the Critical Illustrator

week 1 - semiotics (& lecture notes)

• Semiotics is a sub-structure of 'Structuralism'.
• It is defined as 'the study of signs and sign systems within society'.
• Anything that is capable of conveying meaning is a sign (e.g. words, images, clothes, gestures, symbols, etc).

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Semiotics is a critical methodology to study;

• How signs communicate [cultural] meanings.
• How we relate to signs.

Semiotics provide a useful framework for;

• Deconstructing visual 'texts' around us.
• Looking beyond their surface at underlying [cultural] messages and ideas.

Relating back to the year 1 'History & Practice' unit, and our study of clothing and it's hidden meanings we can establish that 'clothing' is essentially a 'cultural sign system which has strong communicative value which is used on a daily basis to negotiate meaning and interact with the basis of that negotiated meaning' - Roland Barthes 'The Fashion System' [1967] 

WEEK 2 - READING WORDS & IMAGES (& LECTURE NOTES)

Signifier + Signified = Sign
Signifier; physical representation
Signified; mental concept

Circuit of speech (Saussure);
The circuit of speech implies that our communication and understanding of signs depends on our mutual co-operation or sharing of particular concepts.

Presentation; live event
Representation; mediation
Re-representation; re-framing

WORDS;
Arbitrary signifiers; do NOT resemble what they describe
Codified; require a knowledge of language, linguistic rules & (culturally learned) definitions

IMAGES;
Iconic signifiers; resemble what they describe & are usually learned/viewed/experienced before words

Plane of Abstraction; how an image is captured and rendered visually...affects the 'reading of meaning'

Anchorage; 'Used to describe the relay between words and visuals...where text and image stand in a complimentary relationship' - Roland Barthes

Types of ANCHORAGE;

• word specific - words (text or verbal) providing all, or most of the information needed to decode the message
• image specific - images providing all, or most of the information needed to decode the message
• dual message - words and images communicating the same message, either in tone or content
• inter-dependent (convergent) - words and images working together whilst also contributing information independently, to convey an idea that neither could do alone
• parallel (divergent) - words and images appear to follow different 'paths' and/or communicate ideas that do not seem to intersect

Denotation - primary meaning

• non-coded - most immediate reading of a sign
• literal deduction - reflects broad opinion or consensus

Connotation - Secondary reading
example - the reader may pick up on these things;

• style, mode of production, medium and materials, plane of expression, abstraction.. etc
• objects as 'inducers of ideas' - words and images may trigger off associated readings or link to other concepts
• intertextuality - the link between one text and another
• coded interpretation - myth - is relayed at the level of connotation

  

Analysis of 'Treachery of Images' by Rene Magritte;

Text message;

• Ceci n'est pas une pipe' - 'This is not a pipe'
• Written as a statement of fact
• Slogan & signature both present - in a handwritten style
• The statement is a contradiction in itself - it forces you to question what else the image could be perceived as despite it clearly depicting a pipe

Associations of the word 'pipe';

• Sexual connotation? - 'pipe' literally means 'blowjob' in French
• Sign of age.. old men?
• Seen as a statement of class (middle class?)
• Smoke/pollution?

Signature; represents ownership of the idea & is a sign that this IS a piece of art > status?...value?

Image message;

• Medium? - oil paint on canvas or paper?
• It is merely a painting of a smoking pipe
• Sign? - painted as a realism piece, almost photographically

• Plane of abstraction - painted carefully/skillfully by the artist's hand
• 2D representation of a 3D object

The pipe as a visual sign;

• Paradigm of male sexuality?
• Symbol of status/class - signifier of authority?

Anchorage;

• ​Inter-dependent - the text and image both work as separate things individually but when combined together create a different meaning
• Contradictory messages - slogan entices the viewer to question the image and it's true representation - the function of art?.. social purpose?

WEEK 3 - DECODING ADVERTISING (& LECTURE NOTES)

​Moral values - cultural norms and ways of behaviour
Representation - gender, class, ethnicity..
​

​Maslow's Heirarchy of human needs;

​Aspirational selling;

• Will reflect a target consumer
• Plants the 'seed of need'
• Upwardly mobile​​ associations
• Link status > Consumption

Concealment;

• Hide/do not show production or economic structure

Semiotic analysis;
To start with, separate all the linguistic and image signs within the advertisement.

Barthes argues that magazine ads are a mix of linguistic and image signs that form these messages..

Linguistic message;

• non-coded - (literal reading of linguistic signs)
• coded - (connotations of linguistic signs)

Image message; 

• non-coded - (denotative reading of image signs)
• coded - (symbolic/connotative reading of image signs)

..and that a close analysis of the 'coded' messages will reveal any myths contained within
​

Modern magazine advert analysis - 'Estee Lauder' (Le Rouge)

​Following on from our collective analysis of a Dior perfume advert during the lecture, I've chosen to break down and analyze a similar perfume advert.

Linguistic message;
Denotations (non-coded);

• It's a French brand therefore some text is written in French, most notably the name of this particular fragrance - 'Rouge' means red, which corresponds to the colour scheme and imagery
• Emphasis on the words 'Modern Muse' - implying that it's a new product

Connotations (coded);

• Intertextuality
• Stylized 'modern' and 'corporate' typography

Image Message;
Denotations (non-coded);

• Product placement bottom right - model is gazing at it - leads viewers eye from top left to bottom right (western reading function)
• Female model - half body shot - natural studio lighting
• Selective colour - red is dominant colour - model's skin tone and outfit match the product's colour scheme
• Digitally enhanced/composite image - super-imposed product placement
• Very much designed and not natural

​Connotations (coded);

• ​Dramatised scene - staged - posed - not spontaneous as appears
• Unrealistic beauty standards? - desirability through buying product
• Red is an intimate and sexual colour - more appealing to women

Myth?

WEEk 4 - the graphic code of comic books