Introduction
Text is a complex of written information that can be analyzed and then used by a reader. A visual text is peculiar due to its graphical composition. In this respect, such text except for the written information also has a complex of visual symbols, features, pictures on the whole. The transition of colors can make a discussion about this or that visual text more vivid and patterned. This and other features of the visual text are discussed in the paper on the example of one definite picture being an announcement of the film Belle et la Bete. Jean Cocteau’s depiction of love in the poster of la Belle et la Bete is much more close-minded, in contrast to modern fairy tales. This is due to the time the poster was made.
Visual details and subject matter
Looking at the poster, one cannot but admit that the informative content of it is rather limited. It is so due to the direct outline of the main details as of the characters and the theme of the action. In fact, here one can imagine some original evaluation of the performance. The assertion on the outstanding authors, such as Jean Marais and Josette Dax, makes this visual text significant for ordinary people of that time. What are more, mere details about the cast are represented to provide the most of information? As far as it may seem, the main idea of such form for information spread is to make more glimpses at the main points of the event along with some fancy about how it would be performed. Wealth and beauty with love manifestation are at a juncture of the standpoints described in the visual element about the event. The patterned “frame” of the poster also describes the level of morale that was apparent for people living merely in 1960s or 1970s. By the word, “frame” one should understand here the versatile nature of additional details and elements inside the visual text. The whole picture of textual and visual parts underlines the particular role that “interpretation can play in understanding advertising images and placing visual consumption within a broader frame of the interpreted life” (Schroeder 117).
Elements of visual text
Different elements in the picture under analysis seem to be placed with response to the style being predominant in the 1970s, particularly. This feature also makes the whole complex of details similar in their framing and representation. Colors in the visual text are chosen to demonstrate joy and sadness at once. It is seen in the example of black and yellow colors applied to the picture. Thus, the yellow color of joy is presupposed with Beauty. On the other hand, the black coloring contemplates the Beast. In contrast to modern times, this fairy-tale lacks colors and special effects. Today such events are announced via large city lights or via the Internet with more enthusiastic and professional play with elements. In this respect, one should note that today’s highly technological era cannot merge with old methods in making people attracted by posters or just by an announcement. People are more seduced in present days with versatile methods in making advertisements. Time dictates its rules. According to the poster under analysis, such evaluation is rather fair, but concretely for the time when the fairy-tale was performed.
When taking into consideration the plot of the story, one admits a distinct comparative characteristic as of the visual text and the artistic text. Here comes an explanation of how an individual associate the wholeness of the story when looking at the picture. In previous times people more frequently read than watched. This is why the conceptual idea of the story differed. However, it gave more points on the personal way of imagining and associating things, features, and events in the story itself. Turning again to the poster, the form of representation is limited in making the picture about the event more informative. To say more, there should be more points on slogans or executive phrases which could interest a viewer. Nevertheless, two systems of representation are reckoned with graphical implementation and visual performance. If both become immersed in the syntax of image-making, then the viewer has no interest in reading the textual materials as constituting words with symbolic meaning, but as image-based (Horner 135).
Cultural assumptions
According to the cultural or traditional assumptions represented in the visual text, there is a concrete belonging of the text to the definite time realities. This time contemplates the rise of immigration in France, the high development of art in it since 1950s and the development of youth in their social activities. Al these features comprise the picture of Bell et la Bete announcement. Actually, there is also a mere extent of nostalgic coloring due to the psychological trick of making colors a bit blurred and executed in order to make a viewer possibly think of past times.
Conclusion
To sum up, the concept of visual text is greatly disclosed in the picture under analysis. All elements are represented in the straightforward correspondence to time prospects along with the cultural, social, and economic assumptions as for the tempos of development in art. All in all, visual texts help people adapt to the wholeness of the underlined idea because some creative approach to making this visual text splendid and interesting promotes the viewer’s better understanding of it.
Works cited
Belle et la Bete. Visual text. Hyperlink: Web.
Horner, Stanley. The subject of art in the process: undressing the emperor’s nude close. Portsmouth, NH: Trafford Publishing, 2000.
Schroeder, Jonathan E. Visual consumption. London: Taylor & Francis, 2002.