a style you like or find appealling

appeals to your senses

elements in an image that are not balanced in size, shape or scale on opposite sides of the image

scale, shape and proportion feel evenly placed in an image

how elements are arranged in an image

difference from one element to another eg big-small, light-dark, rough-smooth, tall-short

long stroke or a series of objects arranged in a sequence

feeling an image evokes, can use colours, forms, subjects, composition etc to create this

repeated theme or object that stands out in an image or narrative

story or event told through composition and its elements eg images, colours, shapes, words etc

complex system used to make an image appear to have depth based on a simple visual principle that parellel lines appear to converge on the horizon

making a 2-D image appear 3-D

size of an object in relation to its environment

particular form of a thing created through line and/or colour

parts of an image that are similar in size, shape and organization

object, sound or action that stands for something else eg American flag = democracy, tick tock = time passing

medium for expressing information and/or artistic ideas that is defined by images used in a sequence i.e. sequential art

system whereby you read comics from upper left corner and then across the page to the right before proceeding to the next row of panels

using images to impart information or aesthetic appeal

a graphic convention used in comic books, strips, and cartoons to allow words (and much less often, pictures) to be understood as representing the speech or thoughts of a given character in the comic

these spaces are generally used for narration purposes. They are generally square and connected to the edge of the panel. Often they are also coloured to indicate the difference between them and the bubbles used by the characters, which are almost always white.

an extended or continuing storyline in episodic storytelling media such as television, comic books and comic strips

comics that are available on the Internet. Many are exclusively published online, while some are published in print but maintain a web archive for either commercial or artistic reasons. With the Internet's easy access to an audience, webcomics run the gamut from traditional cartoon strips to graphic novels and beyond.

Images usually laid out within borders

The layout of these can be in a grid, Watchmen being notable for utilising a nine panel grid, of three rows and three columns. Occasionally Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons would use larger panels that broke the format of the grid to emphasise specific acts or points in the narrative.

The border or edges of a panel, when drawn. These are normally of rectangular shape, but this shape can be altered to convey information to the reader. A cloud shape can indicate a flashback or dream sequence, whilst one with a jagged edge can be used to convey anger or shock. One without a frame is used to convey space. Can be formed by the image, for example, a scene can be framed by a door frame or by binoculars.

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.

Sometimes used on internal panels to create the illusion of space or emphasize action, this is more common in manga and in modern comics.

a full page drawing in a comic book often used as the first page of a story, and includes the title and credits.

splashes that are not the first page of a story. May, or may not include titles and/or credits.

A panel that is larger than others on the page.

Lines that are used to represent motion.

the space between borders. Scott McCloud identified this as one of the most important narrative tools in comics, invoking as it does a procedure McCloud defined as closure.

Iconic representations used within comics and cartooning.

Examples being the lightbulb above a character's head to indicate an idea, the indication of sleep by a saw cutting a log or a line of "zzzz", and the use of dotted lines to indicate a line of sight, with daggers being used instead of dotted lines to indicate an evil look.

Placing things ina particular and deliberate order

An image, picture, or representation; it is a sign or likeness that stands for an object by signifying or representing it

Can vary between realistic or abstract, complex to simplistic, objective to subjective, specific to universal.

The movement from one panel to another

Various types include: moment to moment, action to action, subject to subjecy, scene to scene, aspect to aspect, and non-sequitur.

A shot in which the subject fills most of the frame with little space around it.

A shot in which the main subject is fills much of the frame, but more of the surroundings are shown. As in a head and shoulders or portrait type shot of a person.

A shot with the subject near to the camera and clearly visible, but most likely partially cropped

A shot which shows the subject and its surroundings equally well. Usually full figures.

A shot where meaningful information and details are still clearly visible, but the subject of the frame occupies less of the space than the surroundings.

A shot at such a distance that few details and little meaningful information about the object of the frame can be readily seen.

Good for setting locale, showing location of objects, showing an area, showing big action.

A shot where the object can still be clearly seen, but no meaningful information about the object is discernible at all.

A shot that is so distant that the main object is a dot or is not visible at all.

A shot that shows enough of the surroundings to establish the locale adequate to the telling of the story.

A view from an angle higher than normal eye level.

A view from an angle lower than normal eye level, frequently the ground level.

A view from normal eye level at 90 degrees to the action or interaction of the subjects.

A view from directly in front of the subject.

A wide angle shot which is similar to the viewpoint of a panoramic camera.

A view in which the subject is not cropped.

A shot from directly above or almost directly above the subject.

Colour that creates the moods:
active, passion, masculine, emotion, danger, emergency etc

Colour that creates the moods:
excitement, desire, attention, warmth etc

Colour that creates the moods:
neutral, uncommitted, non-involvement

Colour that creates the moods:
passionate, smouldering,caring, nobility, arrogance etc

Colour that creates the moods:
purity, innocence, timeless, mystical

Colour that creates the moods:
evil, mysterious, powerful, fear, unhappiness, mourning etc

Colour that creates the moods:
nature, youth, envy, knowledge, hope, promise etc

Colour that creates the mood:
the past or age

Colour that creates the moods:
sensuous, emotion, feminine, romantic

Colour that creates the moods:
cool, calm, wisdom, water, peace etc

Colour that creates the moods:
cheerful,joy, enlightenment, light-heartedness, happiness, cowardice etc