Denotation - primary meaning
Non-coded – A sign's instant reading/literal meaning A general consensus or a census – a literal deduction Connotation - secondary reading Plane of expression…abstraction can take many forms, including style, mediums, materials, and production.... Inducers of ideas – connect to other ideas Intertextuality
The connection between two or more texts |
Ceci n'est pas une pipe
Text denotations:
The text denotations of these photos are as follows: "This is not a pipe" is translated from French. The writing is written in a poetic font that seems like handwriting. Text connotations: The language connotations of the phrase, on the other hand, indicate to the viewer that what they are looking at is not a pipe but something altogether different. The full stop at the conclusion of the sentence indicates that the statement is true. The word "pipe" is a major signifier in the text, and it conjures up images of the thing. The curls in the font reflect an expressive handwriting style, yet the uniform size of each letter gives the typeface a professional appearance. Rene Magritte's signature in the bottom right corner denotes ownership and authority over the images. Image denotations: The dentations in the image come from a realistically painted pipe on a canvas, painted with oil paint. Surrealism is the style of this piece. Image connotations: While the picture connotations are of a highly talented painting depicting a pipe, the lighting within the artwork demonstrates a level of realism. The pipe's dark, rich colours make it appear more masculine, and the pipe's gold band makes it appear more valuable. As a result, the images appear to be a sign of authority and prestige. Anchorage: The interaction between text and image pushes readers to examine the image itself by working together to provide meaning. Frame of reference: The background or frame of reference for this work of art is that it was painted in 1929 by Rene Magritte when she was 30 years old, and the significance and impact that this image has had on people is always altering with our changing society and our own particular perspectives on the world. |
Panzini Advertisement:
linguistic message
Non coded - Literal meaning Labels, brand names, and colours all contribute to the image's overall structure. The title 'the luxury of Italy' implies that this is high-end food that you may serve to your family, something that appears to be more expensive despite the fact that it appears to be grocery shopping. Although knowledge of French is required to comprehend the text, several words are comparable to those found in the English language, making it possible to decipher the message. Coded - Connotations The repeated brand name on several products demonstrates the brand's commitment, and the products have a high quality thanks to professional photography and product composition. Image Message
Denotation (non-coded) reading A tablecloth is covered with an assortment of food items (both loose and in packaging). The photograph is an example of an iconic sign; the brand name is what catches the eye and guides it throughout the image. Connotation/coded reading To make the products stand out, the objects have been carefully composed. The string bag not only makes the image appear more ecologically friendly, but it also shows us exactly what has been placed, including the tiny ingredients, creating a more authentic family-friendly image. The lighting gives the image a warm tone that contrasts nicely with the tomato outside the bag. The red, white, and green colours are reminiscent of the Italian flag, indicating the origin and legitimacy of the items as well as how delicious the food will be. • Associating: linking factory-produced goods with organic/natural goods... • Intertextuality: arranged like a still life - a piece of art - a link to historical Italian painting |
EXO'S KAI - Dazed Magazine:
linguistic message
Non coded - Literal meaning Dazed Magazine promotes Kai with his upcoming drama: First Kiss For the Sixth Time. Dazed is a renowned fashion magazine that caters to people all around the world, with a focus on South Korea as Kai is a well-known face in the k-pop business as a member of EXO and belonging to one of the world's wealthiest corporations (SMENT). Coded - Connotations The magazine's title features the firm name in bold to draw the reader's attention to who worked on it; the brand is well-known, and the model they chose appeals to a wide range of target audiences. The rest of the headlines are minor and do not relate to the magazine's core theme. Image Message Denotation (non-coded) reading The body picture draws our attention to the watch, implying that the magazine is trying to sell the readers something. The word "time" is used in the text to describe the product. Kai flaunts his expensive Diesel watch, which contrasts with the rest of his clothing. Connotation/coded reading Dark colours contrast with neutral yellow tones, bringing the model and goods to life. The photograph has been meticulously positioned to ensure that Kai is the center of attention in the magazine, with his face taking center stage. |
Robert William Montana (October 23, 1920 – January 4, 1975) was an American comic who was born in the state of California. His characters from the Archie Comics are well-known. I chose one of the Sabrina comics from the Archie Comics Timeline for this assignment.
After examining my comic, I found that not all transition kinds are required to fit on a single page, and instead, it maintains it simple with only two or three different styles. My action to action scenes reveal signs of assisting/hugging Sabrina before shoving her into the sea. The transition from scene to scene depicts a geographical shift from one location to another. The last panel was a little more difficult to translate, but I thought moment to moment fit it well because Sabrina would have just been outside her house for a short time before entering her kitchen. |
Sex and Gender
Sex biological difference between male and female. Official documents/legal requirements etc. Gender the cultural roles of masculinity and femininity - social constructs. Key debates on gender
|
The male gaze
Erving Goffman - Gender Advertisements
|
The Tiger Who Came To Tea
- 1960's Children's book - Reinforces gender stereotypes - women in the kitchen and the men at work = the perfect family life around that era - Masculine and Feminine roles - Power Dynamic - Mother and Daughter are the only women who appear - everyone else around them are all men - The tiger (male) is seen to be causing a mess - the mother is worried about the kitchen and what her husband would think - the husband 'saves' the day |
Cosmopolitan - Khloé Kardashian
- Colours are brighten and more vibrant - use of pink enforces femininity. - Headlines are sexist and misogynist - basing a women's worth based on how they appear. - Use of text feels more messily laid out - doesn't lead the eye well. - Casual clothes, shows the full body - reinforcing gender roles and femininity. |
GQ - Tom Holland
- Colour scheme is dark and and greyish which is also seen as a masculine colour/shade. - Tom appears sophistacted in his apparel and the use of typeface also reflects this. - The title and headlines appear more organised and well thought of. - Bust shot - focusing more on the facial expression - Gender roles enforced within the suit. |
Regressive argument?
- Heterosexual in context and outlook. - Reinforce/obscure patriarchy. - Link gender and consumerism. - Unrealistic role models. |
Progressive argument?
- Post modern texts, irony and humour. - Provide sense of community. - Encourage dialogue between man and woman. - Provide cultural place for gender identities to be explored. manipulated or preserved. |
Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema - Laura Mulvey
Mulvey's essay delves into the concept of 'The Male Gaze,' as well as the pre-existing patterns of sexual inequalities between men and women. However, I would say that this theory and idea are still relevant in today's world.
Mulvey begins by discussing Freud's views. Erotic pleasure is linked to coded erotic themes interlaced throughout popular film. Women are seen as objects, which is linked to narcissistic and voyeuristic viewers who observe and objectify those on the cinema screen, regarding them as virtually unreal. Cinema is the loss and reinforcement of ego at the same time. In response to the notion that women are envious of men because they lack a penis and Instead they have a vagina, and as such, they must be 'punished,' as they pose a threat to male viewers. It is later claimed that the objectification of the vagina, and women in general, occurs as a result of this dread in males. Overall, I thought this essay to be incredibly intriguing and enlightening, despite its difficulty in reading. Many of the viewpoints are antiquated, but they do aid in explaining how our society and culture have been influenced. I believe the essay has supplied me with crucial information and tools to analyse and acknowledge the underlying biases, thus I will definitely view movies in a new perspective. |
Key themes: Rationalism. Technology > culture. Belief in grand narratives. Foreground of high (elitist) culture.
Post truth culture: Distrust in fact/expert opinion. Truth is relative, contested, not absolute. Replaced by authenticity. Modernism: Roughly took place in America from the mid-19th century to the late 1970's. There was a sustained period of development in the arts which innovated change within media, industry and sciences, etc. Political and power constructs. Post Modernism: A reaction that goes against the intellectual assumptions of the modern period, goes against values in history. Concept lacks consensus of the meaning. Rationalism: Religious ideologies being replaced by scientific ideologies. Determinism: Idea that our actions and choices are predetermined by the history before us. Meta-narrative: Explores storytelling and is often drawing attention to its own artificiality. After Modernism: Idea that modernism met it’s end and can not be modernised. Anti Modernism: The complex reactions to the failures of modernism (conflicts, holocaust, ecological disasters etc.). Rejection of rationalism and truths, scepticism of grand political schemes of modernism. A feminist view to modern media. Hyper Modernism: The concept based on the continuation of Modernism and post modernism. An incomplete constant state. The idea of an object is irrelevant to the function. |
Hyper Reality: A lack of boundaries between fantasy and reality.
Bricolage: Sampling of ideas from the past to create something new (pop music, imagery, design, aesthetic etc.) Parody: loaded simulation of the original text (author and referent). Work that emulates another with the intention to mock the original. Pastiche: Images presented without context or reality which removes the meaning. Intertextuality & Double coding. Hybridity & Irony. Intent to celebrate the work it originally emulates. Visual culture Mutations of public space: Urban or fantasy architectural spaces, eg. theme parks are hyper reality. Global/cultural hybridity. The Unstable Image: Lack of trust in images due to the loss of reality and context as images are easily manipulated using photoshop. The real or untouched. Bricolage, parody and pastiche. Intertextuality and double coding. Hybrid genres and recycled narratives. The real, retouched or recycled: No longer trusting images as a true representation. The degradation of image, reading representation and not meaning. Semiotic overload. The society of the spectacle: Mediation – perception of life lived on and seen through screen. |
High culture
|
Low Culture
|
Creative research - Exploratory, serendipitous and non-linear. For inspiration and for problem-solving. Idiosyncratic – and often difficult to describe
Academic research - Research seeks the answer to a question or a solution to a problem. Research is rooted in theory (and may create new theory) Visual - Study of media or artefacts Social science - Surveys, interviews etc Practiced based - Research by doing |
Quantitative methods use numbers
• Surveys, counts and questionnaires • Aim for generalisability – to represent the whole of target population Roots in sciences • Good for snapshots or trends • Can’t answer how or why Qualitative methods use words • Interviews, focus groups, conversations, diaries etc • Aim for deeper insights • Recognises complexity of ‘humans’ in cultures and wider society • Values individual perspectives • Good for asking how or why • Difficult to generalise |
|
By Karamo Brown, Jason "Rachel" Brown, Anoosha Syed (Illustrator)
Diversity in children’s picturebooks
African American Culture
Illustration Process
|