Memorandum

To: Dr. Newmark

From: Christina Nevarez

Subject: Scrapbook Midterm

The Project: The purpose of this project is to describe and emphasize the different types of visual communication that are found in the world. Each entry contains a different type of picture along with an analysis describing why the picture was chosen for the certain topic.

Entry 1: Ways of Seeing: Consequences of photographing original art. Offer example and explain. The image that was chosen was one of the reproduction of the famous painting the Scream. In this reproduction, Homer Simpson of the television series, Simpsons, is the man screaming. Homer Simpson changes the connotation from dark and gloomy to comical.

Entry 2: Ways of Seeing: Evolution or stasis? Representational relationships between men and women in art. Women in art are often inferior to men. This relationship is shown in the picture that was chosen. Apollo is being bathed by the 6 nymphs that surround him.

Entry 3: Gestalt Principles: Include two images that demonstrate selected (named) principles. Continuation and symmetry are the two gestalt principles that are analyzed in this project. The impossible stairs are an example of continuation while the Batman symbol shows symmetry in the simple design of the logo.

Entry 4: An Image that has shaped Western Culture: (or American culture). Choose one and explain. The image that was chosen is the German Swastika. This symbol has much history behind it. The Holocaust was one of the darkest times of world history and this symbol serves as a reminder of this time in history.

Entry 5: Symbolic nature of light: Static or “moving” image that uses light in a symbolic way. The picture that was chosen is an example of how light puts a different meaning behind a picture. This is a picture of a last meal on death row in Texas. This is a meal that a prisoner receives before their execution in jail. The lighting placed on this meal makes the meal seem gloomy and dark. If there was more light placed on the food, the meal would seem more positive.

Entry 6: Media Representation of Sight: Find an image of a visually-impaired person from a famous film or text. Explain. The man that is pictured in this entry is Ray Charles from the movie, Ray. Ray Charles was a blind pianist and vocalist. His sense of touch and hearing was inclined in order to supplement his lack of vision.

Entry 7: Visual Cues: Find an image that “exploits one of the four visual cues more than the others.” Analyze. The visual cue that is depicted in this entry is depth. This image plays with a person’s depth perception throughout this image. The mind infers certain things due to depth but this picture challenges the mind’s regular thought process with depth perception. This image deals with depth as a visual cue.

Entry 8: Advertising Social Causes: Analyze tactics in any advertisement for a social issue, health crisis, charitable cause, etc. Use print ads only. This advertisement sticks to a very simple and basic yet powerful layout. It uses pathos in order to get to your emotions to raise awareness about breast cancer. The pink color border and the position the woman takes as a ribbon helps this ad because these two are symbols of breast cancer awareness.

Entry 9: Stereotype Persistence: Find one powerful example in a business-related piece of visual media. The advertisement that is shown is a commercial for Old Spice Deodorant. This man gives off the impression that he is the “perfect” man in a woman’s eyes and gives false hope that her man can be “perfect” too if she purchases this deodorant for the man in her life. The stereotype in this ad is the man trying to be the stereotypical “perfect” man for a woman.

Entry 10: Technical Perspective: Based on your high degree of technical know-how about a certain media form, provide a visual example of a photograph, animation, graphic, or other image with “low production values.” Explain. The example given here is for the movie Paranormal Activity. This movie was a low production film. It seems to be filmed with a regular home video recorder. Since this movie is supposed to be based on true events, the home video recorder along with the poor production values gives believability to viewers.