This document discusses visual texts and how to interpret them. It defines visual texts as those created using still or moving images, with or without words. Examples include television, advertisements, and art. It explains that visual text comprehension involves understanding images and words in context based on one's experiences and background knowledge. It outlines several elements to examine in a visual text, such as images, words, typography, and layout. It provides examples of how these elements can influence meaning and the intended effect on the viewer.

2. WHAT DO YOU SEE?

3. WHAT DO YOU SEE?

4. WHAT DO YOU SEE?

5. WHAT DO YOU SEE?

6. WHAT DO YOU SEE?

7. WHAT ARE VISUAL TEXTS?
• Texts that are created using still or moving images
(multi-modal texts)
• May or may not contain words
• Television, film, radio, advertising, billboards, the
Internet, computer games and programs, art works
such as paintings, drawings, sculptures,
architecture, book covers, illustrations
THEY ARE EVERYWHERE.

8. WHY VISUAL TEXTS?
The skills involved are increasingly demanded of us in
our daily life:
 Understanding of visual texts at literal, inferential &
evaluative levels
 Personal engagement
Engagement with visual impact of material
Engagement with real concepts
Engagement with familiar concepts
Engagement with non-linear layout

9. VISUAL TEXT COMPREHENSION
Understanding images & words in the context it is
being used
 Bring life experiences & background knowledge to what
is being read/viewed
 All visual texts are influenced by the cultures, values,
ideologies and world views in and through which they
are created & consumed.
eg. Family photo in your home vs. A family portrait in a magazine or
Artists’ impression vs. housing agent’s view of a HDB estate

10. HOW TO INTERPRET VISUAL TEXTS?
• We need to first identify the different elements that
make up the text.
• These include:
• Images
• (Colour)
• words – includes title, headlines, captions
• Typographical features - type of font, font size, italicised
• Layout – spatial arrangement of different elements in a
text

11. IMAGES…
Images are mental representations, pictures of
objects, people or animals or any diagram that
provides visual information.
Images in a visual text may contain:
 People, animals or object participating in an action
 Flow charts, maps or labelled images showing a
concept or an idea
 Symbols or icons

12. What does this
image show?
- Concept/idea
- Desire to
show unity
between
young & old
- Unity between
different races

13. What does this image
show?
- An action –
- Ex–offender trying to
remove the label from
his back
- Stereotype – tattooed
people are offenders

14. MORE ON IMAGES…
Angles – looking down vs looking up
 Looking down at someone conveys a sense of
power or control
 Looking up at a person or object can make us feel
vulnerable
Framing – determines amount of information
given to viewers
 Close-up shot – closer social relation, lesser details
 Long shot – distant relation, more details

15. FRAMING
NDP
poster
- Long shot
– more
details
- Focus on
people in
Singapore

16. FRAMING
Election poster in 2006
- Close-up shot of Lee
Hsien Loong
- Focus on voting for him

17. WORDS (INCLUDES TITLES, HEADLINES, CAPTIONS)
• Who is the target audience when something is
said?
• Why are certain words used over others?
• What information is being conveyed in words?
• Literal, Inferential, Evaluative understanding of
words in text

18. NEA Poster
- How are the words being
transposed with the image
in the poster?
- Why do you think the
words ‘Just Bin it’ was
used in this poster? What
effect is this intended on
the viewer?

19. WORDS (INCLUDES TITLES, HEADLINES, CAPTIONS)
Title – main topic of the poster
Headline – main statement that tells the main
message of the poster ; usually the text in the
largest and boldest font
Captions – It is the typed text under photographs
explaining the image and usually in one sentence

20. TYPOGRAPHICAL FEATURES - FONT TYPE AND SIZE
Are the fonts in capital letters or non-capitalised letters?
Are some words intentionally larger or smaller for any
reason? Why?
Usually determines the reading paths of the
reader/viewer.
 Reader/viewer will tend to be attracted to the larger fonts
used in the text.
 Usually for words that are meant for emphasis.

21. - What are the words that
are meant to capture
viewer’s attention first?
- What is the next thing
that captures your
attention?
- With regard to the
typographical features,
why do you think the
poster is created as
such?

22. LAYOUT
Placement of elements in text can influence the meaning
of the image.
Types of placement:
 Top/bottom – top contains the ‘attention-grabber’; bottom
contains new information
 Left/right – left side contains information that is understood;
right side presents new information
Note: not all of these ‘codes’ apply to every image – images are
shaped according to purpose and effect their creators wish to
achieve.

23. TOP/BOTTOM
• Top – attentiongrabber (Visual +
words)
• Bottom – more
information about the
deal that Burger King
is offering

24. Left side –
reported
natural
disasters in
the country
Right side –
information
about the
services they
are providing

25. REMEMBER
THIS?
Advertorial by
Watsons
Study the placement
of the image with
the products that
Watson’s is trying
to sell. Notice that
the testimonies of
the experts are
placed before the
products they are
selling.
Why do you think the
layout is as such?

26. RECAP…
• Different elements of visual texts:
• Images
• (Colour)
• words – includes title, headlines, captions
• Typographical features - type of font, font size
• Layout – spatial arrangement of different elements in a text