Visual Media Literacy Image Analysis

The purpose of Visual Media Literacy was to teach us how to understand the semiotic and symbolic meanings of images that saturate the world. How can you create meaningful and ethical media if you don't understand the implicit and explicit meanings of the colors, shapes, and lines you are using. In this sample of my work I have written an analysis of the image above, as it is relevant to colors, shapes, mass, etc. You can see how I went through the image piece by piece, and slowly analyzed its content in order to reveal the intended message of the advertisement.

    The image I chose to analyze is an advertisement for the cos Eric company Nyx and their Smokey eye shadow palette. The image suggests that the use of this particular palette will transform the individual, stereotypically portrayed as female, wearing it into a seductive maven. In this paper I will analyze how the aesthetic components of this image come together to portray the intended message. By analyzing the dominant colors, shapes, vectors, and lines I will be able to convey what makes this image a productive piece of advertising for a makeup company. I will also be able to ideologically analyze the image, which will assist me in analyzing the ethical integrity of the image.

     First I will analyze the color composition of the image; the dominant color within the frame is black. It takes up the majority of mass that composes the backdrop for the advertisement. Black also is present in the leather glove and black top the woman pictured is wearing, and is also the color of the packaging for the Nyx Smokey palette. There are even two eye shadow colors that are various shades of black and gray within the Smokey eye palette, as well as being the color which defines the woman’s eyes. The color black has many meanings, yet in this image the associations I believe fit best for purposes of analysis are power, mystery, elegance, and seduction. The other primary color present is a light neutral gold, which is exhibited in the light blonde of the woman’s hair and warm pale tones of her skin. Although the woman’s skin tone is light, it is not pale enough to be compared to the color white and seems to more closely mirror light golden beige, where her hair is a light golden blonde tone. Gold represents wealth, power, and youth, which in conjunction with the black present in this image portrays a message that says using the Smokey eye palette will imbue seductive power and elegance upon the wearer, allowing them to flaunt an air of alluring mystery. The other prominent color in the image is the woman’s red lipstick; red symbolizes passion, lust, and power. By combining these three powerful colors, the advertiser has sent an image of false empowerment to women; it tells them if you buy this product you will then have all the attributes associated with these colors. Power, strength, and seduction will all be available to you if you purchase this eye shadow palette.

     The shapes that are present in the image are ovals, rectangles, and triangles. The woman’s face has a rounded shape, with her chin and cheekbones forming an upside down triangular shape. The shapes of her eyes are circular, which are made more prominent by the black definition done by the eye shadow palette. Triangles are representative of youth, sexuality, power, dynamism, and modernity. By using a model with a triangular shape to her face, as well as creating pronounced triangular edges within the corners of her eyes, the cupid’s bow of her lip, corners of her lips, and in the letters of the NYX logo advertiser created a youthful and edgy look. The anchorage of the image creates a rectangular shape, and the eye shadow palette itself is packaged in a rectangular case, including this shape in the image gives the sense of flexible stability, as well as strength and assurance. Combining the two features meanings it shows that the shapes are meant to convey a sense of modernity as well as stability for women who use this product.

     The vectors used in any given image directs the viewer’s gaze within the frame, and can also lead it outside of the frame. The woman’s nose points down toward the anchoring text of the image, which acts as an indexical vector. Her right brow bone acts as an implicit vector by guiding the gaze indirectly to the text of the brand logo in the upper right hand corner of the frame. The Smokey eye palette acts as a direct vector pointing to both the anchoring text at the bottom of the frame, as well as the brand logo in the upper right. The woman’s left jawline forms a continuing vector that leads from her face and ends pointing to both the Smokey eye palette, as well as the image’s anchoring text. Within this image all points lead to either the Smokey palette, the anchorage, or the brand logo. This demonstrates the importance of acknowledging what is being sold, the purpose of the product as described in the anchorage in the image “BE Bold. BE Glamorous.” Lastly, the most important aspect of the advertisement that is highlighted through the use of vectors is the brand selling the product. Within the frame of this image, the majority of mass is taken up by the color black, the image of the Smokey palette, and the picture of the young woman’s face. By creating an image that is centered heavily on an individual person the advertiser is able to show how their product is used, as well as manipulate the scenario in which the person using it is portrayed. In the image the woman is wearing presumably a black party dress, black leather gloves topped with two gold rings, and sophisticated yet sultry make-up. The image implies that a woman who uses this product will feel powerful and sophisticated, and appear youthful, seductive and edgy. However, placing the woman wearing fancy leather gloves and large golden rings implies that wealth will also be involved, within an advertisement this would be unethical to assume such status unless the particular advertiser had a market segment they are focusing on.

     The lines present in the image are diagonal lines going from each side of the woman’s face and intersecting at her chin. The text in the image is presented in horizontal lines, the palette is composed of two horizontal lines and two vertical lines. By combining the horizontal and vertical lines, the advertiser has given the image a sense of stability and “everyday” perception, creating a realistic aspect within the image. By including shapes with diagonal lines, that illustrates youth, vitality, and mystery, which all fit well within the possible meaning of the image given the colors present within the frame in combination with the shapes, lines, and vectors.

     From combining the individual meanings of each analyzed group; colors, shapes, vectors, and lines, one can conclude that the intent of the advertiser was to imbue the feeling of power and mystery upon the viewer by making them believe using this product will make them beautiful and seductive. As a consumer, what you see is a stoic and poised woman, not revealing much emotion but acting as a model for the product in order to demonstrate its capabilities to create glamour and beauty. Overall, the message is mostly ethically sounds with the exception of creating the implication that the woman featured has money due to her fancy rings, which could turn of potential customers in lower-income market groups. I felt the image was able to embody what the product does, and display that simply and effectively. However, I think that the image would have been more effective if the anchorage on the bottom was removed. I felt that the amount of text in the image made it busy, and to me it felt distracting and unbalanced.