Isn’t reading a visual text completely different from reading a literary work or something like an opinion column?

You can even say it’s like understanding a new type of language - visual language - to make sense of the tools used by an artist. When you approach a visual text for Paper 1, you can still use the same lens you use for other texts while analysing visual language: that of content, context, style and structure

Common Visual Techniques

An image is composed of many different stylistic elements, just like a poem is contains literary devices.

1. Allusion

Allusions are references in a text to other works of literature, art, history or religion. While allusions are more common in non-literary texts, they can be visual too! What do they do? They use imagery to evoke the message or essence of another work, creating a connection that can instantly recognised by the audience. Here’s an example:

… and countless other examples of a reference to the ‘Abbey Road’ album cover by the Beatles.

The original album cover featured the members of the band walking across a zebra crossing, and has been alluded to in countless other works, including this Simpsons recreation. We can see these allusions as tributes to the Beatles, as they aim to evoke a memory of the cultural significance and recognition that the original image witnessed during its time.

2. Colour Theory

**Colours** are most often used to catch the attention of the audience. But it goes beyond that! Colour choices have the ability to influence the way audiences perceive visual content. So when we see the color red, our instincts don’t usually sense peace or tranquility: it is not a relaxing colour by nature. With this understanding, artists can use colours to strategically communicate messages to their audience.

For example, the color red used in Barbara Kruger posters are not just visually striking, but also associated with a general connotation of anger and passion, and this use of the colour red aligns with the provocative and confrontational nature of her messages. Red is also associated with urgency and importance, so it can be aiming to not only capture the attention of viewers but also to sustain their attention as they contemplate her message.

Related: Guide for TOK 2024

3. Composition

Composition is the overall arrangement and organisation of techniques in a visual text. When adding up all the techniques you notice, you can decide whether the composition of the text is good or not: check whether it guides the audience’s attention effectively, in a way that emphasises all the focal points of the text. Look at this example of careful composition:

This poster is part of a series of ads for UN women, using genuine google searches that reveal challenges for women.

The use of the close up shot directs the viewer’s attention to the woman’s gaze, making them acknowledge her forced silence by making eye contact with her. Then the viewer’s attention is intended to focus on the placement of Google’s search bar across the woman’s mouth, which acts not only as a powerful focal point but also as a visual metaphor, highlighting the silent struggles women face and their lack of means to express themselves. Is the composition effective in conveying a message?

Each image you encounter for Paper 1 can be analysed for the effectiveness of their overall composition. Common techniques such as camera angles and the rule of thirds play a part in how effective the composition will turn out to be, and can create a balanced or intentionally unbalanced visual dynamic.

4. Contrast

**Contrast** can be used by artists to visually highlight differences between two things, through the use of lighting, texture, and other techniques. We’ll be looking at light and texture later, so let’s look at an example of contrast from a page in a graphic novel, especially since graphic novels are extended counterparts of smaller visual texts like political cartoons or comic strips.

This page from Marjane Satrapi’s memoir, Persepolis, is split into two large panels, and it deals with very serious topics about war and death. While the first panel depicts the tragic death of child soldiers, the second panel shows a completely different scenario of the writer and her friends partying and being detached from the events of the war.
The contrast between the two scenes offer a striking visual parallel for the readers, and it is a creative depiction of the writer’s own self awareness. Satrapi and her peers remained innocent, unharmed and carefree during the war, while the innocent lives of other children were tarnished and destroyed. Through acknowledging her own privileged experience, Satrapi allows readers to contemplate the complexities of her life and the lives of others within the broader context of war.

5. Lighting

Lighting can dramatically alter the mood and focus of a photograph. For example, a warm sunrise is peaceful; it evokes feelings of tranquility. But lighting depends not only on the mood the photograph wants to depict, but also the format on which it is displayed. So fashion magazines, for example, typically use high-key lighting, which is bright and doesn’t cast shadows, when they want to create a cheerful, clean look.

The magazine cover we see on the right is from TIME magazine’s August issue for 2021, featuring the Inspiration4 crew, the world’s first all-civilian trip to orbit, photographed by Philip Montgomery.

This photograph uses soft lighting, and the light source is positioned directionally to the side. This lighting casts gentle shadows that add depth and dimension to their faces. This technique also highlights their features gently without creating harsh contrasts or increased intensity, presenting them as intriguing but also maintaining a positive mood.
The background is noticably dark so the focus remains on the crew members, emphasising their importance. Also, each crew member is looking directly at the light source. This ensures their eyes are well-lit and visible to the audience. It also draws attention to their expressions, which convey a sense of their determination and focus; and this in turn adds a layer of understanding about the state of mind of these crew members.
All of this paired with the words ‘Three days that could change humanity’ **does** have the capability to create an effect on viewers.

Resources and Support

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Analysing Visual Texts for IB DP Paper 1 ~ The Art of Noticing