First page from Jeff Smith’s graphic novel “Bone: Out From Boneville.”

This page from Jeff Smith’s comic Bone: Out From Boneville is a great example of layering in a graphic novel. The first layer and most important frame takes up the whole page and establishes a setting for the conversation. This frame includes the sky, the mountains, and the characters on the rock. The next two frames are layered on top of this first layer and below to indicate that they happen after. Another cool layer on this page is the “Bone” in the top right corner. I believe this is the first page from the book so it would make sense that title appears here.

Page from Lynda Barry’s graphic novel “What It Is.”

This page from Lynda Barry’s graphic novel What It Is is another great example of layering. This page, not unlike much of What It Is, is full of layers that exist as separate images. Arguably the most prominent image on the page is the monkey sitting in the center foreground. Because of his position and size, this layer has the most potential for meaning. Each of the animals and plants are shown layered on top of a colorful background layer.