Silent graphic novel illustrations in the context of visual communication and an application

Silent or wordless graphic novels are a subtype of silent sequential illustrations. Like other silent sequential narrative examples, they are graphic novels that do not contain text and the narration is established only with illustrations. Silent graphic novels offer an active reading experience with their unique sense of fiction; it directs the reader to create their own stories. In the first chapter, communication process in general is researched. Which aspects of verbal communication and visual communication are similar and in which aspects they differ from each other are examined. The features that make illustrations (thus silent graphic novels) universal are analyzed. While the elements that make up the verbal language are words, sentences consisting of words, and larger narrative units consisting of sentences; the language of the illustration consists of elements such as color, line, and texture. In the second chapter, artistic grammar of the illustration is examined by considering these elements separately. The individual illustrations come together in a certain order and form the narrative. In the third chapter, sequential illustrations, the structure of the visual narrative and silent sequential narratives are examined. In the fourth chapter, there is a review of the silent graphic novel application created in line with the research. In silent books and graphic novels, the reader has more than ever a role in the process of understanding, as there is no linguistic message to anchorage the meaning other than the title. It was attempted to reveal that although they are open to different interpretations, the number of comments that can be made is limited; in other words, the narrative can be clearly communicated to the reader. Thus, it is tried to be shown that a narrative established with only illustrations can communicate as effectively as written narratives. Keywords: Visual communication, silent graphic novel, wordless graphic novel, silent book, wordless picture book, illustration, sequential illustration, graphic novel, comics