Decoding visual communicationshow it works

Concept Example Method

Condensation Face/automobile Unification

Displacement rifle = penis Substitution

Metaphor Superpower= Monsters Analogy

Metonymy Mansion =Wealth Association

Icon Photograph/illustration Resemblance

Index Smoke from a window Cause and Effect

Symbol Crucifix Convention/learned

Levy Pierce’s Theory -ICON/INDEX/ SYMBOL

Trichotomy of SIGNS to help us understand visual communication. Pioneer of Semiotics with (Saussure)

Any sign can have a combination of icon, index and or symbol.

How do we make sense of visual phenomena?All signs are understood through one or more or a combination of Icons, Indexes, or Symbols

1) Resemblance (photos, drawings, sculptures, drawing) ICON - can recognize 2) Cause and Effect or Logic (smoke implies fire) INDEX – can figure out- logic 3) Convention (objects have symbolic value) SYMBOL - convention –must be learned

Which is an icon, index, and symbol of a rose? (Pierce)

ICON INDEX SYMBOL

signified by Resemblance Casual Connection Convention

examples Illustration/Photo Summer/Bloom Symbol/Crest

process Can Recognize Can Figure out Must learn

Looks like what it represents Withered Bloom indicates summer Symbol: War of the Roses

illustration of a rose Historical Period

• A ‘sound’ can also be a sign with icon, index and symbol.

Index - SIGN

• An index is a sign physically linked to or affected by its object. An index sign can be determined via Cause/Effect & logic.

Indexical examples: dark clouds in the west are an index of impending rain A cry for help may indicate someone in need. (SOUND convention of Film and television)A knock on the door may indicate that there is someone at the door.A limp is a sign of impairmentA scowling facial expression is an index of a persons displeasure.An accent or pronunciation of a word is an index that someone comes from another social group or particular geographic area.

• FACIAL EXPRESSIONS are INDEX signs43 muscles in the human face- different combinations show our

emotions

Faces are windows into the psyche Faces provide information about: • 1) emotions (fear, anger, enjoyment)• 2) state of mind (sadness, euphoria)• 3) cognitive activity (boredom, concentration, perplexity • 4) temperament (shy, gregarious) • 5) truthfulness (including exposing or concealed emotions) or

(information provided is false) deceit • 6) psychopathology (depression, mania, schizophrenia)

How might you describe- Icon, Index or symbol in this Media ‘text’ Poster by artist Robbie Conal.

Describing facial expression may provide us with more indexical information

Which elements resemble or are recognizable? (icon) Which elements are cause and effect or you can figure out?(index)Which elements must be learned?

Two primary theorists: semiotics

• C.S. Pierce – (Icon, Index, Symbol)

• Ferdinand de Saussure (linguist)• (signifier, signified (codes))

Introduction to Semiotic Theory

It begins with the early linguistic work of Ferdinand de Saussure • The key principles of the sign, the signifier and the signified

are demonstrated with everyday examples. The arbitrary nature of sign is emphasized.

• We move from it’s origins in linguistics to examples in visual culture

• Semiotics is concerned Not with what it means…but rather how it means.

Visual semiotics arises from a linguistic origins

Ferdinand de Saussure

Sign is made up of two parts (signifier and signified)sign is the union of the two

– signifier (marker) The signifier is something that stands for something else

– signified (meaning) The signified is the idea the signifier stands for

• What is a sign?Anything that stands for something else.

T R E E

D O G

C H I E N

P E R R O

• Through these marks we communicate the idea of ‘dog’

• If we have many different signifiers (markers) for the same (concept) signified- the union of the two is an arbitrary relationship.

Naming and arbitrary nature signifier and signified

• The signifier itself is an empty vessel into which meaning is poured to imbue it with meaning. THE SIGN IS ARBITRARY.

(examples - names of cars)

• The basic semiotic concept is that things do not mean anything in themselves but are invested with meaning by cultures and societies.

FUNDAMENTALS of SEMIOTICS