Having
been in discussion with tutors from both my modules (Critical and Cultural
Studies and Final Major Project) about the route l should investigate through
my dissertation, as well as via discussions with peers, l feel my chosen topic
certainly needs to reflect my interest in human emotion and how connections are
made to wordless picture books.
Currently l am considering the title:
Discuss
ways in which wordless picture books connect with human emotions and become
trans-cultural and trans-generational in appeal.
Looking
at the theme from the viewpoint of one which is: Multi-cultural, sociological, psycho-analytical,
and psychological, theories l could employ in this essay could include:
Semiotic analysis: What
is signified by the signifiers in wordless picture books which connect or disconnect
from certain age groups of cultures, are the signifiers universally understood
to signify the same thing to each?
Redundancy
and entropy: What are the redundant and
entropic features and is it right to assume that wordless picture books need a
higher level of visual redundancy?
Iconography
and iconology: What are the motifs in
the images and why were they chosen to represent the concept (considering the
historical and cultural background of the image)?
Stereotypes: Are these used prevalently in wordless picture
books and how can they cross generational and cultural boundaries?
Metaphor
and symbolism: How can these be used
effectively when targeting a trans-generational and trans-cultural audience?
John
Berger’s ‘Ways of Seeing’: How would
Berger interpret the use of wordless picture books and their cultural and
generational interpretations?
My
main interest as a creative practitioner is to fully create my own wordless ‘crossover’
picture books (books which have intergenerational appeal but which may be
defined as children’s picture books) which approach real life situations and
problems and promote emotional responses in the readers. The books will consider the young child in
their presentation and subject matter but not be exclusive in targeting this
audience. l wish to engage a wider audience and one
which can appreciate the illustration for the artistic value but also connect
with the deeper meanings of the work.
Secondly,
l am also interested in continuing with commissioned work from a commercial
point of view and developing my experience in interpreting the texts of other
creatives in an illustrative way.
Thirdly
l am also interested in continuing my study of illustration as a means of
communication and developing my rendering of the human form and facial
expressions while continuing to develop my skills using a range of media.
These
interests are reflected in my idea for theoretical investigation as outlined
above, in the following ways:
·
I will further my knowledge and
appreciation of the area of wordless ‘cross-over’ picture books, their appeal,
their reach and longevity; an area which l hope to become more deeply involved
in upon graduation
·
I will increase my critical analysis
skills using the methods outlined above which will impact upon the outcomes l
produce in my practical work
·
The themes of sociology, psychology
and multi-culturalism are of great interest to me personally and l hope to reflect
this in my practical outcomes to an extent which is relevant to the essay topic
·
Human emotions greatly interest
me and as l particularly enjoy depicting human beings in my illustration work,
l feel it is necessary to study this area as much as possible while also developing
my skills at depicting these themes in my illustrated characters
My
goals for writing the essay for this module are to:
·
Increase my knowledge about how
people respond to visual texts and the impact it has upon them emotionally
·
Study the subjects of metaphor,
symbolism and picture book codes and how they are used effectively in the
rendering of wordless picture books
·
How effective wordless picture
books are at crossing generational and cultural boundaries
·
To learn from my investigation
and apply the findings to my own practical work
Tutor
and peer feedback have assisted me in evaluating my ideas in the following
ways:
·
The general consensus of opinion
was that studying the subject of human emotion as well as wordless picture
books were the strongest ideas with the most scope and potential for academic
research
·
These two ideas were combined to
create the essay route of investigation chosen
·
Both tutors liked the idea of
studying the emotional responses to picture books; with Final Major Project
tutor being keen for me to explore wordless picture books as this is the area l
am currently working in my practical module
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