Introduction to the image:
This image portrays a man that is trying to flee a chaotic post bomb area that is
full of destruction, horrors and sharp harmful objects.
Important Techniques for Analyzing Visual Texts
1. Visual Elements of Design
Key
Element Definition Significance
Questions
Composition How image is What is main The way different parts of an image are put together draws
put together. figure? How the viewers attention to some parts more than others. It also
Where things are other creates tone, mood and meaning.
Key
Element Definition Significance
Questions
are placed in figures
relationship to placed in
one another relation to
and to the main figure?
space of the What is left
canvas. out?
Elements of The different Which The Artist that captured this image focused on conveying a
Design aspects the elements of whole wide angle of destruction, quietness, and void. The
artist can use to design are color appears to be grey, with some sort of a dull weather.
put together most Which emphasizes on the effects of a bomb that had
the image. important in reached this space, and destruction that is living within the
this piece land. The movement seems slow, like everything is steadily
(color, line, falling down around the man that is clearly trying to flee
texture, away in the fastest time possible. The texture of this image
shape, form, can appear very sharp, like rocks, broken glass, and broken
value, size, steel. The photographer intended to take this image in a
text, wide angle in order to portray the shape of the world in the
movement) perspective of those who live through war every day. This
signifies the emotions of horror, emptiness, and chaos.
Moreover, these emotions can be related by the feeling of
emptiness this man is experiencing through running towards
the chaos, holding fear in his heart. In relation to Owen’s
poem when Owen stated, “awaiting for nothing to happen”,
the man in the image is trying to flee from nothing but to
other places of chaos and nothingness.
Focal Point Where your What is the Understanding the focal point helps you understand the
attention is focal point? meaning of the picture.
drawn to in the What
picture elements of
design does
the artist use
to create the
focal point?
Color All of the colors What colors Color can create meaning by creating moods, highlighting
as well as black, are used? particular parts of the image, connecting aspects of the
Key
Element Definition Significance
Questions
white and How do these image, or by being symbolic.
neutrals. colors affect
Monocromatic the tone,
means using mood and
one color. meaning of
Complementary the image?
means using Are colors
colors opposite used in
one another on predictable
the color wheel or
unpredictabl
e ways
(example:
predictable is
red for
danger)
Line actual lines in How do lines Artists use lines to draw your attention to the focal point.
picture or lines draw your
created by the attention
placement of towards or
other objects away from
certain parts
of the
picture? How
are different
Texture Texture is how Where is Texture links images to real objects and the use of senses
rough or texture in the other than sight.
smooth image and
something is, or how does this
the pattern it texture
has. Texture create an
can be real on 3 expectation
dimensional in the
art, or audience of a
represented on particular
2 dimensional touch
Key
Element Definition Significance
Questions
art. sensation?
Shape The way in How are Our eyes tend to focus on familiar shapes and see shapes in
which the artist shapes used two dimentional art through shading and use of light.
uses circles, in the art?
squares, Where does
rectangles, shape, or
ovals and other relationships
shapes in the between
art. shapes help
your eye to
focus?
Form How light and Where has Form can contribute to making an image seem more real,
shading the artist and also to add importance to a part of the picture.
techniques used shading
make a 2 or light to
dimensional highlight
object look like some aspect
it has 3 of the image?
dimensions. Does some
part of the
image stand
out as having
3
dimensions?
Value Degree of light How are light Value can be used along with color. Extreme changes in
and dark in and dark value createst contrast which often is used to provide
different parts used in this meaning.
of the picture. picture? Is
there a
symbolic use
of light and
dark? Does
the artist use
light or dark
to highlight
Key
Element Definition Significance
Questions
the focal
point?
Size Size can refer to Why did the Variation in the size of shapes and lines indicates relative
the overall size artist choose significance.
of the image this size for
and also the the piece?
relative size of What is the
items in the meaning of
image. the
difference
between
sizes of
elements in
the image?
Symbolic Specific parts of Are any of Symbols draw on cultural meanings which can work
Elements the design the aspects differently for different audiences.
which have of this piece
symbolic or symbolic?
historical Does the
meaning (such artist intend
as a cross for to use the
Christianity, or symbolism
triangles for the directly or to
Trinity). invert it?
2. Principles of Design
Taken from Getty Education Materials:
http://www.getty.edu/education/teachers/building_lessons/principles_design.pdf
Principle What it Means What to look for
Balance How the different visual Symmetrical balance means things on both sides are
elements are distributed so even, asymmetrical balance means that the design is
that they seem stable or weighted on one side, radical balance means things
unstable. are organized around a center point.
Emphasis What catches your The artist usually uses size, texture, shape, color or
attention when you look at some other element to make one part of the image
the image. stand out as the focal point.
Movement How your eye moves in a Where do your eyes go, and what makes your eyes
path through the picture, move through the picture in a certain way. Is it lines?
sometimes stopping to Colors? Shapes? Edges?
focus on certain parts.
Pattern and Is there an object or a If it is repeated, it is probably important to the
Repetition symbol that repeats in the meaning. You might want to find out what that image
design? means.
Proportion The relationship of sizes Are the proportions realistic or distorted?
inside the piece of art, for
example the size of one
building to another, or a
head to the body.
Variety and Variety is the use of several See how the different elements of design work
Rhythm elements of design to make together to produce a mood or meaning.
the audience see the image
as dynamic and in an active
rhythm.
