Hall, Sean. This Means This, This Means That : A User’s Guide to Semiotics, Laurence King Publishing, 2012 (Chapters 1 & 2) pgs 21-67.

Questions / Prompts

  • Using an example, define Saussure’s terms sign, signifier, and signified in your own words.
  • How are signs employed in visual communication? Provide a visual example from contemporary or historical advertising and explain why the example is considered an icon, index, or symbol in Peirce’s terms.
  • How are non-literal devices used to convey meaning in advertising and/or social media? Provide a visual example from contemporary or historical advertising and explain which type of non-literal device (simile, metaphor, metonym, synecdoche, irony, lies, impossibility, depiction, or representation) is being used and why.

Response

Signs may be defined as visuals that can represent important messages or markers that can serve as a signifier of things to come, as well as determine things that happened or happen through the impact of information being signified. Signs are used to convey what is expected and what to expect. Some can be creative and include fun facts like the one below.

A historical example is a poster created for the Exhibitor Show in 2006, in which artists could showcase work at the event and online. This poster can be considered an index because it creates a relationship between the objects and the chains that are holding them up, in relation to the show.

Exhibitor Show Poster, Michael Vanderbyl 2006

It almost looks like a face due to the placement choices. This poster is an example of representation using objects and colors. The colors look similar and make it easier to read the branding. The cube features three different variations of a color, which shows the attention to detail of this poster, including the chains being attached, behind and in front of the hairlike object. This is important because it means that all the objects that are held by chains are linked. The choice of objects being put in the front may represent emphasis by the Artist. A synecdoche was used through the objects being connected similarly as part of something that links them together, being the chainlike things holding the objects above ground.

Annotations

Annotation 1: Disservice

Definition: Synecdoche

Annotation 2: Bible reference

Annotation 3: Detection

Reference Img -Exhibitor Show 2006

Social Distancing Sign

https://openlab.citytech.cuny.edu/comdtheoryoer/topics/why-theory/#graphic-design-history-refresher
https://openlab.citytech.cuny.edu/comdtheoryoer/topics/language-signs-and-symbols/