Text and Image

Text can focus the viewer on the works intention. Often used to explain the image and why it is represented as such. The supporting text can reveal undertones not overtly apparent to the viewer. The story behind the image can be more interesting than the picture.

The supporting text changes the context the image is seen in, just as cropping an image invites the viewer to create their own context.  An aesthetic landscape may conjure up feelings of peace and relaxation, but with text accompanying it, suggesting you could be there if you buy an expensive car, the image stays the same, but our view and feelings may change.

 Take this mug shot for example.

Mug shot.

The image does not seem spectacular in itself, but from reading the associated text we learn that the person was Jane Fonda. She was arrested in the 1970’s on suspicion of drug smuggling, several months later the charged were dropped. From reading a little further into it, we begin to understand the motives and political issues surrounding the arrest.

Not all text and images are separated, the definition between what is text and what is an image can be merged.  Often symbols can explain things a lot quicker than the text. Road signs are basic images that explain information simply and efficiently. If you were to see a road sign with a cow on it, you would not only be more aware of the cattle that may be present on the road, but may also be more cautious concerning road conditions as a result of cattle in the area. To have this information in the format of text is futile it would have taken too long to read the information.

The separation of text and image is not always clear. Whilst they are both forms of mark making, text is generally read and images are looked upon.Below is an example of how the text can resemble an image.

Quicksilver logo.

Whilst the brand Quicksilver has a logo associated with it, the font used in the text is widely regarded as an image itself and can be found adorning clothing created by this company. This blurring of definitions between text and image occurs frequently in advertising. Often when the text is used to further illustrate and emphasise the product.

Hand drawn text.

Text is not just limited to the type fonts that we find in a word processor. One way is the process of making an image that can be read as text. Hand drawn fonts are created by artists, and can be seen as images in their own right.

Image created using text.

This process also works in reverse too. The portrait above was created using text. By adjusting, the path, boldness, and size, the text imitates mark making, as thus an image is created.

Links:

http://tinik.deviantart.com/art/Representational-B-and-W-text-89790654

dzineors.blogspot.com, http://dzineors.blogspot.com/2010/08/35-most-popular-hand-drawn-font.html

http://janefonda.com/mug-shot/

It is all about Production!

Throughout history manuscripts and books were copied by hand. Medieval monks illuminated the bible and in Rome trained slaves copied books by hand. In the middle of the 15^th Century there was an introduction of printing.

Johannes Gensfleisch zur Laden zum Getenberg developed the earliest European printing press and in 1945 printed the first ever book using moveable type in 1945. The book was the bible.

A page from the Gutenberg Bible.

Johannes Gutenberg was a blacksmith and goldsmith. Having these metal skills he had learnt as a craftsman, he was able to make type from an alloy of lead, tin and antimony. This type was durable and produced high quality printed books time after time, making it more favourable to other known materials. The type was also created quickly  and precisely from a uniform template, making it very versatile.

Moveable type.

Moveable type printing led to a revolution and explosion of printing in Europe, books were reproduced and copies faster and more efficiently. This enabled the spread of learning to the masses, and played a key role in the development of the renaissance, reformation and the scientific revolution.

Within a few decades printing activities within Europe went from a single print shop in Mainz to over 110 printers in Germany, Italy, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, England, Bohemia and Poland.

Gutenberg did not stop experimenting with the printing. He later went on to create and use an oil base ink that was more durable that the widely used water based ink, he also was one of the first to introduce colour to the pages.

Where do you rate yourself on

the novice to expert scale?

I would place myself between Competent and Proficient on the novice to expert scale. Although people have told me I am brilliant, I look at work by other artists and consider myself somewhat under them. There are always things to learn, other materials and experiments to undertake. To demonstrate this I will include a few examples.

Knowledge. I understand the historic development of Illustration, how it has changed and developed according to the time, materials available and requirement of the viewers. From visual aids, hobbyist works, narrative, editorial and commercial work, to fashion.

A range of illustrations showing different approaches to drawing a building.

Standard of work. I constantly evaluate and critique my work as I go, and would not consider terming it as finished until I am completely happy that I have done everything within my skill. Often I will work continuously with a medium until I understand how it can be applied and manipulated.

A series of works produced over a 2 year period using pencil crayons.

Autonomy. During our first term at University we were set a task to create a digital magazine(in small groups) based on Birmingham. We each had our individual tasks to perform and tasks to perform as a group. I completed all that was required of me for this project, then went on further to produce another magazine from a different viewpoint.

Intrigue Magazine, a group work.

Coping with complexity. For our project we also had to create an ident to advertise the magazine. Having no experience with moving image, we had to start with the basics and quickly learnt what was beyond our scope and capabilities. Using what we knew, we developed our ideas and tailored them specifically to our skills. New skills were needed and learnt to complete the process, but none of them were beyond our timescale and capabilities.

Perceptions of context. I see the process of creating work as adaptable. Lots of smaller things may seem inconsequential, but when put together can effect the whole. Having rigid routines do not work, sometimes you need to change the way you approach something to make it work. Having a little faith works, the smaller, tedious parts are necessary, and form a solid base for the whole.

I don’t think I would ever consider myself and expert in all areas as there are always new things to learn and do. When I believe I have a proficiency in a certain area, I move on, maybe revisiting from time to time to infuse new material I have gained elsewhere, creating a viscous circle.  

Links:

http://www.redbubble.com/people/lyndseyhale

http://www.issuu.com/lyndseyhale/docs/intrigue

http://www.issuu.com/lyndseyhale/docs/ambit

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7S-3Jv9Z3A

Development of Ideas and Structure in Moving Image.

A good film has three parts to it. A beginning, middle and end. Most films flow in this sequence at a rate of ¼ introduction, ½ main action and story, and ¼ ending, tying up of loose ends.

The three act structure.

The beginning sets the scene; it informs the viewer of the situation. It introduces the main character in a state of equilibrium, how everyday life is for the person.

The middle shows how this person’s life is thrown into chaos by a catalyst, and his/her fight to gain control over the situations. Often the person undergoes a change in their views and emotions.

The end shows how the main character undergoes further changes to enforce a new state of equilibrium, resolving the crisis.

Some films such as The Usual Suspects, begins with the end scene and you then progress through the middle crisis. There are series of films that individually have the classic 3 act structure, and when viewed as a whole have a further 3 act structure, like Harry Potter. In Kill Bill 1 and 2, even though each part has a 3 act structure, the second part , in real time, has occurred before the first. There are also films that seem to contain sever short stories that come together at the end to create the main feature story, like Sin City.

In the majority of films there is a reference to the 17 stages of John Cambell’s monomyth. To illustrate this further I will use the film Equilibrium as an example.

Joseph Cambell’s monomyth.

First a little about the film. It is set in the future, following the survival of WW3. It is decided that man’s volatile nature is to blame, of man’s inhumanity to man. They believe that it is our ability to feel hate, anger, rage, jealousy and grief that creates this disposition. They create a police force to combat this and get everyone to take a drug, Prozium, to prohibit emotions. Our hero is a policeman whose job it is to eradicate offenders of emotion and condemned material.  After failing to take his daily dose of Prozium, he starts to feel. Realising that to feel is vital to live, he starts his quest.

Call to adventure. Investigating his work partners failure to log evidence for incineration, accumulating in the death of his work partner.

Incineration of condemned material, here the Mona Lisa.

Supernatural aid. Having suffered a nightmare, his routing is changed, resulting in the broken vial, with no means of replacement.

Crossing the threshold. Realisation of his emotions when confronted with an aesthetic scene and the resulting destruction of Prozium.

Road of trials. Learning to hide emotions whilst working.

Meeting the goddess. The arrest and following interviews with a lady, Mary O’Brian.

Meeting of the goddess, whilst beginning to feel emotions.

Apostasis. The woman’s execution, and his failure to hide his emotion.

Rescue from without. The realisation of betrayal and the conversation following, results in him finding renewed vigour to complete his quest.

Magic flight. Having learnt of betrayal, he then fights without emotion to the heart of his quest.

On his magic flight to the end of his quest.

Crossing the return threshold. Completing his quest to disrupt the supply without conflicting emotions.

Links:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0238380/

Interpretation and delivery

For this task I shall look at the tale of Little Red Riding Hood, and how this tale had been adapted to suit the audience of the era.

The first printed version of this tale comes from 1697 by Charles Perrault, Tales and stories of the past with morals. His version was targeted towards the literate upper classes of society. The tale was told in the court of Louis XIV in 17^th century France.

Little Red Riding Hood with the wolf, engraving by Gustave Doré 

An attractive young lady was deceived into giving the wolf the information it needed to get to granny’s cottage avoiding the woodcutters and eat her. The young lady then arrives at the cottage. The wolf feeds her granny to her and gets red riding hood to burn her clothes. She is then persuaded to climb into bed with the wolf and then she herself is eaten.

The story is very overtly moralised and sinister. The tale was a warning for women of the advances of men. The colour red symbolised sin and carnality. It was said in court that if a lady had “seen a wolf” she had lost her virginity.

Image of Red Riding Hood. New production techniques have also altered the depiction of her. More colour is used.

During the 19^th century the tale was retold by the Brothers Grimm. The story was changed as not to disturb the more conservative Victorian readership. They omitted the cannibalism and the burning of clothes. They also included the woodcutter as a heroic figure that come to the rescue of Red Riding Hood.

2011 film Red Riding Hood.

In 2011, the tale was updated further and made into a film. To entice the audience to watching it, little changes were made. Red Riding Hood is a beautiful young lady torn between two men, as she plans to elope with one of them (a woodcutter), a series of deaths associated to the wolf occur. The village at this point had a truce with the wolf and offered it meat to pacify it. Along comes a werewolf hunter, tells the villagers it could be any one of them, as it takes human form during the day. The villagers start accusing each other…including Red Riding Hoods granny, who lives just outside the village. Red Riding Hood becomes to focus of the wolf’s attentions. The woodcutter saves her life, but in the process gets bitten and changes into a werewolf.

The Delivery of the above tale changed throughout time. It changed to reflect the audience and the technologies available for that period in time. Many stories started life being verbally communicated, then some were written down, later on images (engravings and woodcuts) were added. When there were advances in printing technologies the images reflected it too. Colour was added, short films were produced, animations made, and recently films were made.

There are a myriad of platforms to display work. The art of an illustrator is moving away from flat pages, you can find their work on accessories, shop windows, fabrics, wallpapers and animations.

Whilst some of these formats can use ant type of design i.e. photos, graphics. Some are best suited to illustration. It all depends on the message, audience and the tone of voice

Library wall in Birmingham. Created using spray paints, and depicting famous characters from children’s stories and films.

Here they are targeting children in hope of attracting them to the library. The artist has used characters from books and films the children may know. It’s bright and colourful, it also adds interest to an otherwise dull concrete area.

A widow display for Harvey Nicholls.

Here they are appealing to the inner child. The display is for Christmas, magical time for children. Although the people making purchases here will be older, it reaches the inner child with bright colours and playful images.

A paper craft animation by Yum Yum.

This colourful image is from Yum Yum, an English based animation, illustration and design studio. This image was created for the cover of Digital Arts Magazine.

Links and references;

http://www.photographersdirect.com/buyers/stockphoto.asp?imageid=2762523

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Little_Red_Riding_Hood_-_Project_Gutenberg_etext_19993.jpg

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1486185/

http://www.yumyumlondon.com/