Visual Narrative

A Visual Lexicon

by Neil Cohn

One of the most recognizable graphic components of the visual language of “comics” is the “panel,” a demarcated frame... more One of the most recognizable graphic components of the visual language of “comics” is the “panel,” a demarcated frame of image content put into discrete sequences, thereby seeming to be the primary unit of expression. However, meaningful visual elements do exist that are both smaller and larger than this encapsulation of image and text. Spoken languages also have vari- ation in sizes of lexical items above and below their primary sequential unit of the “word.” This paper will address these varying levels of representation in visual language in comparison to the structural make-up of verbal language, to aim toward at what it means to have “visual lexical items.”

The limits of time and transitions: challenges to theories of sequential image comprehension

by Neil Cohn

The juxtaposition of two images often produces the illusory sense of time passing, as found in the visual lan- guage... more The juxtaposition of two images often produces the illusory sense of time passing, as found in the visual lan- guage used in modern comic books, which creates the sense that this linear sequence presents a succession of moments or temporal units. Author and theorist Scott McCloud took this view to an extreme, proposing that sequential images are guided by a notion that ‘time = space’ (McCloud 2000), because this temporal passage occurs on a spatial surface. To McCloud, this ‘temporal mapping’ results in a movement of time with a move- ment of space. This sense of temporality, then, is the ‘essence’ of comics, which is manifested in McCloud’s taxonomy of transitions of panel-to-panel relationships (McCloud 1993). While less specific, this same type of ‘essence’ of connection can be reflected in Groensteen’s types of ‘arthrology’ across a linear sequence or disparate panels in a broader text (Groensteen 1999).

(Pea)nuts and bolts of visual narrative: Structure and meaning in sequential image comprehension

by Neil Cohn

Co-authored with Martin Paczynski, Ray Jackendoff, Phillip Holcomb, and Gina Kuperberg

Just as syntax differentiates coherent sentences from scrambled word strings, the comprehension of sequential images... more Just as syntax differentiates coherent sentences from scrambled word strings, the comprehension of sequential images must also use a cognitive system to distinguish coherent narrative sequences from random strings of images. We conducted experiments analogous to two classic studies of language processing to examine the contributions of narrative structure and semantic relatedness to processing sequential images. We compared four types of comic strips: (1) Normal sequences with both structure and meaning, (2) Semantic Only sequences (in which the panels were related to a common semantic theme, but had no narrative structure), (3) Structural Only sequences (narrative structure but no semantic relatedness), and (4) Scrambled sequences of randomly-ordered panels. In Experiment 1, participants monitored for target panels in sequences presented panel-by-panel. Reaction times were slowest to panels in Scrambled sequences, intermediate in both Structural Only and Semantic Only sequences, and fastest in Normal sequences. This suggests that both semantic relatedness and narrative structure offer advantages to processing. Experiment 2 measured ERPs to all panels across the whole sequence. The N300/N400 was largest to panels in both the Scrambled and Structural Only sequences, intermediate in Semantic Only sequences and smallest in the Normal sequences. This implies that a combination of narrative structure and semantic relatedness can facilitate semantic processing of upcoming panels (as reflected by the N300/N400). Also, panels in the Scrambled sequences evoked a larger left-lateralized anterior negativity than panels in the Structural Only sequences. This localized effect was distinct from the N300/N400, and appeared despite the fact that these two sequence types were matched on local semantic relatedness between individual panels. These findings suggest that sequential image comprehension uses a narrative structure that may be independent of semantic relatedness. Altogether, we argue that the comprehension of visual narrative is guided by an interaction between structure and meaning.

Ein Roman in Worten und Bildern. Erkundung der Erzählform von Brian Selznicks "Die Entdeckung des Hugo Cabret"

by Michael Staiger

in: Praxis Deutsch 232/2012, S. 20-25

Eine spannende Geschichte über einen Waisenjungen, einen geheimnisvollen Automatenmenschen und die Frühzeit des Kinos.... more Eine spannende Geschichte über einen Waisenjungen, einen geheimnisvollen Automatenmenschen und die Frühzeit des Kinos. Selznicks Roman flicht ein Netz aus vielfältigen intermedialen Bezügen. Gerade deshalb bietet er einen besonders fruchtbaren Gegenstand, die besondere Erzählform im Wechsel von Worten und Bildern zu reflektieren.

“Towards Multimodal Narratology”

by Grzegorz Maziarczyk

published in Interfaces: Image, Texte, Language 32 (2011-2012):111-125.

A Castle of One’s Own: Interactivity in Chatelaine Magazine, 1928-35

by Jaleen Grove

This paper published in the Fall 2011 issue of the Journal of Canadian Studies, and is available from academic journal databases.

Chatelaine promoted maternal feminism with a variety of illustrated content and with mixed results. Hand-drawn imagery... more Chatelaine promoted maternal feminism with a variety of illustrated content and with mixed results. Hand-drawn imagery in 1928 connoted both individual expression and col- lective national identity. Readers’ material interaction with illustration developed their self- direction, critical judgement, and creativity in how they received editorial, advertising, and aesthetic messages. This made the magazine popular and gave it counterpublic potential. Unfortunately, Chatelaine—an important employer of women at first—replaced much of the illustration by female artists with men’s work and generic photographs after 1932. Ironically, Chatelaine’s celebration of essentialized femininity in pictures and other texts contributed to the exclusion of women from “masculine” illustration jobs, even as such imagery also brought women together in solidarity.

La revue Châtelaine célébrait le féminisme maternel avec un contenu illustré varié. Les résultats ont toutefois été mixtes. Les images dessinées à la main en 1928 représentaient l’expression individuelle ainsi que l’identité nationale collective. L’interaction du matériel de lecture avec les illustrations a aidé les lectrices à développer leur autodétermination, leur jugement critique et leur créativité en assimilant l’article rédactionnel, la publicité et les messages esthétiques. Ceci a rendu la revue populaire et lui a donné un potentiel con- trepublic. Malheureusement, Châtelaine – un employeur important de femmes à ses débuts – remplaça beaucoup de ses illustrations réalisées par des artistes féminines par des œuvres masculines et des photos génériques après 1932. Il est donc ironique que la célébration de la féminité essentialisée de Châtelaine dans ses images et ses textes ait contribué à l’exclusion des femmes dans les emplois demandant des illustrations « masculines », alors même qu’elle regroupait les femmes dans une vague de solidarité.

Building Cuthbert Hall Virtual College As a Dramatically Engaging Environment

by Stanislav Roudavski

Cite as: Nitsche, Michael, Stanislav Roudavski, Maureen Thomas and François Penz (2002). 'Building Cuthbert Hall Virtual College As a Dramatically Engaging Environment', in Proceedings of the Participatory Design Conference 2002, ed. by Thomas Binder, Judith Gregory and Ina Wagner (Palo Alto: CPSR), pp. 386-390

This paper outlines the interdisciplinary nature, collaborative work patterns and role of aesthetics in the Cuthbert... more This paper outlines the interdisciplinary nature, collaborative work patterns and role of aesthetics in the Cuthbert Hall Virtual College research project at the Cambridge University Moving Image Studio (CUMIS) and the Centre for Applied Research in Education Technology (CARET). The project identifies key properties of dramatically engaging real-time three-dimensional virtual environments (RT 3D VE) and how the holistic experiential phenomenon of place is organised and mediated through spatial narrative patterns. Interdisciplinary by nature, the project requires a collaborative approach between science, engineering, media and architecture, and the results are revealing for all these areas. The Cuthbert Hall project invites discussion of the importance in the creation and use of RT 3D VE’s - under single and multi-user conditions - of articulate aesthetics (the quality of architectural, visual and audio design; the production and incorporation of dramatic properties) and of the conditions required for collaborative, communicative use of the environment.

The full theoretical and technical discussions as well as the evaluation results are outside the scope of this submission.

La Mythologie individuelle, une fabrique du monde

by Perin Emel Yavuz

Published in "Le Texte étranger", n°8, 2011

Special issue "L'intinme et le politique dans la littérature et les arts contemporains", edited by Florence Baillet and Arnaud Regnault

Young Children as Digital Image Makers: Reflecting on Lived Experiences of Teaching and Learning

by Narelle Lemon

Picturing oppression: Seventh graders’ photo essays on racism, classism, and sexism

by Özlem Sensoy

Sensoy, Ö. (2011). Picturing oppression: Seventh graders’ photo essays on racism, classism, and sexism. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 24(3), 323-342.

This study, situated in an inner-city school in Western Canada, involved 20 seventh graders producing photo essays... more This study, situated in an inner-city school in Western Canada, involved 20 seventh graders producing photo essays about living with racism, classism, or sexism. Two questions guided the study: (1) How do students working with a critical pedagogue conceptualize their own experiences with race, class, and gender in ways that either interrupt or reinscribe dominant mainstream curricular narratives?; and (2) To what extent can visual methods serve to open up and expand researchers' understanding of students' conceptions of their lived experiences in the context of a critical pedagogy classroom? This study drew upon critical pedagogy, critical multicultural education, and visual methodology. Issues of societal curriculum and identity were central to this work. Students' photo essays not only revealed some patterns of mainstream discourses related to race, class, and gender, but also revealed some very sophisticated understandings of how social issues play out in institutional systems.

The big picture? Video and the representation of guided interaction

by Lydia Plowman

Plowman L. & Stephen C. (2008) The big picture? Video and the representation of guided interaction. British Educational Research Journal 34 (4) 541-565.

Researchers who use video to record interactions usually need to translate the video data into another medium at some... more Researchers who use video to record interactions usually need to translate the video data into another medium at some stage in order to facilitate its analysis and dissemination. This paper considers some methodological issues that arise in this process by examining transcripts, diagrams and pictures as examples of different techniques for representing interaction. These examples are used to identify some general principles for the representation of data where video is the source material. The paper presents an outline of guided interaction and this is used as a case for illustrating these principles in the context of young children, technology and adults in pre-school settings. Although the paper focuses on a specific study and solution, the principles are applicable in all cases where video is used as a source of data for representation of interaction, whether or not it is technologically mediated.

October 16-18 2002 "Phiction: An Evaluation" Image and Imagery Conference, Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada.

by James McArdle

Ein Ereignis – fünf Blickwinkel. Multiperspektivisches Erzählen im Bilderbuch "Was ist da passiert?" von Bruno Heitz und Béatrice Vincent.

by Michael Staiger

in: Sache – Wort – Zahl 121/2011, S. 29-37

Die Erzählformen von Bilderbüchern sind in den letzten Jahren immer vielfältiger und komplexer geworden. Das 2009 für... more Die Erzählformen von Bilderbüchern sind in den letzten Jahren immer vielfältiger und komplexer geworden. Das 2009 für den Deutschen Jugendliteraturpreis nominierte Bilderbuch „Was ist da passiert?“ erzählt seine Geschichte aus fünf verschiedenen Blickwinkeln und regt deshalb dazu an, über Erzählperspektiven zu reflektieren. Gleichzeitig bereitet es als Sachbilderbuch sehr anschaulich die unterschiedlichen Wahrnehmungsweisen von Tieren auf. Im Unterrichtsmodell für das 3. oder 4. Schuljahr wird aufgezeigt, wie eine Auseinandersetzung mit den verschiedenen „tierischen“ Blickwinkeln in der Grundschule aussehen kann.

Seeing the world of physical culture: the potential of visual methods for qualitative research in sport and exercise

by Cassandra Phoenix

Introductory paper in a special issue of Qualitative Research in Sport and Exercise, entitled 'Visual Methods in Physical Culture'.
2010 (Volume 2, Issue 2)

Adopting visual methods can enhance our understanding of the social world. By encompassing a multitude of forms... more Adopting visual methods can enhance our understanding of the social world. By encompassing a multitude of forms including photographs, videos, maps, diagrams, symbols and so forth, images can provide specific information about our existence. They can also act as powerful indicators regarding the multiple meanings embedded within our culture. One domain where the use of visual methods has been less well documented is that of physical culture. Physical culture is taken here to mean human physical movement occurring within recognised cultural domains such as sport, dance and, more broadly, outdoor and indoor recreational activities involving expression through physicality. Opening this special edition of Qualitative Research in Sport and Exercise on ‘Visual Methods in Physical Culture’s’, I provide some broad responses to the following questions: What are visual methods? Why might they be useful? How can they be utilised? I then outline some ongoing debates within the field surrounding issues of interpretation, representation and ethics. I conclude by positioning this special edition as a resource to assist with the continued use of visual methods in physical culture.

Key words: visual methods, sport and exercise sciences, physical culture, researcher‐created, respondent‐created

Trauma written in the flesh: tattoos as memorials and stories

by Derek Alderman

Gentry, Glenn W. and Derek H. Alderman. 2007. “Trauma Written in the Flesh: Tattoos as Memorials and Stories.” Narrating the Storm: Sociological Stories of Hurricane Katrina, Cambridge Scholars Publishing (edited by Danielle Antoinette Hidalgo and Kristen Barber), pp. 184-197.

Image and event in recent Hungarian film (The Man from London, Delta, Milky Way)

by Izabella Füzi

Published in Orientation in Occurrence, ed. by István Berszán. Cluj-Napoca, 2009. 331-341.

The article deals with the visual dimensions of narrative film as a site of the film in which new forms of event can... more The article deals with the visual dimensions of narrative film as a site of the film in which new forms of event can emerge. The descriptions of narrative and spectacle as opposing forces cannot account for the event character of the visual component. Through three recent Hungarian films the article points out a shift which indicates the weakening of narrative (causal, motivational) structures and the foregrounding of a temporality different from the time of the story. In The Man from London (Béla Tarr, 2008), Delta (Kornél Mundruczó, 2008), and The Milky Way (Benedek Fliegauf, 2007) aspects of visuality create meanings on different levels (the mechanistic autonomy of the camera, and seriality of frames, the relation between the setting and characters, and dynamics of what is outside and inside the frame) outside, in opposition to, or alongside the narrative dimension of the film.

O Olhar Oblíquo: Narrativa Visual Na Fotografia De Robert Doisneau. 2005. 147 F

by Greice Schneider

Das Funções Narrativas ao Aspectual nos Ícones Visuais: notas sobre como interpretar imagens

by Benjamim Picado

In: Contemporanea: revista de cultura e comunicação. 4/2 (2006): pp.136,165

This article intends to establish an update of the theoretic views that found our research on the discoursive models... more This article intends to establish an update of the theoretic views that found our research on the discoursive models of visual representations in contemporary media culture: departing from Barthes’ ideas on the method of structuralism for the analysis of narrative, we seek to correlate it with some aspects of the semiotic approaches on the textual regimes of visual representations, altogether with the perspectives of the sciences of art in the same matter. We’re specialy interested in evaluating the relationships between the representational regimes of visual icons and the perceptual structures with which they are related to: in Umberto Eco’s views, it is the questions of the relative dependence of iconographical codes of visual representation in respect to perceptual codes; we also try to explore the notion of aspectuality, as a central one in contemporary aesthetic theories, construed as a key to the theoretical approaches on these relationships between image reading and perception.

(2009) ‘Leaving the self, Nomadic passages in the memoir of a woman artist. Australian Feminist Studies, 24:61, 307-324.

by Maria Tamboukou

In this paper I follow nomadic passages in the memoir of Sofia Laskaridou, a Greek woman artist. I am interested into... more In this paper I follow nomadic passages in the memoir of Sofia Laskaridou, a Greek woman artist. I am interested into how her dislocation from familiar places and spaces in the beginning of the twentieth century opened up unforeseen territories for her self to be constituted as a travel logbook, a chart tracing paths of becoming. As a writer and painter of her own modernity, Laskaridou reconstitutes herself in retracing her paths in the cities she lived as a young art student. However in writing herself in space, she also rewrites the city, offering insights in the experience of the spaces of modernity from a range of marginalised subject positions, in terms of gender and geography. In observing modern life within the discourse of the aesthetic and the limitations of her own time, class, culture and geographies, Laskaridou’s memoir becomes a site of contestation and her autobiographical map rather chaotic. What I argue is that as she moves on, she leaves herself behind, continuously becoming-other as she creates real-and-imaginary connections with the
spaces she temporarily inhabits. In this light, nomadism becomes an effective conceptual tool for making cartographies of gendered spatial practices in becoming a woman and an artist.

(2011) ‘Rethinking the Private Hypothesis: Epistolary Topographies in Carrington’s Letters’.

by Maria Tamboukou

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1755458610000332

In this paper I look into the letters of Dora Carrington, a British artist who lived and worked in the first half on... more In this paper I look into the letters of Dora Carrington, a British artist who lived and worked in the first half on the 20th century in the UK. I am particularly interested in her life-long interest in decorating private spaces and making delightful illustrations of them in her letters. Carrington’s longlife interest in turning lived spaces into works of art went hand in hand with her overall disillusionment with her paintings. The paper discusses the problem of why a young woman artist in the peripheries of the Bloomsbury group had difficulties in devoting herself to her art. This problem I argue has to be considered within what drawing on Foucault I have called the private hypothesis, the long held argument that the private has been socially constructed and experienced as ’a space’ for women. My argument is that for Carrington as for many of her contemporaries it was not the access to the public but the negotiation of solitude and privacy that emerges as a problem. Carrington’s love and passion for private spaces and her epistolary topographies are expressions of spatial technologies of the female self: an artistic intervention in reclaiming solitude and privacy and in reinventing herself.

Keywords: Carrington; Epistolary topographies; Letters; Private hypothesis; Spatial technologies; Women artists