Word and Image

Year 9 HEAP • Graphic Novel • Word and image

In a graphic novel, words and images are not two separate channels. They combine, divide and sometimes contradict each other. The reader's job is to hold both at once and decide what the combination means.

Types of text

Text type	Function	Typical form
Caption	Narration, time, place or commentary.	A box at the edge of the panel.
Speech balloon	Direct speech from a character.	A rounded shape with a tail.
Thought balloon	Interior thought.	A cloud shape or a different border.
Whisper balloon	Quiet speech.	A dashed or smaller outline.
Shout balloon	Loud speech.	A jagged or bold outline.
Sound effect	Non-verbal sound.	Stylised lettering integrated into the image.
Sign or label	Text that exists in the world of the scene.	Lettering on a sign, screen or document.

Word-image relationships

Relationship	What happens	Example
Reinforcement	The words and image say the same thing.	A character says "I'm fine" while smiling.
Complement	Each adds information the other lacks.	The image shows a crowded room; the caption says "I had never felt more alone."
Contradiction	The words and image conflict.	"Everything is under control" over a burning building.
Counterpoint	The words and image create an ironic or critical gap.	A patriotic speech over an empty street.
Silence	The image carries the moment without words.	A wordless panel after a revelation.

Captions

Use captions for time, place or a voice the reader cannot otherwise access.
Avoid captions that describe what the image already shows.
Decide whether the narrator is reliable, present or remembering.
Keep the tense and person consistent unless a shift is meaningful.
Use white space in the caption to control pace.

Dialogue

Problem	Before	After
On-the-nose	"I am angry because you forgot my birthday."	"You remembered everyone else's."
Too much exposition	"As you know, the school closed the pool in 2019 after the council vote."	"They closed it in 2019. Nobody asked us."
Unclear speaker	Three balloons in a row with no visual cue.	Place the speakers so the tails and eyelines make the exchange clear.
Redundant	Character says "I'm opening the door" while opening the door.	Let the image show the action.

Lettering

Lettering is part of the visual design. The shape, weight and placement of text affect how the reader hears it.

Use a readable font at a consistent size.
Place balloons so they do not cover important faces or actions.
Order balloons in the reading direction.
Use bold or larger text for emphasis, not for every line.
Keep sound effects integrated with the image but still legible.
Use different lettering for different voices only when the difference is meaningful.

Worked example: the same scene, three ways

Version	Image	Text	Effect
Reinforcement	A girl smiles at a birthday cake.	"Best birthday ever."	Warm and straightforward.
Complement	A girl sits alone at a long table with a small cake.	"Best birthday ever."	Ironic; the reader senses loneliness.
Contradiction	A girl stares at an empty chair.	"Best birthday ever."	Grief or denial; the words cannot be taken at face value.

Silence

A wordless panel can be the most powerful moment on a page. It gives the reader time to look, feel and infer. Use silence when the image is strong enough to carry the beat, or when words would explain too much.

Word-image balance

Question	Your notes
What does the image show that the words do not?
What do the words say that the image cannot?
Is there a gap between them, and is it intentional?
Could any caption be cut?
Could any line of dialogue be replaced by a gesture?
Does the lettering guide the eye in the right order?
Does the page work for a reader who cannot see the image?

Common errors

Redundancy. Words and image repeat the same information.
Over-writing. Too much text in a panel, leaving no room for the image.
Floating heads. Dialogue balloons with no clear speaker.
Caption crutch. Using narration to explain what the image should show.
Decorative sound effects. Sound words that add noise but no meaning.
Ignoring accessibility. Text that is too small, low-contrast or embedded in a busy image.

Next, see how these choices build a narrative structure.