Yr10: YOUR INDIVIDUAL PORTFOLIO

In class, we discuss yesterday's legislation about charges for plastic bags as an introduction to an important study of semiotics from Roland Barthes The Rhetoric of the Image (1974). 

Decoding the rhetoric of images. Image by Panzini.

How do images hold and convey meaning?
How do we understand them?
What are they trying to say?
How do they persuade and influence us?

Roland Barthes deconstructed a Panzani advertising image  and extracted the types of  messages contained within it in order to illustrate the ‘rhetoric’ of the image. Though advertisements have a deliberate ‘signification’ or meaning generated in order to sell a product, Barthes’ analyses can be used to understand how messages are conveyed in other types of images. You write about your work on this and send it to me for inclusion in your Appendix.

Coded Iconic Messages:  The Symbolic or Connoted Message

Barthes points out that, when you analyze the pure image, you can distinguish four main signs that work together to create a coherent message:
1. Because of the visual composition, the scene represents the idea of a return from the market, product freshness and home-made food.
2. What signifies the return from the market? The half open shopping bag with the contents spilling out.  However, in order to ‘read’ this sign, we have to understand what the shopping bag represents and the culture around ‘local shopping’, as opposed to the bulk supermarket buys.
3. The colors red, green, and white are known to relate to or signify Italy, or rather “Italianicity.” They work to enforce the linguistic connotation of the sign Panzini.
4. The close proximity of the items suggests or signifies that Panzini provides a total culinary service and  is your solution to a quick, fresh, home-made meal.

The viewer derives the message from the visual connotations or suggestions provided by the chosen objects, their particular arrangement, their signifiers, and what they signify. From the coded message we receive the idea that Panzini provides fresh, home-made, authentic Italian meals.

PREP Familiarize yourself with Pixlr (free app) and download to your home iPad or smartphone. For your Individual Portfolio, you make two original advertisements for imaginary fragrance brands for men or women.  
Last week in class, I introduced you to ways of creating collages using the app Moldiv.
Today, we look at how to add borders, overlays, text and visual noise in Pixlr.
Take a photo (or as many as you wish, use Pixlr and post the finished results on your blog by Friday.