Session 2 - Reading words and images
Terminology:
Frame of reference: A set of ideas that a person accepts which influences their opinions or decisions
Denotation: A non coded immediate reading of a sign
Connotation: A secondary reading of what could relate to the sign, like the style, quality or medium
Polysemous: Plethora of signs that can be deducted from one sign
Anchorage: The relay between words and images where they stand in a complementary relationship
Types of anchorage:
Words: All/ most information is gathered through text
Image: All/ most information is gathered through images
Dual message: Words and images communicate the exact same
Interdependent/ convergent: Words and images working together to convey something that neither could alone
Parallell/ divergent: Words and images follow different paths that communicate different ideas
Intermediality: The understanding between the relation between text and image
Frame of reference: A set of ideas that a person accepts which influences their opinions or decisions
Denotation: A non coded immediate reading of a sign
Connotation: A secondary reading of what could relate to the sign, like the style, quality or medium
Polysemous: Plethora of signs that can be deducted from one sign
Anchorage: The relay between words and images where they stand in a complementary relationship
Types of anchorage:
Words: All/ most information is gathered through text
Image: All/ most information is gathered through images
Dual message: Words and images communicate the exact same
Interdependent/ convergent: Words and images working together to convey something that neither could alone
Parallell/ divergent: Words and images follow different paths that communicate different ideas
Intermediality: The understanding between the relation between text and image
Rene Magritte: The Treachery of Images
Below I have written some notes from our lecture on the analysis of the anchorage and the denotations and connotations of the image
Figure 1. Magritte, R. (1929) The Treachery of Images [Oil on canvas]
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Scott McCloud: Understanding Comics
For a long time we have used show and tell to learn, even centuries ago when pictures was drawn on the walls on rock structures. Today we have a vast and rich modern language we have unlimited access to as an "irreplacable commodity" (McCloud, 1994, p. 161). Being able to make comics, write stories and draw images in today's world have never been better. Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics (1994) is a great introduction to this new world and how show and tell works in comic books, by not just telling you and writing about it, but showing it in the form of a comic book template and showing examples of different ways the types of anchorage occurs and the impact the combination of image and words has for storytelling.
These types of anchorage have been listed above, but he talked especially about interdependent and how it generally is the core of comics and is the most used typed of anchorage. Most of the time the weight of words and images are not equal, but more like two partners in a dance (McCloud, 1994, p. 156). If both of them try to lead, it turns into a giant mess, and playing on each others strengths is vital.
If pictures carry the weight, words have the opportunity to explore. Perhaps it is appropriate to do an internal monologue, or do something abstract to illustrate the situation more vividly. However you can also put emphasis on the words instead, letting images explore. You could just illustrate what the words are saying, but you have more freedom than that. You can show fragments of the scene, amplify the words in an abstract manner, or show the protagonists emotions (McCloud, 1994, p. 159-160).
McCloud, S. (1994) Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art. New York: HarperCollins Inc.
Fig. 1 Magritte, R. (1929) The Treachery of Images [Oil on canvas] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Treachery_of_Images#/media/File:MagrittePipe.jpg (Accessed 22 April 2020)
These types of anchorage have been listed above, but he talked especially about interdependent and how it generally is the core of comics and is the most used typed of anchorage. Most of the time the weight of words and images are not equal, but more like two partners in a dance (McCloud, 1994, p. 156). If both of them try to lead, it turns into a giant mess, and playing on each others strengths is vital.
If pictures carry the weight, words have the opportunity to explore. Perhaps it is appropriate to do an internal monologue, or do something abstract to illustrate the situation more vividly. However you can also put emphasis on the words instead, letting images explore. You could just illustrate what the words are saying, but you have more freedom than that. You can show fragments of the scene, amplify the words in an abstract manner, or show the protagonists emotions (McCloud, 1994, p. 159-160).
McCloud, S. (1994) Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art. New York: HarperCollins Inc.
Fig. 1 Magritte, R. (1929) The Treachery of Images [Oil on canvas] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Treachery_of_Images#/media/File:MagrittePipe.jpg (Accessed 22 April 2020)
