-Angel Larson
All Forms Carry Meaning
- Prior experience and associations to the form creates meaning.
- Shape, size, linearity, & mass tell us what a form is.
- Pictorial images show recognizable subjects like objects, figures, and spaces
A designer might choose to represent an idea pictorially by using photographs, illustrations, or a mix of both. Images must provide informational clarity in a way that resonates and delivers secondary and tertiary messages, associational, and branded messages.
Empirical Pictorial Images
Empirical pictorial images depict the characteristics of objects and scenes as they are observed in space. This type of image is usually used to help describe or explain subject matter better and to suggest that the message is grounded in real life. Photographs are the most empirical of any type of imagery.
For example, in an ad for a photographer, you would want to use real photographs of their work. If they are a wedding photographer, showing a good photo of a wedding couple they have taken would let the viewers know that this is the type of work they do and that they know what they are doing.
If you showed an illustrated version of a photo they have taken for a wedding, this would confuse the viewers and send mixed signals because the information of the ad and the photo doesn’t match up.
Stylized Pictorial Images
Recognizable to reality but add a conceptual or metaphorical overlay of meaning. For example, reality TV & animated shows. In reality TV, the scenes and imagery that are being shown are being stylized by the director to convey certain themes, context, and emotions in the viewer. The scenes are contrived and edited from real life to become a stylized version of reality.
Animated shows take this to a whole new level by representing real life or fantasy in a completely stylized way. The characters of animated shows may look more or less realistic depending on the style of the show. This form of imagery is really good for envisioning things that are not naturally occurring. We can envision the world in a way that is very unnatural to us and would be impossible to do filming actual people.
Reductive Pictorial Images
Represent real-life places, people, or things in a very simplified way. This would be like graphic translations or icons where the form is very distinct and recognizable right away. For example, there is usually always a sign on bathrooms that is either a female icon, male icon, wheelchair-accessible icon, or family icon. These are very easy to identify right away because the symbols are just pictures of people, reduced to the simplest forms.
This ad has an image of a lady with white teeth smiling, as well as literall photos of the product and its package to help explain the message of the ad better. The image has been stylized and is no longer in its most natural form, but the toothpaste is depicted exactly as in reality and helps to bring credibilty to the ad. This also helps the viewer to know exactly what the product looks like so they can spot it better in stores.
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