How text and context can strengthen the meanings of your work

The meaning/s of you work, whether you are a photographer, illustrator, graphic designer or fine artist are not only affected by the images you create. Both text and context can strengthen the meanings of your work; making it clearer for audiences to understand what you work is about. Context is the circumstances or setting of an idea or statement that fully displays or clarifies its meaning/s. Text and context can not only strengthen the meanings of your work, but also change and create additional meanings to artwork.

Many different artists use text in their work. Sometimes the text is in the image, such as in Gillian Wearing’s art, whereas others place text with their images, like Duane Michals. Gillian Wearing’s best known work is her photography using signs. She gives people a blank piece of paper and a pen, tells them to write anything they want on it and then photographs them holding their sign. Without the signs, her photos will look like ordinary photos of people. However, the signs add a deeper meaning to her work because the signs display what people are thinking about, giving insight into their personal lives. Duane Michal’s however places text with his photography, rather than in them. He adds text to his images to show emotion, which can’t always be shown through the photos alone.

John Hilliard's "Cause of death" (1974) Available at: http://www.bl.uk/learning/images/Campaign_MAI/resources/large94296.html.
( Accessed on 11th January 2012)

John Milliard’s work “Cause of death” (1974) consists of four of the same images. However, they have been cropped in different ways and are located in different places on the white space. He has placed one word next to each image explaining how the woman in the photo could have died. The meaning with each photograph is not only strengthened with each example, but also changed slightly. 

Barbra Kruger also uses text to strengthen the meanings in her work, which is often about the good and evils of social life, and is very critical of issues such as sexism, as well as the circulation of power within cultures. . Kruger uses phrases consisting of words like “you”, “I”, “we” and “they”, such as “Your body is a battleground” and “I shop therefore I am”.

It doesn’t matter what type of artist/designer you are, or what your work is being created for, it is always important to think about text and context. Sometime text may distract away from an image and therefore shouldn’t be used, but it can also strengthen the meanings of your work, making it more successful. Experimentation is key for ensure you use text when it is needed. It is important to then think about what the text says and typography if you do decide to use text.

Novice-to-expert scale

The novice-to-expert scale is used to rate the ability of a creative person in terms of how they go about solving a creative problem. The scale is divided into five sections, which are:

·                     Knowledge

·                     Standard of work

·                     Autonomy

·                     Coping with complexity

·                     Perception of context

These stages are then all ranked using five novice-to-expert scale levels, these being:

·                     Novice

·                     Beginner

·                     Competent

·                     Proficient

·                     Expert

The more criteria you are able to meet, the closer you get from changing from a novice to an expert.

The Novice-to-Expert scale

I currently consider myself to be a beginner within my creative area of photography, as my skills still need major development in order for me to be considered an expert. In terms of my knowledge, I have minimal knowledge, but unlike a novice, I am able to connect some of this to my chosen practice. When it comes to my standard of work, I have learnt though completing my Foundation Diploma in Art, Design and Media, how to start being an independent learner, unlike a novice who would need supervision. Due to my Foundation Diploma, I would also rate myself as "competent" for the Autonomy section, as I have learnt how to use my own judgement to achieve a task. However, I still rely on the advice from lecturers and other creative people around me for advice, so I haven't yet taken full responsibility for my work, which is why I'm not proficient in the Autonomy section. When it comes to the "coping with complexity", I currently consider myself to a beginner because even though I have had to deal with some complex issues with my work, such as how to develop it and how I should go about creative it. I am able to overcome this complexity with some analysis and planning, but not enough to make me proficient at it. For the final stage, perceptions of context, I would say I am competent because I am able to see how my actions, such as my research and experimentation, will have an impact on my final outcome. However, I don't always see the complete picture like I would if I was an expert.

My position on the novice-to-expert scale should dramatically change over the next three years because I am studying for a degree in Visual communication. Over these next few years, I will be introduced to be new photography processes, increasing both my knowledge and understanding. The way I approach a creative problem will change, and I will be much better at working independently and taking responsibility for what I produce.

The Experts

As creative people, our inspiration comes from a variety of different sources. It is this variety that not only affects what our work is about, but also our creative style. Possible sources of inspiration our environment, collections and history. One of the best sources for inspiration are existing creative experts. These may be current, modern artists or artists from a different century. We are mostly inspired by artists who we like because we take the elements of work that we like, and interpret them in our individual creative style.

Vault 49 Fiesta advertisement (2011). Available at: http://www.vault49.com.
Accessed on 11th January 2012

            As a visual communicator, I have, and still am developing skills in a number if creative disciplines. This is because I believe that combining disciplines can strengthen creative outcomes and make the work appeal to a wider audience. Even though the majority of my creative skills are in photography, and the how I usually create my artwork, I also like to create illustrations, as well as combine my photography with graphics. Vault 49 is a design company who I often look at for inspiration because they also like to work in this way. Vault 49 is based in New York, and employs a number of graphic designers, illustrators, photographers and animators, as well as 3D and fine artists. One strength of having such a diverse team to work on one project is that they will all start with ideas that are different ideas from each other, meaning that they have a wider choice for a creative outcome. Also, they all have very different skill, so combining them can only increase the success of the work they produce. Each member of the team will also learn new skills and creative ways of thinking from the people they are working with. Their portfolios consist of a combination of 3D sets, type, illustration, product design and advertising, working for large organisations/companies like 02, Fiesta, New York University and Barclays.

Story Development-Three act structure

The three act structure is a structure used in all books and films. As it is a simple structure, it is very diverse, which is why it applies to all books and films, not just some or most. The three acts are the beginning, middle and end. Throughout these three acts, the story follows a protagonist, also known as the main character. Every story, whether it's from a book or film, needs to have a protagonist because it is the reader's/viewer's way in.

In the beginning stage of this structure, all the characters start in a state of equilibrium, including the protagonist. During this stage, the characters and the story/plot are established.

This is then followed by the middle, or crisis phase. Something happens at this point in the film which disrupts the equilibrium. Common themes in films which cause a crisis are death, war, political issues, a missing/lost character, a crime being committed etc.

The 3 act structure. A screenplay approach
(2011). Available at:
 http://robsanderswrites.blogspot.com/2011/01/screenplay-approach.html.
(Accessed on 11th January 2012)

The final stage, also known as the end, is where this crisis is resolved. How this problem from the middle of the story is resolved is dependent on the crisis, which forms the plot. By the end of the film, the characters are usually back in a state of equilibrium. However, this state of equilibrium is very different to that at the beginning of the film/story.  In an average two hour film, the beginning stage usually lasts for around 30 minutes, as well as the end. The middle stage however is usually around an hour long, as this is the most important part of the film.

It was believed for many years that the order of the three act structure is always the beginning first, followed by the middle and then the end, but this isn't the case. For example, some episodes of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, starts with showing the ending, and then pieces the picture together through the 45minutes to show how the ending came about. The Green Mile is another example of this, stating with an old man in a care home telling his friend about his past.

Story development- The hero's journey

The hero's story is also known as the monomyth, and is a term created by Joseph Campbell (1949) in "The hero with a thousand faces" In a similar way to the three act structure, Campbell believed there were three stages to a hero's journey in both films and books; the departure, initiation and return. These three stages are divided up further to create a total of 17 stages of the monomyth.

The first stage of the hero's journey, known as the departure stage, is divided into five further sections:

1. The call to adventure-The hero starts his journey in a state of normality, and then receives information of some sort that causes a problem that will send him/her on an adventure.

2. Refusal of the call-After getting the call to adventure, the hero is reluctant to go. This could be for a number of reasons, including s/he doesn't think the call is important.

3. Supernatural aid-The hero accepts the challenge and is provided with help of some sort to make him/her stronger, wiser etc. than before so they can face this challenge.

4. Crossing the first threshold-The hero starts his/her adventure and is no longer able to turn back.

5. The belly of the whale- The hero is in danger.

The second stage in the hero's journey in a film (or book) is called the initiation stage, which consists of six smaller stages:

1. The road of trials-The hero faces a number of trials where he much achieve success in order to complete his journey.

The Hero's journey. Available at:
 http://www.esotericonline.net/profiles/blogs/the-hero-s-journey. 
(Accessed on 11th January 2012)

2. The meeting with the Goddess-The hero meets a mystical or supernatural female who he develops a bond with.

3. Temptation away from the true path- Temptation is presented to the hero that would cause him to fail his journey/mission. This temptation is very often a woman.

4. Atonement with the father-The hero faces a "father-figure" which must be defeated. This father-figure could be a person of high authority or something symbolic.

5. Apotheosis- The hero achieves a higher place after successfully completing the trials he has currently faced.

6. The ultimate boon- This is when the hero has overcome all of his trials and the mission of the journey has been completed. This usually happens after defeating the villain.

The third and final stage is called the return stage, made up of six smaller sections:

1. Refusal of the return- The hero wants to stay in the place where he has reached the ultimate boon.

2. The magic flight- Taking the treasure from the ultimate boon with him, the hero returns home.

3. Rescue from without- The hero is saved from danger or a threat whilst on his way home, usually by an unexpected source.

4. crossing the return threshold-The hero returns home and is no longer in danger.

5. Master of the two worlds- The hero becomes master of the domestic and alien world now that he has successfully completed all of his challenges.

6. Freedom to live- The hero can now live as he chooses because he has conquered the demons/evil which created the call to adventure.

Unlike with the three act structure, not all stages of the hero's journey in accordance the Campbell's theory is present in every film or book, as some are missed out However, they are the only possible stages for the hero's journey, so no matter what film/book the hero is present in, some of these stages will be present.

Interpretation

Disney's Alice in Wonderland (1951).
 Image available at: http://johoffberg.com/tag/alice-in-wonderland/.
(Accessed on 11th January 2012)

It's not only your ideas that influence your final creative outcome/s, but also how you interpret those ideas. Interpretation is about how you convey the meaning of, explain or translate something. Even with the same idea, different people will interpret this idea in a different way. These interpretations could be very similar, or completely different. There are many factors effecting how someone interprets a creative idea, including their inspiration, their creative pathway e.g. photographer, graphic designer, painter etc. and the historical content of their work. The creative pathway someone takes will not only have limitations, but also advantages, which is why it has an impact on interpretation. Historical content also plays a large part in interpretation because artists want their work to be current, relevant and reflective of the time.

Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland (2010).
Available at:
 ttp://theblogpaper.co.uk/article/film/26feb10/tim-burtons-alice-wonderland
 (Accessed on 11th January 2012)

            One example of how the interpretation of an idea can influence a final outcome is with the story of "Alice in Wonderland". There are many visual versions of this story, with the most popular being illustrations, films and animations. When Walt Disney created their animation of Alice in Wonderland in 1951, their interpretation of Alice was very different from previous work, such as that of Arthur Rackham (1907) who had a slightly realistic approach and mimicked the Edwardian period. The introduction of colour and sound influenced a new image for Alice that was unlike anything produced before. Walt Disney gave Alice an English accent, as well as a softer, innocent, more child-like appearance. This is very different from Tim Burton's 2010 adaptation, where he used an exaggeration of the characters to create a much darker atmosphere.

Delivery

How a creative person delivers a final design to a client will depend on what platform it is required for, as all platforms have their individual requirements and limitations that have to be taken into consideration.

The designer/photographer had to take the size and scale of the billboard
 into consideration when creating this advertisement otherwise there would too
much white space or some of the people would be cut off.

            There are a number of platforms for artwork, including editorial, online, advertising and branding, textiles and fashion, installation and interventions. All of these have different requirements, limitations and design specifications due to the variety of clients and target audiences. It is important to remember that clients and target audiences are sometimes different. If an illustrator has been commissioned to create work for a children’s magazine, then magazine is the client, but the children who the magazine is aimed at is the target audience.

            Different platforms can have a variety of different challenges. For examples, billboards are a form of large scale advertising. One problem an illustrator often faces with creating work for billboards is ensuring any typography they create and use is legible, especially from a long distance. Another example of this is a graphic designer who has to create a logo. If the logo is for a billboard advertisement which has a slogan with it, the slogan could be made visible by increasing the slogan size. However, if this logo also had to be used for a phone app, the logo would be much smaller and therefore the slogan wouldn't be legible due to the small surface area for it to fill.

            It is important for the platform to be taken into consideration in order for a design to be delivered correctly. Delivery is key for the creative person, as this can be the deciding factor for whether or not you client uses your artwork. An inability to consider platforms can prevent someone from getting work in the future and furthering their career.