Semiotics theory of visual communication

Reading PicturesReading PicturesSigns, Symbols and Visual Codes

Signs, Symbols and Visual Signs, Symbols and Visual CodesCodes

From looking at optical illusions it is clearthat we can read pictures in several ways.

In order to get a similar reading, picturesoften contain signs, symbols and visualcodes to help us.


Signs can be divided into three types:

Symbolic Iconic Indexical


Symbolic signs are the ones most difficultto get your head round!

Symbolic signs have no obvious connection between between the sign and the object.


For example the word CAT has noobvious link with a small pet furry animal. It only works because we understand therules that say the letters C-A-T, when putin a certain order mean that small furryanimal. CAT =


Iconic signs are a lot easier to understand!

Iconic signs have a visual likeness to the things they represent.

Can you think of at least two iconic signsyou see everyday?


Here aresome youcan seewhen youuse a computer:


Look at thefollowingsigns andexplainwhy theyare iconic.

Signs, Symbols and Visual CodesSigns, Symbols and Visual Codes


The only alphabet in the world that contains iconic letters is the one used by Japanese and Chinese people.

The letters are called kanji and there are over 2,000 of them compared to our 26!

Each kanji looks like the word it represents.


Copy out each kanji.

This one is naka, it means middle. You can see the line in the middle.


This one is gawa and means river.


This is yama and means mountain.


This is ta and means rice field.


The last kind of sign is indexical. Indexical signs have some kind of direct

connection to what is being shown. Example: A tear running down someone’s

cheek can be an indexical sign for sorrow.


This is anindexicalsign. Whatdo you thinkit is for?


It is an old sign for a school. It is supposedto represent the light of learning!

Now we use an iconic signto represent this.


Another way of helping us to read pictures is the use of visual codes.

There are three main visual codes:- Dress Codes- Colour Codes


Dress codes relate to what people wear in particular situations.

If we see people in evening dress we usually make the association of glamour, wealth and sophistication.


Colour codes Black is the colour people wear after

someone has died.

White is the colour of innocence.

Red can mean danger and stop.


Signs, symbols andvisual codes help usmake sense of a picture.

Semiotics theory of visual communication

Science

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