Semiotic Analysis

This is a landscape poster of a Disney princess. The target audience for this piece of illustration is children, mainly girls. Their motto is 'Dream Journey' and it is quite brain washing as it symbolises that being a princess is the only dream that all girls have to have. ‘Dream Journey’ is also in italics to give a feminine and hand written atmosphere to make it more personal and achievable.

The target audience is girls as the figures in the illustrations are all female. A bright colour scheme was used to catch the target audiences’ eyes and is suitable for the target audience, as girls prefer colourful, soft colours and bright things. As well as that, the illustrator also used contrasting colours e.g. on Snow White’s dress (red, yellow and blue – a combination of warm and cold colours together), castle ( yellow and blue).

The Disney logo is written in a white colour and surrounded by a bold colour frame. The subtly coloured sky makes the Disney logo stand out. It is a good idea especially to promote their branding. The audience will probably look at the logo first which has been placed in the top middle, then the audiences' eyes will flow to the princess figures automatically, then the background, which are the castle and fields. By adding some little stars surrounding ‘Disney’  the logo looks feminine. Furthermore by adding a gradient purple background near the logo and a gold colour frame this makes the logo looks rich  and ladylike. The gold colour create an illusion of shining, which suits their motto which is ‘Dream Journey.

The illustrations were made fully digitally in Illustrator. The designer has probably used the pen, gradient, the shape tool and the brush tool to produce it. This illustration has a sense of depth e.g. the further away the field, the more subtle the green colour becomes. The size of the castle as well as the rose bushes behind the princesses appear less significant. The fields and roses could represent royal gardens and wealth. In ancient times, the rose also symbolised beauty and love. This suits the ending as all these princesses have happy a ending to their story.

A perfect princesses has been creates using glowing skin colours and the body shape is tall and slim; some makeup, a certain hairstyle, a coy smile and elegant dress represents the characteristics needed to be a princess. However, these princesses also can be good examples to girls that girls should wear dresses and not wear male clothes and act like a boy.

Princess Jasmine (from Aladdin) was placed inbetween Princess Aurora (from Sleeping Beauty) and Princess Ariel (From The Little Mermaid) to give a balance, as both Princess Aurora and Princess Ariel are wearing pink dresses. All the princesses have accessories in their hair; it could be a ribbon, a tiara or a slide. These could represent their modesty and wealth as a princess/lady.

In the illustration, it is the summer season which which is a suitable background for the princesses' dresses and the atmosphere and the environment. This shows that the illustrator has thought carefully while making this piece of illustration.

Task 3

This essay will discuss the similarities and differences between ‘The Uncle Sam Range’ and a propaganda poster for the 1WW.

The Uncle Sam Range was created in 1876 by Schumacher & Ettlinger to advertise the product. ‘Daddy, what did you do?’ by Savile Lumley was created in 1915 during First World War to persuade young men to join the army and fight in war.

The quote in the fatter poster has been written in italic and shows a girl asking her father about his role in the war. The font is bold and white coloured with a dark background to make it stand out so as to attract passers by. The underlined capitalised word ‘you’ is a direct challenge. By using the words ‘Great War’ this seems like an assurance that Great Britain will win the war and the men will return home safely. They would later proudly tell their story about their experiences during the war period to their children. The girl is reading a book possibly about the war and the boy is playing with soldier toys which shows their interest.

The ‘Uncle Sam Range’ is in capital letters with various sizes and font. The typography is hidden by the colorful background which means it is only readable at a close distance. The target audiences for both these posters are men. The ‘Uncle Sam’ appeals to the upper or middle class male to persuade him to adopt a better lifestyle as shown in the poster.

These two posters have a different style of illustration. The Great War poster used an English pattern on the curtain and sofa to appeal patriotism and to show that British Values are worth defending. A little boy playing with toy soldiers also represents Great Britain’s involvement in the war. Lumley shows the father’s expression as puzzled and obviously concerned not join the war, he should feel ashamed of himself. The fact that the man is in comfortable surroundings, wearing a smart suit and with a happy family reinforces the idea that, once the war has been won, the future will be good.

In the Uncle Sam’s range, the colours of the US flag have been applied to the poster to represent their pride in being American citizens. The clock on the wall shows that Uncle Sam has been operation for 100 years since time of American Independence and it is show that hey are celebrating 100 years by coking using the Uncle Sam product.

In the world war poster there is no ‘mother’ showing that women did not have a voice at that time. Similarly, in the Uncle Sam’s poster, a woman serving food behind the black male slave near the oven would be normal at that time showing a women’s subservient role in society. The fact that the family has a slave indicates their wealth, as does the décor of the room.

Task 5 (?)

What do you define illustration?

• Drawing purpose
• drawing for,
• Brief driven 
• Proveke a reaction ( Prove synonyms : anger, offend, raise )
• clarification communication 
• context based
• audience specific

What make good illustration?

• image,context and idea
• clarity > The audience receive the message
• accessible/Direct > easy to understand
• Technical ability
• understanding
• value > good/stylish illustration doesn't mean its 'good'

What can illustration do?

• Educate
• Interpret the world
• Inform
• Criticise
• Aggravate  (synonymy : bother, irritate) 
• Communicate
• Change the world
• Persuade
• Agitate  ( synonymy : disturb, trouble)

Differences : illustration, fine art and graphic design 

• Fine art - pure?
• Commercial - Illustration and graphic design creates with purpose. Fine art produce to sell?
• Fine art - no restricted, no limitation > easier > do whatever they like. Illustration and graphic design ? restricted and limitation > need to work with audience > more experimentation + more creative.
• People spent money for fine art? 
• Convey concept
• Fine art careless about communication compared to illustration and graphic design

Arts VS Graphic Art.

• Ambiguity, complexity > need 'special' knowledge to understand fine art. 
• Culture significance ? thousands of gallery about fine art > less/no gallery about graphic art and illustration.
• Individual/ personal expression
• Graphic Design = problem solving
• Art has no function/less function e.g. for the sake being art?. Graphic design > function-able?
• Fine art > wage labour > less creative? 

Task 2

I was given a text to read by Marshall Arisman titled 'Is There Fine  Art to Illustration'

'David Smith, the sculptor, defined commercial art as "Art that meets the minds and needs of other people," and fine art as "Art that meets the mind and needs of the artist." 

I would agree with Smith (or not) as I think commercial art is for selling and client; compared to fine arts, it is more to personal responds and diary. 

Here an example of a work by Alex Gross.this painting will work as an illustration if this goes with an article and it reminds me of surrealism. 

I read a book called The Education of an Illustrator by Steven Heller and Marshall Arisman, on page 59, where the author interviewed an artist called Thomas Woodruff. He commented on fine arts and illustration -  'the whole idea about the battle between commercial and the fine art worlds is a battle that has no winners' which is true, it is just a waste of time to fight for a pointless thing.

Task 1

Avatar the last Airbender is my favourite cartoon ever as I found it's funny and interesting; the story line  is different from the other cartoon that I have ever watch. I can't be help but keep watching this tv cartoon whenever I feel bored. My other favourite tv program is Naruto. 

I am a big fan of dress and I wear dresses whenever I'm going out wither with a skirt or a skinny jeans. However, I am thinking of changing the way I dress as I'm getting older and I think the way I dress is too childish for my age. OMG, I am 20 already !. - drew most girls with a dress on. 

Autumn and spring are my two favourite seasons as it is not too warm and not too cold. I like the colour of autumn as it is calm and natural. I also like flower especially when its blossom !!   - happy mood, new beginning. When I am making new illustrations, I tends use bright colours all the time.

You know that feeling when you drink a cup of hot tea during a cold weather esp during winte;  either with our without sugar and milk. In Malaysia, my favourite drink is Milo ice as Malaysia is a tropical country so it is veryyyyyyyyy warm !

My favourite pet animal is cat. I cant be help but gone crazy for a sec whenever I see cat. it is because cat is so fluffy, independent and cute ! Look at that image above, omggggg that cat looks so innocent. It is sad though because in the UK I don't pet any cat and I miss my cat in Malaysia already =( Also, in Malaysia, cat is everywhere but in Great Britain, we bearly can see cat on the road. So sad.