Summarising and Paraphrasing

A short summary of Graphic Agitation 2 by Liz McQuiston

Graphic Agitation 2 by Liz McQuiston is a book that touches on social and political graphics in the digital age. McQuiston shows real passion for politics when it comes to the power the government has on advertising. ‘They play with our desires, values and aspirations’.  She looks into traditional visual satire in the form of caricature and cartoons and how they can be used to ridicule world leaders, politicians and their power plays. McQuiston also looks into Anti-fast food activism were she talks about the Mclibel trail and the substantial amounts of trail related and anti McDonalds material that entered popular culture. The book also goes into US and UK politics, in presidential elections visual satire poked fun at political parties and UK Politian’s photo-opportunities made ‘Blair’s Cheshire cat smile became a ghostly visual trademark’ McQuiston also looks into the graphics of Fuera de Registro and some of the most interesting political campaign posters and works that touch on wars, identity branding and the rise in corporate power.

Reading and understanding

The book I choose to look at was Graphic Agitation 2 by Liz McQuiston, Social and Political Graphics in the Digital Age. The extract I looked at was chapter 2, satire, subversion, subvertising.

Tone Of Voice

When reading it is clear that the author is very passionate about politics and graphic design. You can also see that she is angry about the power that the government has on advertising.

'More Powerful and potentially more manipulative even than the governments'

'They play with our desires, values and aspirations.'

Key Points and Quotes

• Traditional visual satire in the form of caricature and cartoons continues to ridicule world leaders politicians and their power plays.

'Latin American artists have harsh things to say about politicians and dictators both past and present.'

• Striking Out against the brands, Anti-fast food activism

'In the McLibel Trial McDonalds took UK activists David Morris and Helen Steel to court over the contents of one of their leaflets-'whats wrong with Mcdonald's?' The trial itself attracted heavy media focus, and substantial amounts of trail related and anti McDonalds material entered popular culture.'

• US politics: presidential elections and personalities

'Visual satire of the time therefore poked wicked fun  at the ambiguity of the two main political parties via 

their mascots.'

• UK politics: Satire and photo-opportunities

'Blair's Cheshire cat smile became a ghostly visual trademark'

• Anger and hardship from the South: the graphics of Fuera de Registro

'The politics of Latin America, and particularly its politicians, leaders and dictators, often conjures up images of tension and anger'

Fuera de Registro 'They photographed political campaign posters in Mexico City exactly as they found them-drawn on or manipulated by people in the street.'

Finding Research Sourses

For this task we talked about a range of ways I can go about doing Research for my essay.
I first started by establishing a focus for my research (A specific Political/social event where graphic design played a significant part. We then were given a method of finding research I was told to use the books in the library.
I used the computers to type in key points such as Graphic Design and politics it would give me the name of a book, what building it is in and where you can find it, I could also ask a Liberian if I could not find the book. I believe that this way of finding information is trustworthy depending on who wrote the book or wether it is fact or opinion. I also had a look at finding information on Google books, I did like hoe it would take you exactly to the page you were looking for and that it was a faster way of finding information rather than having to look through a whole book. I also looked at finding websites that could help me, It was good as you could find a lot of information quickly, however you need to be careful wether you can trust the information online by seeing who wrote it.
I did come across so valuable information in a book called ’Propaganda The Art of Persuasion: World War 2’ and I will use this book to help me with my essay.

 

Image Analysis Essay

Last week I had a context of practice lecture where we looked at two old advertisements and compared them. I then wrote a short essay comparing the two.

The Uncle Sam Range Advertisement was created in 1876 by Schumacher & Ettlinger in New York. The target audience of the advertisement was Americans and The Uncle Sam Range is a type of stove. At the time that this advertisement was being observed America were celebrating 100 years of independence. This means that in many ways the advertisement is very patriotic showing the red, white and blue colours, like the stars and stripes flag as well as having an hidden meaning. In the advertisement is the world holding a scroll of a list of countries and food while sitting around an American dinner table. This suggests that America are inviting the world to a dinner party as if they are helping poverty of other countries.

The American Dream can also be seen within this advertisement as the individuals look like they are from a higher class and are living a well-fulfilled life. This could be interpreted as America thinking that they are superior and providing for the rest of the world.

The other advertisement for Colonial Progress Brings Home Prosperity made in 1931 has a similar perspective to The Uncle Sam Range as one country believes it is better than another. The advertisement has two images showing East-African transport old style and East African transport new style. The target audience of this advertisement is ruling upper class people and the purpose is to try and persuade these people to invest their money in projects done by the British colony. The advertisement shows imperialism though the images of race and slavery. The advertisements are supposed to show that Britain are helping East Africa be a new world, however this is bias and in todays culture we can see in the images imperialism and demonization, suggesting race superiority through body language, clothing and slaves serving their ‘master’.

 In the Old style poster the women are leading the children. In the 1930’s, East Africa would have been far more civilized then what is being portrayed, however by suggesting this it makes the content of the new style poster look far more advanced, more modernised and developed, therefore far more alluring. Slavery is shown in the advertisement as it shows the men working on the transport. This also suggests that the new world should be led by white men from ruling countries, reinforcing the issue of race superiority.

This demonstrates that The Uncle Sam Range and Transport advertisements are similar in meaning as they both have countries that think they are far more superior and prosperous than others. Technological determinism is also shown in both advertisements and suggest that technology is important for a good quality life. It is clearly presented by the technology of the stove and modes of transport. There is also a great deal of focus on a political agenda, involved showing the power and perceived greatness of the empire.

The main factor of both of the advertisements is the history behind them, they are both biases. The first advertisement by trying to make America look like the greatest and most successful country in the world due to it having 100 years of independence and other countries and races serving America, or being provided to by America. The other advertisement uses imperialism and power of the empire to show and ‘prove’ strength and historical superiority.

There are also many differences between the advertisements; the biggest being the style of illustration. The Uncle Sam’s Range has more realistic illustrations and includes a wild-west style font which backs up the patriotic theme. The East African advertisements illustrations are less detailed and simplified, with a more serious and modern sans serif font.  

Visual Literacy- The Language of Design

Last week I had a lecture on visual literacy. Visual literacy is the ability to interpret, negotiate and make meaning from information presented in the form of an image.
I learned the meanings of visual syntax and visual semantics and we also went over semiotics which i have looked at before in my Alevel media course. A good example which was given was the Apple symbol.

Symbol - It symbolises an apple
Sign- It is a  sign for apple products
Signifier- It signifies quality, innovation, creativity, design and lifestyle.

I the next few weeks I wish to become more well known with the terminology I learnt in this lecture such as Visual synecdoche which is a term applied when a part is used to represent the whole. The main subject is simply substituted for something that is inherently connected to it. I also now know the terms for visual metonym and visual metaphor. The lecture was ended on the quote, 'Work the metaphor. Every object has the capacity to stand for something other than what is apparent. work on what it stands for' Incomplete Manifesto for growth-Bruemau.