Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University , 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis is concerned with a study of the two basic elements of communication,
namely image and text. How these basic communication tools function in the genre of
the visual narrative with regard to their roles in the comic strip and the artist's book,
will be examined. Both genres, the comic book and the artist's book, consist of
complex structures regarding their workings in the framework of the visual narrative,
and this work explores these complexities by analysing how image and text function in
the visual narrative.
The area of semiotics is used as a basis on which the arguments in this thesis are built.
The principles contained in semiotics act as useful guidelines in the reading and
understanding of communication in general, but in this study these principles give
focus and structure to the research of especially the comic strip and the artist's book.
Concepts that are discussed in depth include the interesting interactions which occur
between image and text when they are used together. Signs, icons, symbols and how
they function with (or without) text, are also examined. Text can also function as
image, and this visualisation of text is explored. The role of concepts like
interpretation, perception, the study of images and image-association, are all very
important in the visual communicator's eventual success with his/her communication.
How these concepts influence the creation and forming of one's visual intelligence and
visual literacy, and the eventual effect it has on the process of communication, make
up a very important part of this study. These arguments lead to a discussion of the
dynamics contained in the visual narrative when looked at from a semiotic perspective.
Central to the discussion on the visual narrative in this thesis, is the differentiation
between two similar genres:
1) Firstly, a discussion of the functioning of the comic strip medium. Important
aspects of this subject are the interactions of image and text, and how the comic medium consists of a unique set of symbols, which influence the specific
communication in this genre.
2) Secondly, the genre of the artist's book, and how the medium of the book functions
as a unique phenomenon in communication. The systems of meaning contained in
the medium of the book are looked at against the light of a semiotic analysis of text
and image.
This research supports the importance of a semiotic approach as a helpful aid in the
interpretation of any piece of communication, but especially that of the comic strip
medium and the artist's book. The theories of Charles Peirce, Ferdinand de Saussure,
Roman Jakobson, Maurice Merleau-Ponty and Umberto Eco are used as basis of the
arguments in this thesis and serve as valuable ground for a useful discourse. The
implementation of above mentioned theories lead to an indication of the complexities
involved in the special visual language of the comic strip and the artist's book. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie is gemoeid met 'n ondersoek na die twee basismiddele of "taal"
van kommunikasie, naamlik beeld en teks. Hoe hierdie basiese
kommunikasiegereedskap funksioneer in die visuele narratief, met verwysing na
veral die komiekstrip en die kunstenaarsboek, word ondersoek. Beide van
laasgenoemde genres beskik oor komplekse strukture in hul bestaan binne die
raamwerk van die visuele narratief, en hierdie navorsing ondersoek hierdie
kompleksiteite deur die funksionering van beeld en teks in die visuele narratief te ontleed. Die area van semiotiek word as basis gebruik waarop die argumente in die tesis
gebaseer is. Die beginsels vervat in die rigting van semiotiek tree op as 'n
handige hulpmiddel in die lees en verstaan van enige vorm van kommunikasie,
maar in hierdie studie verleen dit veral fokus en struktuur aan die navorsing
binne die raamwerk van die komiekstrip en kunstenaarsboek.
Konsepte wat in diepte bespreek word met die oog op hul uiteindelike
funksionering binne die visuele narratief, sluit die interessante interaksies wat
ontstaan tussen beeld en teks wanneer hulle saam gebruik word, in. Konsepte soos tekens, ikone en simbole, asook hul werking saam met teks (en afsonderlik
daarvan), word bespreek. Teks kan in werklikheid ook as visuele beeld
funksioneer, en hierdie "ikonifisering" of "beeldwording" van teks word
ondersoek. Die rol van konsepte soos interpretasie, persepsie, beeldherkenning
en assosiasie, wat uit hierdie proses van visuele kommunikasie voortspruit, is
baie belangrik in die visuele kommunikeerder se uiteindelike sukses met sy/haar
poging tot kommunikasie. Hoe hierdie konsepte aanleiding gee tot die skep van
'n persoon se "visuele intelligensie" en "visuele geletterdheid", en die
uiteindelike effek wat dit op die proses van kommunikasie het, maak 'n
belangrike deel van hierdie navorsing uit. Hierdie konsepte lei tot 'n bespreking van die dinamika van die visuele narratief wanneer daar vanuit 'n semiotiese
oogpunt daarna gekyk word.
Sentraal tot die bespreking van die visuele narratief in hierdie tesis, kan daar
tussen twee ooreenkomstige genres onderskei word:
1) Eerstens is daar 'n bespreking van die funksionering van die
komiekstripmedium. Belangrike aspekte van hierdie onderwerp is die
funksionering van en interaksies tussen beeld en teks binne die medium, en hoe
die stripmedium bestaan uit 'n unieke stel simbole wat die kommunikasie van
die werk beïnvloed.
2) Tweedens die genre van die kunstenaarsboek, en hoe die boek as unieke
medium funksioneer, word bespreek en ontleed. Die sisteme van betekenis
vervat in die visuele narratief betrokke in die boekmedium, word beskou teen
die lig van 'n semiotiese ondersoek na die interaksies van die basismiddele beeld en teks.
Hierdie navorsing steun die belangrikheid van semiotiek as hulpmiddel in die
interpretasie van enige stuk kommunikasie, maar veral in die stripmedium en
die kunstenaarsboek. Die studie maak veral gebruik van die teorieë van Charles Peirce, Ferdinand de Saussure, Roman Jakobson, Maurice Merleau-Ponty en Umberto Eco. Die toepassing van bogenoemde teorieë in hierdie studie, lei tot
'n aanduiding van die kompleksiteite vervat in die spesiale "visuele taal" van veral die komiekstrip en die kunstenaarsboek.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/52963 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Ferreira, Rikus |
| Contributors | Dietrich, Keith, Bouma, Paddy, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences. Dept. of Visual Arts. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | af_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 150 p. : ill. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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