English exam

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English Study

comprehension

Simile = is a figure of speech that directly compares two things.

Metaphor = is a figure of speech that, for rhetorical effect, directly refers to one thing by mentioning another.

Personification = the attribution of human traits, emotions, or intentions to non-human entities.

Symbolism = the use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities.

Silique = device often used in drama when a character speaks to him- or herself, relating thoughts and feelings, thereby also sharing them with the audience, giving off the illusion of being a series of unspoken reflections.

Visual analysis

GAZE

Refers to where the figure in the image is looking.

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DEMAND- a term used when a figure in the image 'gazes' directly out of the page at the responder. This establishes a connection between subject and viewer.

READING PATHWAYS

A reading path is the path you take through a visual text. The path moves from the most salient to the least salient elements.

In other words, it is the movement of the viewer's gaze around a visual text. This can be influenced by elements such as vectors, Salience, gaze etc.

VECTOR- A vector is a line that leads your eye from one element to another. A vector may be a visible line or an invisible one. It can be created by such things as against, pointing fingers or extended arms. They may be objects or parts of objects (such as arms, legs, a pole, the side of a house) or invisible lines such as the direction of gaze from a represented person's eyes to another person or object.

SALIENCE ( focal points)- The element/s in an image which stand out and attract the viewer's attention, it refers to the feature in a composition that most grabs your attention. An image can be made salient through

Placement -usually an image becomes heavier if placed towards the top or left of the page

​colour

Size

Focus

Distance

Or, a combination of these

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FRAMING- elements in a layout can be disconnected and marked off from each other or connected. If elements are cut off from one another they are strongly framed. Framing can be achieved by borders, this discontinuities of colour and shape, for my white space. Connectedness can be achieved by vectors and devices such as overlapping or superimposition of images.

PERSPECTIVE

FOREGROUND/ MIDDLE GROUND/ BACKGROUND - what is in the foreground is often considered more important than what appears in the background.

COMPOSITIONAL AXIS

the vertical axis - the left is known, the right is new or unknown

the horizontal axis- the upper section is ideal, the lower elements are real.

IDEAL/ REAL - when the page is divided horizontally, top and bottom. The top of the page is often called the 'ideal'. In advertising the product is usually placed in the ideal. What has been placed at the bottom of an image can be said to represent the 'real' and usually contains information about the product.

SHOTS AND PERSPECTIVES

Viewing angles and distance are very similar to film shot. For example, 'low angles' make the subject look more powerful while the reverse is true when a 'high angle' is used. A high angle makes the viewer feel a sense of power and a lower angle makes the viewer feel powerless. A straight on eyelevel view creates no power difference. Like in film medium, illustrators use 'shots' for different purposes, for example close-ups, long shots etc.

SOCIAL DISTANCE

A close-up is intimate and creates a connection with the viewer whilst a long shot creates objectivity and distance. With a long shot or an objective image of you is not drawn into involvement with the image. Meaning comes from the symbolic connection made by the reader.

SYMBOLS

symbols can be used to represent ideas or concepts.

COLOUR

Colour is an element strongly tied to our emotions. Depending on the context, it can have symbolic, associative or evocative meanings.

​Red colour red represents action, passion, masculinity, emotion, danger

Yellow represents warm colours, cheerful, joy, light-heartedness

Blue represents coolness, calmness, wisdom new point

Black represents evil, mysterious, powerful, fear

White represents purity, innocence, timelessness, mystical

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