Emily Dickson 10/21/19

Visual Media Literacy

Midterm paper
Popchips

Visual media literacy is the understanding of the design, perception and meanings of

visual images. To fully understanding an image, using elements such as lines, vectors, colors,

shapes and balance can help determine a meaning and a story without the use of words. These

elements can interpret feeling, symbolism and direction. Ethics is also an important factor in

visual media literacy. Ethics is moral principles that govern a person's behavior or the

conducting of an activity. An ethical image is one that portrays good morals, values, and is just

to society. An unethical image portrays disrespect, stereotypes, and is unjust to society.

Depending on the targeted audience can determine what direction how the image is viewed

ethically.

The image that I have chosen to analyze is a Popchips ad with, American singer-

songwriter, Katy Perry as the center point. Popchips are a healthy alternative snack. This ad

portrays all the visually appealing elements that determine meaning. This image also shows a

form of ethics to attract the targeted audience and attract attention.

This image displays horizontal, vertical and diagonal lines throughout the image.

Horizontal lines convey a sense of welcoming, stability, and balanced. The horizontal lines in the

image are Katy’s arms that are holding the bags of Popchips. Because Popchips are a healthy

and delicious snack, her arms positioned horizontally describes the snack as a balanced food, a

reliable and stable snack that everyone can eat. Vertical lines convey a sense of energy, will-
power and dominance. The vertical lines in this image are the pattern and straps that are on her

dress. These lines give off energy and make the image more fun to look at. Because Popchips

are a healthy snack, it shows will-power by not giving in to an unhealthy snack. This image

shows that Popchips are the best choice for a snack and those who eat them are better of

showing dominance. Diagonal lines covey lust, playfulness and uniqueness. The diagonal lines in

this image are the way her body is positioned and the way her dress is cut on her body. They

way her curves are pronounced and how her strap is leading down her chest gives the image a

sexual vibe and a fun and playful feel.

Vectors are directional lines of force operating within a frame. These lines of force lead

the viewers eyes from one area of the frame to another or to outside the frame. The vectors in

this image are Katy’s eyes, hair and dress. Her eyes are looking up towards the text at the top.

Her hair is going down her face towards the left bag of Popchips. Her hair also connects with

her strap that is going across her chest and leads to the other bag of Popchips. These vectors

lead your eyes to what the main focuses of the image and what the image is telling us.

Colors determine many different things about an image. There are two kinds of colors

that can be differentiated; complementary colors and compatible colors. Complementary colors

are colors that stand on opposite sides of the color wheel. Compatible colors are colors which

exhibit a bit difference in brightness. there are three different characteristics when examining

colors; hue, brightness and saturation. Hue describes the color itself; Brightness varies with the

amount of a light a color will reflect. Brightness is how light or dark a color appears in a black

and white photo; Saturation refers to the relative strength or purity of the color. Colors can be
rich or washed out. The most common uses of color are informational, affective, associational,

symbolic, and aesthetic.

This image displays blue, black and pink. The background of this image is all blue and

Katy is a mix of blue and black with slight ascents of pink. Blue represents sophistication and

relaxation, black represents class and sophistication, pink represents flirty and feminine. The

background has compatible colors because the blue becomes lighter around Katy giving her a

glow. The colors are very saturated and bright creating a richer and more vibrant feel to the

image. The use of these colors is affective, the colors can convey mood and a range of

emotional states. Affective color energy depends on Hue, Saturation and brightness, Size of the

colored area relative contrast between foreground and background.

Shapes that are displayed in this image are mainly triangles and rectangles. Triangles

represent sexuality, fun, and energy. Triangles that are displayed in this image are her arms and

the straps on her dress. These triangles represent the power and sinuosity Popchips have over

competitors and the fun vibes you will have when eating them. Rectangles represent trust,

established, and reliable. The rectangles in this image are the two bags of Popchips. This

represents Popchips as a food you can trust, an established and successful compony, and a

reliable snack.

Visual balance refers to the overall resolution of opposing forms and forces that as a

whole appear ordered and in lively opposition. elements affect the perceived “weight” of forms

in an image sizes of forms, shapes of forms, colors of forms, brightness of forms and location in

frame. Katy is the largest object in the center of the frame holding the focus of the image, the
Popchips. The image is highly lit, and the background becomes lighter as it surround’s Katy in

the center. The image is symmetrical creating an equal and stable balance throughout the

image.

Ethics is moral principles that govern a person's behavior or the conducting of an

activity. Dose this image represent females in an appropriate manner? This image does not

represent females in an appropriate manner. This is true because of how Katy is holding the

Popchips Infront of her chest. This draws more attrition to her chest instead of the content of

the bags. Also, the text at the top states, “nothing fake about ‘em,” indicating that her breasts

are fake, but the chips are real. This makes the image sexist and desensitize to women. This

image is making outlandish claims that people with alterations are related to Popchips in a

significant way and making a mockery out them.

Overall, the elements in this image symbolizes many different things such as power,

sophistication, and femininity to make fun of women. Through lines, vectors, colors, shapes,

balance and ethics, that have achieved their goal.