Images and New Media

MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS

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A look at appreciating, deconstructing and making images.

What is NEW MEDIA?

The computer can be used for image making. Software has been designed to incorporate both painting and photographic applications.

This allows the user to create layered images and designs in a digital environment. These manipulated images are known as New Media.

Examples of New Media are everywhere in our society.

New Media:What impact do they have?

We live in a society that is surrounded by consumers and producers of New Media.

The first concept of media literacy is, “The media construct reality.”

What type of reality does New Media construct?

What is your role in this?

Appreciation

What kinds of images do we like?Why do we like imagesWhat types of images are out there?

What is art?Is advertising art?

Deconstruction

Images communicate ideas, messages, beliefs and attitudes.

Image makers spend time considering what they want to say using visual language.

It is a deliberate process that moves through specific stages to reach a specific goal.

Creation

The creation of images requires imagination, skill and most importantly a thoughtful process approach to a defined objective

Creating Images:Process Work

The making of an image can be a simple or a complex process. To be successful in image making you should spent time thinking about your project first. Give thought to want you want to say and how you will say it. Consider the qualities of unique and original image making.

Graphic Arts

Posters, flyers, book and cd covers are among only some of the examples of New Media applications.

There is no limit to the variety of uses New Media can be put to. Only the imagination of the creator limits the final outcome.

Image Aesthetics

There is a wide variety of categories that need consideration when planning an image.

Aesthetics are the qualities of an image that can be used to determine its merit.

Image aesthetics are broken down into a wide variety of areas.

Whether you are critiquing or creating an image, these are the aspects of an image that you should give thought to.

Colour

The human eye can detect a wide spectrum of colour. The types of colours used, amounts, and combinations of colour create dramatic effects. Colour can create an emotional and psychological impact on the viewer.

Colour Theory

Colours complement each other according to a specific pattern.

Positive and Negative Space Negative space is that

empty area in an image that helps to define the focus of the dominant image.

Positive space is the area of focus in an image.

What type of balance has been created between the positive and negative areas of this image?

Which space would you say is heavier in this image? What effect has been created in this image?

Identify which parts of this image are positive and which are negative.

What is the relationship between these three figures? What effect has been created through the framing of this image?

Rule of Thirds

Strong images create interaction between the viewer and the image. The eye is led through the image.

How is that accomplished? The arrangement and placement of objects in an image is crucial.

How has the picture changed?

What different effects have been created through this change?

How does the difference in negative space affect the balance of the image?

Framing and Composition

When images are evaluated, quite often there is a discussion around whether or not the image ‘works.’

What is meant by this? Does this image work? Why? Why not?

Critiques

What is the focus in this image? How has that been created?

What impact does colour have in this image?

Explain the use of positive and negative space?

How have variables in this image been arranged? Why?

What is the purpose of the title?

Use the same questions from the last image to critique this image?

What is the immediate difference between this image and the previous one?

What emotional impact or feeling has been created in this image?

Using a variety of considerations from this presentation determine the value of this image.

Composition of Images

Composition is the arrangement of the visual elements within the frame.

An image is the result of the structure, balance and dynamics of the elements.

These visual elements are line, texture, shape, light and motion.

The best images are created when all the elements lead to one effect.

Structure The structure of an image is

established by line, shape and position.

The structure is viewed in the 9-zone grid as shown in the rule of thirds.

Check to ensure all zones contribute to the effect of the image.

Weighting

Positioning of the dominant object in a zone is called weighting.

How does weighting to the bottom effect an image?

What is suggested by weighting

to one side?

It is strongly suggested that you locate the dominant subject at the intersection of the lines in the 9-zone grid. Why?

Line

Line can be used to reinforce the weighting of an image

Lines and curves often have a tremendous impact in an image.

Shape

The shape of an object takes up positive space.

The space surrounding an object is negative space.

The closer the borders of a frame are located to the frame of the object, the more effective the negative space.

Cropping the frame is a critical element in image creation.

Balance

Balance is the relationship between two or more things

If subjects have equal weight, they appear immobile and the balance is static.

Dynamics Dynamic balance is

achieved when subjects are positioned to encourage the eye to move.

This movement should take the viewer from the dominant subject to secondary subjects and back to the dominant.

How does this affect the impact of the image?

Light Value is the range of

light in an image from black through to white.

Generally, the more contrast-or the wider the range between dark and light- the greater the visual impact.

What is the general result if an image is purely black and white with no gray or midtones?

Clarity When dealing with

images created through a camera lens, clarity refers to the sharpness of focus.

In sharp focus, all edges are clearly defined. In soft focus, the edges blur a bit.

What effect is created by combining soft and sharp focus in an image?

Critique

Structure Point of Interest Cropping,Positive/Negative Space Balance,Weight Use of Line Value of Light Use of Colour Clarity