LAYOUT ON DOUBLE PAGES WITH
CRAIG THOMPSON
THE PAGE & THE LAYOUT
THE RHETORICAL LAYOUT
WITH HERGÉ
Rhetorical layout consists of changing the size of the panels within one page. More complex and more dynamic scenes are depicted within larger panels while details and conversations in thinner ones.
THE REGULAR LAYOUT OR "GAUFRIER" WITH JOANN SFAR
Regular layout consists of pages containing an equal number of panels of equal size.
THE REGULAR LAYOUT AND REPETITION WITH MINIMAL OR NO CHANGES TO PREPARE PUNCHLINE WITH
JIM DAVIS
Regular layout may enhance the idea of repetition which may prepare a sudden and unexpected event or a change in the story.
THE REGULAR LAYOUT AND REPETITION WITH MINIMAL CHANGES TO SUGGEST DURATION WITH
CLAIRE BRETÉCHER
Rhetorical layout may also help to evoke the duration, the calm through reducing the dynamism of the page.
THE DOUBLE PAGE WITH CRAIG THOMPSON
Two pages if they are printed in verso a and recto b, in other words,when they are seen simultaneously, can also communicate with each other through a common frame or other visual elements related to the story.
THE DOUBLE PAGE WITH NO PANELS BY AL-WASITI
You may find inspiration in book paintings too. They are not officially called comics but they also tell stories through text and images simultaneously in a complementary way. Here is a single scene depicted on a double page that concentrate on two different details.
The use of panels is not obligatory. You can create interesting layout without it, but pay attention to the legibility of your comics. Readers shall be able to follow easily the sequence of actions.
WITHOUT PANELS
BY MARIE DUVAL
THE PAGE AS AN INSPIRING CONSTRAINT WITH
WINSOR McCAY
Your storyboard may also be influenced by the medium that you work on. Sometimes the details of your story or even the whole story can emerge from a single visual idea.
THE PAGE AS A UNITY -
WHAT HAPPENS FROM PAGE TO PAGE
When composing the layout of your pages, you can also play with details that appear only on the next page: It can trigger the surprise since it was not immediately visible for the reader.
WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU CHANGE THE LAYOUT
In case of publishing your comic in a journal or adapting it on another media or on a screen, it is possible to change the layout without losing the surprise effect. But be careful not to lose the original message.