Illustration 1: Key steps in illustration- Part 3: Working it out-Exercise 2: Reading an image
Look carefully at this image.
Then in your learning log list the content of the picture – breaking the image into its constituent parts and answer the following questions:
• What the image is about. What is it saying?
• Work out the narrative and identify the story.
• Describe the palette and tonal range which has been used. Note if the colours are hot or cold, whether the elements are detailed or textural, and where these approaches are used.
• Is there any connection between hot colour and the importance of the element in telling the story?
Begin to identify the hierarchy within the image.
• Which are the most important elements in terms of carrying the narrative or conveying the ideas and how have these been treated?
The image includes 3 main figures, 2 people and a dragon. The dragon is sleeping, protecting a pile of gold and valuables. In the foreground and background there are weapons and armour. The colours of the image vary from blue to red.
The explicit narrative of the image is that there is a dragon that has taken valuables from someone and the 2 characters are trying to retrieve the valuables from the dragons lair whilst it sleeps. One character is more brave and the other apprehensive as others have previously failed.
The implicit narrative of the image is the ‘heroes journey’ type story, one of personal struggle and improvement. The ‘dragon’ (a bad actor; personal circumstance, innate emotions, nihilism etc- a problem) has stolen the gold/throne (positive emotion; circumstance, stability, status quo etc) and is hiding it in their lair (challenge, barrier or representing the ‘action’ itself of taking back the ‘gold/throne’). This is to be retrieved by a character who becomes a ‘hero’ (someone who overcomes their problem whatever it may be). The character must face the ‘dragon’ presented to them in order to become the ‘hero’ which is a an almost unanimously decided positive step towards a greater version of yourself and being closer to God (the fundamental idea of God, religious beliefs aside).
The composition of the image conveys the overall narrative simply. The dragon is protecting the stolen gold and throne which resides on the right side of the image, the characters are travelling from the left side to the right. From the incorrect (left) to the correct or literally ‘right’ on the right side.
The positioning of the characters represents the multitude of emotions one would feel when confronting their metaphorical dragon whatever it may be. The ‘should I even bother?’, ‘should I run and hide?’, ‘should I ignore it?’ emotions represented by the character behind the other pointing to leave. The ‘I can do this’, ‘I want better’ etc emotions represented by the forwards character moving towards the dragon with their arm out, reaching towards the potential chaos.
The colours throughout the image affirm the various emotions/literal and non-literal dangers in facing your ‘dragon’. The blues representing safety and the reds danger. The entrance of the cave is blue (you can always run back to comfort and ignore the problem) and the forwards character’s torch is blazing orange/red representing the danger and chaos that ensues facing your problems. This characters clothing is green, the same as the throne being protected by the dragon. The armour and weapons in the fore/background are a similar tone of green. The green represents the positive act of facing adversity, even if failure is a possibility- it is always best to aim upwards. The green toned armour and weapons represent the ‘better to try and fail to never of tried’ narrative.
The most important element of the image I would argue are the colours. If you abstracted the image out to it’s absolutes it would still convey this narrative through a use of blues and reds, meeting in the middle as orange. If the image was black and white it would still be able to convey the narrative through it’s composition, but this would not as obvious nor striking.
This task has helped affirm the importance of composition, colour and overarching narrative within design. I will be more conscious of these elements and their affects on the narrative of my designs and how this relays to the viewer/target audience.
