The goal of this study was to find out what the most commonly used methods of emotional expression in graphic novels are and how those principles had been put to use in comic artist Craig Thompson’s most famous works Blankets and Habibi. In order to study the principles of emotional and mood-related visual expression, several literary sources were used, some of which focused on comic books, others generally on visual expression.

The focus of the study was on the visual cues such as the use of light and shadow, perspective, lines, comic panel shapes and styles, texture, speech balloons and typography. Plot, characters or dialogue were not relevant to this study because the goal was to focus on visual stimuli only. This study explored individual comic panels only, rather than the entire pages or spreads. In the practical part of the thesis, the goal was to implement a comic that focused primarily on creating the right kind of mood in the panels, utilizing the techniques found in the study.

The conclusion of this study was that there are numerous of very effective ways to express mood and emotions in graphic novels. Craig Thompson has utilized these techniques in very versatile ways in his books Blankets and Habibi. However, several panels that were used as samples in this study were not nearly enough to depict the graphic novel’s versatility and mastery of emotional expression. The topic could be explored much further, as the expressions of mood and emotions are in the very core of what makes graphic novels a unique storytelling platform.