Module 6 · Putting It Together
Profile Shapes & What They Mean
D, P, b and double-distribution — reading the session's silhouette.
In this lesson you'll
- Recognize the four core profile shapes
- Infer market context (balance vs trend) from the silhouette
- Locate the LVN that separates distributions
Zoom out from single bars and the session's volume profile forms a silhouette that tells you the day's character at a glance.
D-shape (Balance / Normal)
A bell curve with the POC in the middle — the market oscillated around a fair value. Implication: balance / equilibrium, range-bound; favor fading the edges back to the POC.
P-shape (bullish) and b-shape (bearish)
A P-shape has the fat node near the top with a thin tail below — a sharp rally that then balanced at higher prices (often short-covering / accumulation). A b-shape is the mirror: fat node near the bottom, thin tail above — a sharp sell-off that balanced lower (long-liquidation / distribution).
B-shape (Double Distribution)
Two D-shapes stacked, separated by a Low-Volume Node (LVN) — the market migrated from one fair-value zone to another. The thin LVN between them is a rejection zone and a future support/resistance reference. (A very thin, elongated “I-shape” with almost no bulge is a trend day — price moved too fast to build value anywhere.)
Key takeaways
- D-shape = balance (POC middle) → fade edges to POC.
- P-shape = bullish (POC high, tail below); b-shape = bearish (POC low, tail above).
- Double distribution (B) = two value zones split by an LVN rejection area.
- Thin I-shape = trend day. Shape gives bias; footprint gives the trigger.
Check your understanding
Pick an answer to reveal instant feedback. Answer every question to complete the lesson.
Why that's off: A b-shape has the fat node near the BOTTOM with a thin tail above.
Why that's off: A D-shape is symmetric with the POC in the middle.
Why that's off: A thin I-shape signals a trend day; this profile has a clear bulge.
Fat node up top with a thin tail below is a P-shape — typically a rally (often short-covering) that balanced at higher prices, carrying a bullish lean.
Why that's off: The POC is a high-volume node, the opposite of an LVN.
Why that's off: By definition the LVN has LOW volume.
Why that's off: LVNs are meaningful structural edges, not noise.
The LVN separating two value areas is where price spent little time (rejection). It often acts as future support/resistance and marks the boundary between the two fair-value zones.
Educational content only. Nothing here is financial or trading advice. Order-flow and options patterns shift probabilities; they never guarantee outcomes.