Analysing Visual Texts

Resource Description

• Analysing visual texts can seem daunting…
  • Especially when it comes to essays. How can a simple image or picture book be broken down into a long-winded analysis? It’s easier than you think. Following are some techniques you can use when breaking down images to their basic elements:

• Body Language/Gaze
  • This is for images with people in them – their facial expressions, gestures and stance allows you to see into their attitudes, feelings and personality. A lot about the individual can be ascertained from the eyes.

• Composition
  • Whatever is included in a visual text is deliberately placed and there for a reason – find that reason. This is where you have to apply a lot of imagination – what do you think of the different aspects of the picture and how do they make you feel? Are they saying something? Composition also includes all omissions – if something is missing, why is it missing?

• Colour/Hue/Tone
  • For black and white images, you can examine the different uses of contrast between light and dark. For colours, different hues can signify different moods and evoke a wide range of responses – such and red being a passionate colour and blue being a calm one.

• Contrast
  • What aspects of the image complement each other? What parts are in contrast to each other? This can create harmony, distance, drama or excitement.