ACTIVITY # 4: EXPERIMENTING WITH LAYOUT, NAVIGATION AND COLOUR

During this activity students will experiment with different narrative structures with a focus on multiple
perspectives.

1. Students decide which visual elements could be used to shift the focus away from the main character to
another characters point of view.

VISUAL ELEMENTS CRITICAL ANALYSIS (VISUAL LITERACY) UNDERSTANDING VISUAL ELEMENTS
Angles, shape & line - What lines draw the viewers eye?
- Is there symmetry or assymetry present?
- Affects the way the viewer relates to characters.
- High angles = reader looks down on characters; Low
angle = reader looks up to characters; Eye level =
equal (power)
- Directs viewers line of sight.
Framing - Are frames used to separate images?
- Have imaged been cropped?
- Have close up images been used?
- Establishes relationships between reader and
characters
- Emotional responses affected
Distance - Is foreground added to add depth and interest?
- What role does the background play to the text?
- Long distance shots can elicit less powerful response
from readers
- Establishes less intimate relationships
Signs & symbols - Do symbols mean something different depending
on the context? E.g. xxoo
- Culture specific i.e. dove = peace
- Bird in flight = freedom
Expressions & body
language
- What expressions are used?
- How do the expression, or lack of, contribute to
the meaning of the text?
- Affects reader responses

Mood - What elements within the used illustrations
change or impact the mood?
- Does the mood then impact the text?
- Direct gaze = powerful emotional attachments
- Can direct the reader to the direction the person in
the image is looking
Texture - Are features such as sharpness, blurriness used? - Can affect the level of realism
Photos = high modality (realistic)
Cartoons = low modality (unrealistic)
Colours

- How does the use of different colours influence
the characters?
- What effect do the colours have on the text?
- Estabishes emotions or mood.
- Vary between cultures and personal preferences
- Lightness, darkness, brightness or dullness
Common meanings associated with colours:
Red danger, excitement, passion, love or strength
Blue coolness, serenity or sadness
Pink tranquility, relaxation, feminity or baby girls
Green fertility, creativity or natural
Yellow happiness, mysterious or high quality
Black wickedness, mysterious or high quality
White purity or cleanliness
Purple royalty, religion or luxury

(Fellowes & Oakley, 2010, p499; Jacobs, 2013)

2. Students use the identified visual elements to move the focus from the main characters point of view
to the view point of another character.





EXPERIMENTING WITH DIFFERENT NARRATIVE STRUCTURES
WITH A FOCUS ON MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES

Which visual elements could be used to shift the focus away from the main character and towards
another characters point of view? E.g. Make Sophies viewpoint the focus



Discussion Points:

When you look at this image, what are some of the initial things that draw the viewers eye?

What visual elements draw the viewers eye to The BFG? Refer to the Visual Elements chart

How could the visual elements be changed to draw the viewers eye to Sophie?



EXPERIMENTING WITH DIFFERENT NARRATIVE STRUCTURES
WITH A FOCUS ON MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES

Which visual elements could be used to shift the focus away from the main character and towards the
jar being taken off the top shelf?




Discussion Points:

When you look at this image, what are some of the initial things that draw the viewers eye?

What visual elements draw the viewers eye to The BFG? Refer to the Visual Elements chart

How could the visual elements be changed to draw the viewers eye to the jar being taken off the top
shelf?

VISUAL ELEMENTS CHART

VISUAL
ELEMENTS
CRITICAL ANALYSIS (VISUAL LITERACY) UNDERSTANDING VISUAL ELEMENTS
Angles, shape &
line
- What lines draw the viewers eye?
- Is there symmetry or assymetry present?
- Affects the way the viewer relates to characters.
- High angles = reader looks down on characters; Low angle = reader
looks up to characters; Eye level = equal (power)
- Directs viewers line of sight.
Framing - Are frames used to separate images?
- Have imaged been cropped?
- Are close up images used?
- Establishes relationships between reader and characters
- Emotional responses affected
Distance - Is foreground added to add depth and interest?
- What role does the background play in the text?
- Long distance shots can elicit less powerful response from readers
- Establishes less intimate relationships
Signs & symbols - Do symbols mean something different depending on the
context? E.g. xxoo
- Culture specific i.e. dove = peace
- Bird in flight = freedom
Expressions &
body language
- What expressions are used?
- How do the expressions, or lack of, contribute to the
meaning of the text?
- Affects reader responses

Mood - What elements within the illustrations change or impact
the mood?
- How does the mood impact the text?
- Direct gaze = powerful emotional attachments
- Can direct the reader to the direction the person in the image is
looking
Texture - Are features such as sharpness or blurriness used? - Can affect the level of realism
Photos = high modality (realistic)
Cartoons = low modality (unrealistic)
Colours

- How does different colours influence the characters?
- What effect do the colours have on the text?








(Fellowes & Oakley, 2010, p499; Jacobs, 2013)
- Estabishes emotions or mood.
- Vary between cultures and personal preferences
- Lightness, darkness, brightness or dullness
Common meanings associated with colours:
Red danger, excitement, passion, love or strength
Blue coolness, serenity or sadness
Pink tranquility, relaxation, feminity or baby girls
Green fertility, creativity or natural
Yellow happiness, mysterious or high quality
Black wickedness, mysterious or high quality
White purity or cleanliness
Purple royalty, religion or luxury


REFERENCES

ACARA. (2014) The Australian curriculum: English. Retrieved 01/09/2014 from:
http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/english/Curriculum/F-10?y=7&s=LA&s=LT&s=LY&layout=1


Fellowes, J & Oakley, G. (2010). Language, literacy and early childhood education. Oxford University Press:
South Melbourne, VIC (p489-504)


Jacobs, R. (2013). Nice arts! Pearon Australia: Frenchs Forest, NSW


Luke, A. & Freebody, P. (1999). A map of possible practices: further notes on the four resources model.
Practically Primary, Volume 4 (Issue 2), 5-8. Retrieved from:
http://search.informit.com.au/fullText;dn=96162;res=AEIPT


Serafini, F. (2011). Expanding perspectives for comprehending visual images in multimodal Texts. Journal of
Adolescent & Adult Literacy, Volume 54 (Issue 5), 342-350


Tompkins, G., Campbell, R & Green, D. (2012). Literacy for the 21
st
century: a balanced approach. Perason
Australia: Frenchs Forest, NSW (p4)