ENGLISH 2201 Introductory Handout for Interpreting Visuals

I. Consider the following general points when you are interpreting visuals:

What seems to be the primary purpose of the visual? Does it …

Sell a product?

Create a specific mood?

Communicate a theme?

How does the visual make the audience feel? What visual elements help to create this feeling?

Is there one element of the work that creates more interest than the others? More confusion

than others?

What main idea is presented?

Who is the target audience?

Are biases or stereotypes evident?

What is the genre? (Landscape, abstract art, portrait, etc.)

Is a story being told? How does the background contribute to the image? Are historical /famous

people the subject? Is this the interpretation of a famous/familiar story?

II. Also, consider the CREATOR of the visual:

Has he/she balanced the elements to make an impression?

Has the reality of the image been altered or distorted to create a certain impression?

Has he/she created a smooth flow of elements? Has the camera captured a smooth flow?

Are different camera techniques used to create what appears to be one image?

Does brush, perspective, or composition affect the image or its meaning?

Do the images contain connotations, symbolic interpretations or subliminal messages?

Are text and image combined to create a unified image?

III. When viewing a STILL IMAGE (art, photography, poster, etc.), consider the following:

Are the representations of reality realistic (an imitation) or imaginative (an interpretation of the world in a new and unique manner).

Are the images two dimensional (illusion or depth is provided through perspective) or truly three-dimensional?

How can the visual be analyzed in terms of: Balance: Does the left side equal the right side in terms of detail and elements? Are shapes

and colours balanced? Colour: What colours are dominant? Does colour mirror reality, express an emotion, or

create a mood? Focal Point: What shapes and textures draw the eye to this common point? Line: Do strong lines create definite borders? Movement: Does this image appear static or does it give an impression of energy and

movement? Perspective: Does it feel like you could step into the picture? Shape: Are they simple shapes that stand out? Are there bold patterns?

Texture: Is the picture rough? Smooth? Or has the artist captured that sense with the stroke of a brush?

If the visual is a photograph, how can it be analyzed in terms of: Camera Angle: How does it affect the way you see the subject? Focus: What elements are out of focus or lacking in detail? Is the most important object in in

sharp focus or focal point? Light & Shadow Relationships

If a poster, how do text and image create a persuasive message? Are there any slogans or titles that affect the visual and its meaning? Remember, the reality of a still image can be manipulated; the camera can lie! Images can be

shaped through: Technical means: special lenses and filters Photographic techniques: exposure, lighting, point of view Computer processes: evident today in digitized images-objects can be added/deleted

IV. Definition and Function of Camera Angles:

Eye level shot/Flat shot (the camera is at the same level as the subject) High angle shot (camera is above the subject) Low angle shot (camera is below the subject) Generally higher angles make a subject appear smaller and less significant and perhaps more

vulnerable; lower angles impose stature, size, strength, power and authority

V. Comics and Cartoons (comic strips, editorial cartoons, etc.): Comics usually use storytelling elements (plot, characterization, conflict, setting and dialogue) Comic strips contain punch lines or a joke in the last frame Comic books often end with a cliffhanger (unresolved crisis) that makes one wait for the next

issue. The images are often more detailed and energetic, featuring the use of exaggerated three-dimensional effects, intense colours, and dramatic angles to create action and excitement.

Editorial cartoons often make a comment on a high-profile current issue or personality. Conventions:

The use of speech or thought balloons BOLD capital letters to suggest a character is shouting Speed lines or small puffs of smoke suggest movement A light bulb above a character’s head suggest an idea Most cartoons consist of a singe frame; comics consist of a series

Ask yourself: Are the images simple, flat drawings in black and white? How are the text and images integrated to support each other? What symbols are used and how might they develop the more complex issue or idea in the

(editorial) cartoon? How is the humor of the cartoon/comic generated? (Through verbal wit, hyperbole,

sarcasm, slapstick comedy, pun, stereotypes, etc.) Is there a social message? What drawing conventions does the cartoonist use? If a one framed cartoon, what is the focal point? How have other elements created that

emphasis or focus? What is the political position (bias) of the editorial cartoonist?

ENGLISH 2201 Visual Terms for Review

Abstract: The pictorial representation of something so that it is recognizable in form but is

without detail (a chair in abstract art may not look like a real chair, but have some

chair-like, recognizable qualities about it).

Balance: The way shapes are arranged. When balanced, the shapes create a feeling of order or

harmony; tension occurs when shapes are not balanced.

Camera Angle: The position of the camera relative to the horizontal plane of the subject.

Camera Distance: The apparent distance of the camera from the subject, classified as close-up (people or

objects in detail/often used to show expressions on face), extreme close-up (very close

to the subject and focuses on one small feature), medium (character from the chest up),

or long shots (shows character from some distance away). Close-up shows can suggest a

feeling of intimacy between subject and camera/audience. Long shots suggest distance

and objectivity. Camera angles may train our eyes to look up wards, providing a sense of movement in stillness (suggesting we are in the picture).

Caption: The words beneath a photograph that explain the subject and give background

information that help to shape the meaning of the image (or may intentionally mislead

the viewer).

Caricature: A human subject of a cartoon with specially exaggerated physical features.

Color: Is made up of hue, intensity, and value. Hue refers to the name of the color (red vs. blue);

intensity is the purity and strength of the color (dull vs. bright red); value means the

lightness or darkness of a color. Color is used to create reality and to create emotion and

as such, may be the strongest element on the viewer. Black and white photographs,

however, may make us look more carefully at the scale, outlining and meaning, allowing

us to go beyond the immediate sensual appeal of color.

Composition: The arrangement of elements within the visual to bring it to a satisfying whole. Composition unifies the visual.

Context: What surrounds the subject (the foreground and/or background).

Conventions: Special techniques that characterize the visual form.

Emphasis: The deliberate drawing attention to something by use of color, size, or placement.

Focal point: The part of the visual that is the main area of interest. This can be created by providing

sharp focus to the objects in the focal point, avoiding distracting backgrounds, showing

the subject in a close-up, using color, contrast, balance, movement, shape, and line to

direct the viewer’s eye to the focus/subject

Form: The height, width, and depth of a structure, all of which can create perspective

Frame/Panel: A single section of a comic or cartoon showing one moment in the story being told

Genre: The category of the visual (nature photograph, impressionistic art, etc.).

Harmony: The quality that binds the parts of a visual image into a whole. It is often created

through simplicity and repetition.

Layout: The positioning of articles and photographs; the use of borders, color, and artwork.

Line: The basic unit of any image that has both length and direction. Straight lines often

suggest order. Jagged lines can suggest power, fear, or confusion. Curved lines may

suggest motion or softness. Diagonal lines can suggest motion or tension.

Lighting: Allows the viewer to see the subject. It can also create mood through its intensity and

angle. Low lighting can show a mysterious or romantic mood. Strong lighting eliminates

shadow and results in a bright, cheery feeling. Lighting adds emphasis, drama, and

impact. Bright lighting adds clarity; soft or subdued lighting creates a feeling of subtlety

(different meanings or overtones).

Medium: The vehicle by which a message is communicated (i.e. an illustration, collage, video,

etc.); the form of artistic expression or the materials used to create a piece of art (water

color, oil, charcoal, ink, etc.)

Movement: A sense of energy in a visual, determined by the spaces between the shapes and the shapes themselves.

Perspective: The illusion of creating three-dimensional views of objects. Through intersecting lines and by careful spacing of objects of different sizes, an illusion of depth can be created.

Photo Essay: A series of linked images by a common technique, concept or theme.

Point of Interest: The part of a collage on which the artist wants the viewer to focus or notice first. Ways

to make something the point of interest are through color, size, and placement on the page.

Point of View Shot: A shot that shows exactly what the character sees, as if it taken from that character’s

eyes.

Proportion: The comparative relationships between parts in a visual.

Realism: The pictorial representation of something as it actually appears.

Satire: The use of wit and sarcasm to attack human weaknesses or flaws in social institutions

(i.e. government, legal systems, etc.).

Scale: The relative size of objects within a composition. Larger objects attract the viewer’s

attention first.

Shape: A space that is enclosed by a line. Almost anything can be shown using three basic

shapes: squares, circles, and triangles.

Speech Balloon: Character’s words written inside a bubble, usually connected to the cartoon character

by a tail or an arrow.

Symbol: An object that represents or stands for something else (lion = courage; teddy bear =

childhood innocence, etc.).

Texture: The quality or feel of an object’s surface, sough as roughness or smoothness. Through the skilled use of dots and lines in visual images, texture can be “felt” with the eyes.

Thought Balloon: Character’s words written inside a bubble usually connected to the cartoon character by

a series of small circles.

Unity: Refers to the way in which pictures, objects and words and “hang together” to

complement one another. Unity is an important element in an effective visual.

ENGLISH 2201 Evaluating Visuals: Use of Line, Colour and Balance

Color

Colours can be used for their expressive potential. They can suggest moods, feelings, and emotions. It can also represent objects as they exist in the real world.

COLOUR: MEANING/SIGNIFIANCE: Red Energy, excitement, emotion, danger, passion

Pink Happy, carefree, young Orange Warm, active, contemplative, soft Yellow Energy, bright, light in quality Green Environment, sickness, poison, envy

Blue Contemplative, hopeful, deep, harmony Violet Royalty, mysticism, passion

Brown Earth, life, growth/decay Black Drama, death elegance, seriousness White Purity, innocence

Line

Line can direct the eye and create movement within an image.

LINE: MEANING/SIGNIFICANCE:

Horizontal Calmness, rest, or repose Vertical Loftiness and spirituality

Diagonal Movement or direction Curved: Shallow Comfort, safety, familiarity, relaxation

Curved: Deep Confusion, turbulence, or frenzy Jagged Movement or anxiety

Directional Emphasis Thick Emphasis

Thin Softness Repeating Unity

Balance

Balance involves the way shapes are arranged. When balanced, the shapes create a feeling of order or

harmony; tension occurs when shapes are not balanced.

TYPE: DESCRIPTION: Symmetrical Equal proportion of material on both sides of visual

Asymmetrical Proportion of material in visual is skewed Radial Visual elements are circular in proportion

ENGLISH 2201 Evaluating Visuals: A Study Guide

STEP ONE: Examine the visual as a whole. Ask yourself …

Does it appeal to me? Why or why not?

What is the subject of the work?

How does the visual make me feel?

What is the overall tone/mood/atmosphere of the visual?

What message is being relayed by the visual?

STEP TWO: Examine the visual for elements of tone/mood/atmosphere. Ask yourself …

How do the colours support this tone/mood/atmosphere?

What is significant about the positioning of the subject matter?

Do the characters have expressions on their face?

Is there anything that suggests movement?

What shapes has the artist used? Curved? Geometric? Linear?

What lines has the artist used? Thick? Thin? Straight? Curved? Vertical? Horizontal? Diagonal?

How has the artist manipulated space? Are the elements mostly in the foreground or the background?

STEP THREE: View the visual with respect to aesthetics. Ask yourself …

Is the work balanced? Is it symmetrical, asymmetrical, or radial?

Does anything catch your eye? What is it? Why does it catch your eye?

Examine the setting. Is it day? Night? Inside? Outside? City? Country?

From what viewpoint is the visual taken? High? Low?

How has the artist used juxtaposition?

How has the artist used contrast? (Light/dark, rough/smooth, warm/cool, straight/curved, etc.)

Where has the artist placed emphasis?

STEP FOUR: Put it in perspective. Ask yourself …

Does this visual remind me of anything else? Does it contain any allusions?

Does it include any text (labels, titles, captions?)? How does it enhance the visual?

Are there any symbols? What do they represent? Do they enhance the visual?

What purpose could the artist have had in mind when creating this visual?

Is there a unity to the visual?

Is there an intended audience? If so, who is it?