Graphic Essays and Comics
Overview
Graphic Essays
A graphic essay (sometimes called a visual essay) combines text and images to explore a specific topic. Graphic essays can take the form of comics, graphic novels, magazines, collages, artist books, textbooks, or even websites. Graphic essays often begin as written essays, with graphic elements added to enrich the reader’s experience. Unlike infographics, which also combine text and images, graphic essays are often more text-based and typically follow a narrative arc or a specific reading order.
A web-based graphic essay can take the form of a blog or a single-page website, such as a Microsoft Sway page or an interactive Prezi. For Microsoft Sway and Prezi graphic essays, see the examples below. If you are creating a blog, we recommend visiting the Web-Based Projects page.
Comics
Comics are a genre that expresses ideas through images combined with text or other visual information. Comics can take the form of a single panel or a series of juxtaposed image panels, sometimes called a strip. Text is conveyed via captions below the panel(s), or speech bubbles and onomatopoeiae within the panel(s), to indicate dialogue, narration, sound effects, or other information. Graphic novels are often considered a longer form of comics, typically in book form.
Many different software programs can be used to create graphic essays. Below are recommended graphic essay creation software programs. We organized the software by category and by preference. We recommend using software you know well or learning it well enough to establish an easy workflow, so you can spend less time troubleshooting and spend more time on your project. Check out our Software Support page for links to tutorials for all of these programs.
General Graphic Essay Software
Canva: This online graphic design platform is a great place to make visually stunning graphic essays and comics. While Canva has paid features, you can typically make all your documents with a free account. This platform also includes a built-in database of free images and icons and lets you upload your own content. Your files are saved to your online account and stored on Canva’s servers. You can download the files in multiple formats depending on the project.
Piktochart: Another online graphic design platform similar to Canva. While the program has paid features, you can typically make all your documents with the free account. This platform also comes with a built-in database of free images and icons, and allows you to upload your own content. Your files are saved to your account and stored on the Piktochart server, but the free account has a maximum of 5 active documents. You can also download the files in select formats.
Adobe InDesign: This program is a document creator, typically used for creating print materials. Adobe InDesign can be used for magazines and other printed materials. This program is available to UW–Madison students, faculty, and staff via the UW–Madison computer labs, both in the lab and for checkout, and is available for both Windows and Mac computers. With layers and template tools, this is one of the best options for creating graphic essays if you know the software or have time to learn it.
Adobe Photoshop: This program is a graphics editor, typically used for raster (pixel-based) images. With layers and plenty of photo-editing capabilities, this is another good alternative for creating graphic essays and comics. This program is available to UW–Madison students, faculty, and staff via the UW–Madison computer labs, both in the lab and for checkout, and is available for both Windows and Mac computers.
Adobe Illustrator: This program is a graphics editor, typically used for vector (line-based) images. Adobe Illustrator can also be used for graphic essays and comics. This program is available to UW–Madison students, faculty, and staff via the UW–Madison computer labs, both in the lab and for checkout, and is available for both Windows and Mac computers.
Microsoft PowerPoint: This slideshow software is best known for creating slideshows, but the slides can be resized to letter or tabloid size for printing. Unlike Microsoft Word, PowerPoint allows for easy drag-and-drop arrangement of elements and text, making it easier to design graphic essays and comics. PowerPoint is free for all UW–Madison students, faculty, and staff via UW–Madison’s Office 365. It is also available in the UW–Madison computer labs, both in the lab and for checkout.
Microsoft Word: This word processing program is used to create text-based documents that can incorporate images and other design elements (e.g., color, font variety). We recommend this only for heavily text-based projects, as the alignment tools can be frustrating when using too many images/icons. Microsoft Word is free for all UW–Madison students, faculty, and staff via UW–Madison’s Office 365. It is also available via the UW–Madison computer labs, both in the lab and for checkout.
Web-Based Graphic Essay Software
Microsoft Sway: This unique web-based program features a single-page website layout with an outline structure of sections and subsections. With Sway, you can make interactive graphic essays that include text, images, video, and/or audio together in a single project. Sway designers can choose how readers view the project: scrolling from top to bottom, from left to right, or as a slideshow. Microsoft Sway is available for free to all UW–Madison students, faculty, and staff via UW–Madison’s Office 365.
Prezi: This online presentation software offers another web-based, interactive way to create a graphic essay. Projects are created on a canvas or whiteboard where text, images, sounds, and videos are placed. It is presented by navigating or “zooming” through the elements in order. This spatial way of displaying content can situate information in different contexts and represent processes and relationships in compelling ways. Prezi has a limited free option, as well as monthly and annual subscriptions (educational pricing is available!). Prezi files are created online and can be presented directly from the Prezi website or downloaded for local presentation.
Comic-Specific Graphic Essay Software
Comic Life: Create comics from images and hand-drawn artwork with this simple plug-and-play program. Comic Life has built-in templates, comic-style fonts, speech bubbles, and image filters to make your comic look authentic. Comic Life is available to UW–Madison students, faculty, and staff via the UW–Madison computer labs. This is one of the most extensive comic/storyboard creative engines out there, with many built-in features that other programs lack. We highly recommend this program for comic projects.
Pixton: This online comic creator is a simple, template-based system for dragging and dropping comic characters and elements. While the program has paid features, you can typically make a basic comic with the free account. This platform also comes with a built-in database of free characters, images, and icons. The paid account allows you to upload your own content, print, and download; otherwise, you can only share the comics electronically.
