The 180 Degree Rule is a basic guideline for the visual/spatial relationship between characters and/or objects within a scene. An imaginary line called the "Axis" connects the subjects and by only shooting a scene from either side of the line the relative position of each subject remains the same (i.e. the one on the left stays on the left and the one on the right stays on the right according to the viewer). This allows the viewer to orientate themselves in relation to the subjects, making the scene easier to view.
When looking at comic layouts you can pretty much think of them as more dynamic and in depth storyboards. The panels can all be broken down to different camera shots such as establishing shots, close ups, long shots etc.
These can be used to enhance the drama in an image as they are used within film to enhance the portrayals of scenes.
Empire magazine posted an article on their website describing 30 of the most important shot types and examples within film of where they are used.
Within the article it describes a number of shots such as the tilt shot which involves physical movement of the camera. Initially I wondered if these would be relevant or even translatable to sequential art then I remembered Jim Lee's work on Batman: Hush (an example from researching layouts).
When depicting Catwoman and Harley Quin's acrobatic movements Lee pulls the camera/viewfinder out to a wider shot and draws the characters at multiple stages of their movements. This helps to emphasise the action in the scene as well as give the impression of a more dynamic camera shot such as the tracking shot.
A knowledge of these techniques as well as how they can be manipulated will aid in visualising scenes in a more comprehensive way. This will make the end result a more enjoyable experience for the reader.
Further Reading
Cinematic Storytelling: The 100 Most Powerful Film Conventions Every Filmmaker Must Know
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