Readability: How To Create GOOD PAGE FLOW In Your Manga Panels And Pages
Summary
TLDRThis video from 'Monitor Comics' dives into the concept of 'page flow' in comics and manga, explaining how the reader's eye moves across the page for a smooth narrative transition. It discusses the 'Z' shape eye line, the Gutenberg diagram, and the importance of using horizontal panels to avoid blockage. The video also touches on the history of page layouts, from the grid format of the golden age to modern techniques in manga that emphasize action and focal points. Tips on using line of sight and speech bubbles to guide readers are provided, emphasizing the goal of creating an unnoticed, natural reading experience.
Takeaways
- 🎨 The channel 'Monitor Comics' focuses on creating comics and manga, covering various topics including comic effects, art programs, and creating shonen manga.
- 🔗 The video suggests checking out other useful videos in the top right-hand YouTube card section and mentions commissions for custom drawings.
- 📚 The video revisits the topic of page layout, specifically discussing 'page flow'—the natural progression of a reader's eye across a comic or manga page.
- 👀 'Eye line' is defined as the order in which our eyes comprehend textual information, typically left to right and top to bottom in English.
- ✅ For effective page flow, the script recommends aiming for a Z-shaped eye line to minimize confusion and ensure smooth transitions between panels.
- 📚 The 'Gutenberg diagram' is introduced as a psychological concept that guides reading from left to right, top to bottom, and is used in design beyond just comics.
- 📉 The script explains the strength values of different sections within the Z pattern, identifying the top left as the strongest and the bottom right as the terminal area.
- 🚫 The concept of 'panel blockage' is discussed, cautioning against placing similarly sized panels next to each other which can confuse readers.
- 🈲 The video advises against using too many square or vertical panels due to potential confusion, recommending long horizontal panels for better legibility.
- 📚 The 'T rule' in manga suggests a balance of vertical and horizontal panels to maintain readability, avoiding an overwhelming number of one type.
- 🎭 The video touches on the history of page flow, from the grid format of the golden and silver age of comics to modern多样化 panel usage.
- 🎥 It mentions the influence of cinematography on manga, with long horizontal panels allowing for high-speed action scenes or drawn-out serious moments.
Q & A
What is the main focus of the 'Monitor Comics' channel?
-The 'Monitor Comics' channel focuses on creating comics and manga, covering topics such as choosing comic effects, selecting art programs, and creating shonen manga.
What is the concept of 'page flow' in comic and manga creation?
-Page flow refers to the way a reader's eye moves across a comic or manga page, ensuring a smooth transition from one panel to the next with minimal confusion.
What is the 'eye line' in the context of page layout?
-The 'eye line' is the order in which our eyes comprehend textual information, typically left to right and top to bottom in English, and is crucial for effective page flow.
How does the 'Gutenberg diagram' relate to page flow in comics and manga?
-The Gutenberg diagram is a psychological concept that describes the left-to-right, top-to-bottom reading pattern, which designers use to effectively design web pages and is applied in comic and manga layouts to guide the reader's eye.
What is the significance of the 'Z pattern' in creating effective page flow?
-The 'Z pattern' is a visual guide that helps in arranging the panels and elements on a page to ensure the reader's eye follows a smooth and logical path, enhancing comprehension and engagement.
How can panel placement affect page flow and what is 'blockage'?
-Panel placement can influence page flow by creating 'blockage', which occurs when similarly sized panels placed next to each other confuse the reader's natural reading path, making it unclear how to proceed.
Why are horizontal panels considered advantageous for legibility in comic and manga pages?
-Horizontal panels are advantageous for legibility because they bisect the page, providing a clear break point and eliminating confusion on how to read the panel, making the reading path more intuitive.
What is the 'T rule' in manga panel layout and why is it important?
-The 'T rule' suggests that for every two or so vertical panels, a horizontal panel should be included to preserve legibility. It helps maintain a clear and easy-to-follow reading path in manga.
How have comic book page layouts evolved from the golden and silver age to modern times?
-Page layouts have evolved from the traditional nine-panel grid format to more diverse and dynamic panel arrangements, including diagonal panels and skewed grids, to better convey action and emotion.
What is a 'focal point' in comic and manga page design and why is it important?
-A 'focal point' is the main area of action or interest on a page. It is important because it guides the reader's attention and helps maintain the flow of the narrative without causing confusion or distraction.
How can 'intentional line of sight' be used to improve page flow in comics and manga?
-The 'intentional line of sight' uses elements like character body movements, background composition, and speech bubble placement as guides to lead the reader through the page, creating a comfortable and engaging reading experience.
Outlines
🎨 Understanding Page Flow in Comics and Manga
This paragraph introduces the concept of 'page flow' in comic and manga creation, explaining how the reader's eye moves across the page to comprehend the story. The speaker discusses the importance of a smooth eye line, aiming for a Z-shape pattern to guide the reader without confusion. The concept of the Gutenberg diagram is introduced, which is a psychological model for reading direction in English-speaking cultures. The speaker also touches on the use of character poses and dialogue placement to direct the reader's attention and mentions the historical development of page layouts in comics, from the traditional grid format to more modern and diverse panel arrangements.
👀 Enhancing Legibility and Reader Engagement
The second paragraph delves deeper into techniques for improving legibility and maintaining reader engagement through intentional page layout. It addresses the issue of panel blockage and suggests avoiding uniform panel sizes that might confuse readers. The 't-rule' in manga is highlighted, which recommends a balance between vertical and horizontal panels for clarity. The paragraph also covers the history of page flow in comic books, from the grid format of the golden and silver ages to modern adaptations with skewed grids and stretched panels, influenced by cinematography. The concept of a focal point in page layout is introduced as a way to direct the reader's attention effectively, with examples from Batman comics and the Watchmen series. The speaker emphasizes the goal of creating a layout that works subtly in the background, enhancing the reading experience without drawing attention to itself.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Page Flow
💡Eye Line
💡Gutenberg Diagram
💡Z Pattern
💡Panel Blockage
💡T Rule
💡Grid Format
💡Focal Point
💡Intentional Line of Sight
💡Legibility
💡Immersion
Highlights
Introduction to the concept of page flow in comics and manga, emphasizing the smooth transition of the reader's eye across the page.
Explanation of the 'eye line' and its role in guiding the reader's comprehension in a left-to-right, top-to-bottom pattern.
The importance of a smooth eye line to avoid confusion and maintain reader immersion in the narrative.
Introduction of the 'Gutenberg diagram' and its application in designing web pages and understanding reading patterns.
Description of the Z-pattern as an effective layout for guiding the reader's eye through the content.
The concept of 'blockage' in panel layout and how it can disrupt the intended page flow.
Recommendation to avoid using too many square or vertical panels to prevent reader confusion.
Advantages of horizontal panels in creating breakpoints and improving legibility on the page.
The 'T rule' in manga for balancing vertical and horizontal panels to maintain clarity.
Historical overview of page flow from the golden and silver age of comics to modern styles.
Discussion on how Japanese manga has evolved the grid format with skewed grids and horizontal panels.
The influence of cinematography on the use of long horizontal panels to convey action scenes.
Importance of a focal point in page layout to direct the reader's attention and maintain narrative flow.
The concept of 'intentional line of sight' as a technique to guide the reader through the page.
Strategies for using character body movements, background composition, and speech bubble placement to enhance page flow.
The goal of creating a page layout that works seamlessly and goes unnoticed by the reader.
Encouragement for creators to experiment with page layouts to find unique and interesting ways to organize content.
Invitation for viewers to engage with the channel, share their projects, and consider commissions for personalized artwork.
Transcripts
how's it going everyone
welcome back to monitor comics the
channel where we create comics and manga
we've already covered a ton of cool
topics including but not limited to
choosing the best comic effects for your
manga deciding on which art program to
use for your comics
and how to create shonen manga in 2020.
i hope you can check out some of those
after you watch this video i'll also be
linking some other useful videos up in
the top right hand youtube card section
throughout the video so keep an eye out
for that did you know i also do
commissions now that's right i'll draw
whatever you want exclusively for you
for more information about that please
check the description of this video
in today's video i want to dive deeper
into a topic i discussed previously on
the channel
if you've seen some of my older stuff
you might remember i released a video
titled
when to use different page layout frames
compositions and spread
in that video i discussed different ways
to set up your panels and describe
what each was commonly used for in
today's video i want to dive into a
specific aspect of page layout known as
page flow
in short page flow is the way your eye
glides across a comic or a manga page so
you can easily comprehend it you want
your eye line to be as smooth as
possible so there is no confusion when
your reader is looking at your pages
you want them to transition from one
panel to the next and then make their
way to the next page with as little
trouble
as possible to start i want to first
explain what exactly the eye line
is the eye line refers to the order in
which our eyes comprehend textual
information
in the english language we call this
approach left to right top to bottom
for effective page flow you'll want this
imaginary eye line to be as close to a z
shape as possible
i'll bring up a few examples from comics
and manga that effectively use the z
shape by using character poses and
dialogue balloon placement you can trick
your readers into following the path you
set up for them psychologists have
labeled this process of reading from
left to right top to bottom as the
gutenberg diagram
designers use the gutenberg diagram to
effectively design web pages
if we think of the z pattern as four
equal sections each area has a different
strength value when measuring how your
eye reacts
the top left section of the z pattern is
going to be your strongest primary
optical area with the top right section
being a strong follow area to transition
down the bottom left corner of the z
pattern there is a slight delay
causing this area to be your weakest
follow area finally the bottom right
hand corner is our terminal area because
this is where we have reached our final
destination
understanding the z pattern and
consciously using it in your own work
will allow you to justify the best areas
to include more relevant information or
calls to action
the gutenberg diagram is a great tool to
incorporate into your workflow
by keeping the concept in the back of
your head throughout your entire process
you can make smarter decisions when
creating panel layouts and telling your
story effectively
when creating page layouts panel
placement can influence your page flow
when this happens it's known as blockage
let me break it down for you
on the screen you should see an example
of panel blockage if you're placing
similarly sized panels right next to
each other like in this grid template
it can be hard for your readers to read
a percentage of your readers will read
from the top left panel to the top right
panel while another percentage will read
from the top to the bottom
to avoid this you need to make it very
clear which way your readers should be
following along
to do this i don't recommend using too
many square or too many vertical panels
because they can cause confusion
i do recommend using long horizontal
panels because they create a break point
horizontal panels have the advantage
when it comes to legibility because it
bisects the page
there's no confusion on how to read a
horizontal panel when it's on the page
as a general rule of thumb avoid too
many square panels and too many vertical
ones you can get away with using a bunch
of horizontal panels because they are
easier to distinguish
in manga terms this idea is known as the
t rule basically for every two or so
vertical panels
you'll want to have a horizontal panel
to preserve legibility if you made an
entire page of just vertical panels you
would have a mess on your hands i've
seen some western comics that make pages
with only horizontal panels
but that works because it's more of a
stylistic choice and horizontal panels
are easier to read
as long as you understand the basics of
page flow it's fine to experiment and
see if you can come up with an
interesting and unique way to organize
your pages
let's take a look at the brief history
of page flow during the silver and
golden age of comic books the grid
format was the most popular page layout
basically you would have a nine panel
grid that reads from left to right
making your way down to the bottom row a
great example of this page layout
is used here by jack kirby european and
japanese artists began to modernize this
grid format with more diverse panels
take this example here
we can still see a six panel grid that's
easy enough to follow but this page
makes use of diagonal panels and no
borders
as we can see with this page from the
watchman series modern artists still
make use of the grid format
popularized during the silver and golden
age of comics japanese manga
improved the grid format by breaking the
rules a bit by popularizing skewed grids
and horizontal panels your eyeline is
forced to follow the action at very high
speeds this technique works better when
conveying action scenes rather than the
traditional grid format this idea of the
long and stretched out horizontal panel
comes from cinematography and film
we are able to follow an entire scene in
just a single panel this opens the doors
for high speed action
scenes or drawn out serious scenes what
all these different page layouts have in
common is this idea of a focal point
a focal point is a term used to describe
where the main course of action has
taken place
in photography you may see this
technique labeled as the rule of thirds
typically for good page flow
you'll want your main action to take
place in either the left corner center
stage or right corner because that is
the direction our eye line moves by
having one central focus point you'll be
able to trick your reader into zooming
in right where you want them
make sure you are not creating several
focus points and a single pager panel
because although this sounds okay in
theory it can create convergence where
your reader's eye refocuses in the
center
don't lead your reader's focus out of
bounds take full advantage of your
artwork to point your reader towards the
next panel it's so important to be
conscious of legibility and page flow
because once your reader gets confused
and disrupted they'll slowly lose the
immersion or structuring can make all of
your hard work negated take a look at
this page from batman
this artist makes full use of line of
sight speech bubbles and background cues
to trick the reader into gliding their
eyes within the boundaries of the page
the next technique i want to introduce
to you is this idea of intentional line
of sight
what i mean by this is elements of your
page that can act as guides to progress
you through the page this can be done
through characters body movements
background composition and speech bubble
placement by following your character's
line of sight and following speech
bubbles you can create a comfortable
reading experience
don't just slap speech bubbles randomly
take control of your page and give them
more purpose
the goal you want to strive for when
structuring your pages is to have all
this work go unnoticed if your reader
doesn't have to think twice while
reading your comic or manga then you did
a good job laying it out
if you stick to these tips and concepts
when creating your panel layouts your
page flow will be natural and effective
by having compositions and page elements
that lead into the next you'll have no
problem maintaining a reader's active
interest in your story
i hope you got some value out of this
video if you did please hit the like
button and subscribe to the channel if
you haven't already
drop a comment down below telling us all
about what project you are currently
working on
be sure to check out my own work on all
my social media accounts linked in the
description below don't forget i'm also
taking commissions now so if you want
your own character or a pre-existing
character drawn by me please check it
out using the link in the description
below
as always keep creating guys i'll see
you all in the next one
[Music]
you
تصفح المزيد من مقاطع الفيديو ذات الصلة
On-Page SEO Tutorial | On-Page Optimization Step By Step | SEO Tutorial For Beginners | Simplilearn
How To Create A Magic System In Shonen Manga | Soft VS Hard Power System
Using Transition Signals || GRADE 8 || MELC-based VIDEO LESSON | QUARTER 1 | MODULE 4
Master Layout Design In 8 Minutes! (IMPORTANT)
Introduction to Cache Memory
Facebook से पैसा कमाने का A to Z Knowledge | Facebook Se Paisa Kaise Kamaye ? Fb Page Kaise Banaye?
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)