Unfamiliar Text: Static Images

Unfamiliar Text: Static Images/Visual Texts

(text in blue should be copied into your notes)

Static images are literally visual images that do not move.

They include greeting cards, posters, slides, photographs, paintings, compact disc covers, comics, cartoons, charts, collages, models, dioramas, newspapers, and print advertisements.

Most static images communicate by combining visual elements with words.

Although this interrelationship is very important, we can separate them and explore the language and meaning of all the visual as well as the verbal elements present in the examples we are given.

Visual Techniques:

·  Logo

·  Line of sight – top left to bottom right

·  Rule of thirds – text divided roughly into thirds

·  Subheadings

·  Font

·  Highlighting

·  Hyperbole (deliberate exaggeration of certain parts of the image)

·  Borders

·  Colour and contrasts

·  Primary colours – (red yellow blue)

·  Fuzzy/blurred background

·  3D

·  Dominant/submissive images

·  Superimposed image – one on top of another

·  Info graphic – a picture that gives information

·  Symbolism – the use of images/graphics to convey a certain message

Analyse this static image and see how many of the visual techniques above apply:

Verbal Techniques

·  Alliteration

·  Metaphor

·  Hyperbole/exaggeration

·  Superlatives

·  Contractions

·  Repetitions

·  Incomplete sentences

·  Slogans

·  Second-person pronoun - you

·  Pun

·  Imperative - order

·  Emotive language

·  Colloquial language

Analyse this static image and see how many of the visual techniques above apply:

Handout: Analysing a Static Image:

1. What can you see?

·  Name all the objects / elements that appear

·  How have they been arranged?

·  What are the relationships between the various objects / elements?

2. What does it mean?

·  What is the mood of the work? What factors / techniques contribute to this?

·  What do you think the individual objects / elements mean?

·  What emotive / connotative techniques are evident?

·  How have these been communicated?

·  What effects are created by placing the separate objects / elements in their various relationships?

·  What is the overall theme / main idea / intended purpose?

3. Do you think it works?

·  How successfully does the static image convey its main idea?

·  What techniques have been employed successfully? Explain fully.

·  What techniques are less successful? Explain fully.

Analyse this static image using the above steps:

Additional Notes:

Symbolism:

A few artfully placed items on a piece of paper can represent a whole range of thoughts, feelings, ideas and views.

Symbols are powerful because they have a literal meaning, and a ‘connotation’ or associated meaning.

Analyse the picture below, and see how many different symbols and meanings you can identify:

Font

Font can also have a bearing, so you need to take note of:

Font Style

Font Size

Font Colour

Bold, Italic, Underline

Perspective

Which of these fonts reinforce the word, and which ones contradict it:

Colour:

Different colours tend to be associated with different moods and attributes. From the colour chart below, write which colour you think should be associated with the words underneath it:

Aggressive/Angry Feminine Cheerful

Pure Clean Neutral

Lifeless Cold Sad

Boring Safe Earthy

Font can also have a bearing, so you need to take note of:

Font Style

Font Size

Font Colour

Bold, Italic, Underline

Perspective

Which of these fonts reinforce the word, and which ones contradict it:

Now that you have a grasp of the elements of Visual Texts, analyse the texts below and answer the questions that follow:

‘Kidsline’ poster

1. Identify ONE way the artist shows us the boy is thinking.

2. (a) Identify ONE visual language feature where contrast is used.

(b) Explain why this feature is an effective example of contrast:

3. (a) Identify ONE verbal language feature designed to appeal to the poster’s target

audience.

(b) Explain how this feature appeals to the poster’s target audience.