or strong tones, attract more attention than images with low contrast.

The plans

Plane refers to the location of the image within a panel or within a page. There are different types of planes.

• Panoramic shot: This is the shot that covers most of the scene. This shot is intended to present and describe the setting, so the characters have little or no importance.
• General shot: presents a full-body character, also detailing background elements. In this case, the character is not the center of attention either.
• Whole Shot - displays a full-body character. In this case, the character becomes the center of attention.

In the same way, the illustrated person can play with the planes to create effects on the reader. Placing an image in the foreground denotes importance; Placing an image at the top of the page creates tension while placing it at the bottom of the page can create suspense.

Elements relating to the text in a cartoon

Balloons / snacks

The balloons are the containers for the texts expressed by the characters. There are two types of balloons: those for speech or dialogue and those for thought.

Speech balloons are usually rounded and contain text that represents what the character is saying. For their part, the thought balloons are shaped like clouds and represent what the character thinks, but does not express aloud.

Special effects signs

Special effect signs are a way to draw attention to text. They usually contain onomatopoeia that serve to highlight an action or a statement.

Some of the most common are BANG !, for explosions; ZZZ, when a character is sleeping; SNIFF, when someone sniffs; and WOW !, for awe-inspiring scenes.

Cartouche

The cartouche is a text box in which narrations or any other text that is not dialogue, thought or onomatopoeia are included.

References

1. Cartoon strip elements. Retrieved on April 19, 2017, from sdvaughan.edublogs.org.
2. The visual parts od a comic book page. Retrieved on April 19, 2017, from uaf.ed.
3. The comic book show and tell. Retrieved on April 19, 2017, from readwritethink.org.
4. Graphic Novel / Comics Terms and Concepts. Retrieved on April 19, 2017, from readwritethink.org.
5. What is a word - fumetti meaning. Retrieved on April 19, 2017, from fumetti.phraseinfo.com.
6. What's a comic? Retrieved on April 19, 2017, from appliedcomicsetc.com.
7. Comic. Retrieved on April 19, 2017, from merriam-webster.com.