Visual Form - The New Yorker art director Francoise Mouly

Visual Form Background

First, watch the TED talk by  The New Yorker art director Francoise Mouly, and listen to what she says about the impact of visual images.

It is approximately 8 minutes long and found at: 

https://www.ted.com/talks/francoise_mouly_the_stories_behind_the_new_yorker_s_iconic_coversLinks to an external site.

(If the link doesn't work by clicking, copy and past it into a browser window.)

Writing the paper:

Your response this week is two parts:

First, in the video you watched for this module, Mouly says, “I've always been captivated by how an image can -- a simple drawing -- can cut through the torrent of images that we see every single day. How it can capture a moment, how it can crystallize a social trend or a complex event in a way that a lot of words wouldn't be able to do -- and reduce it to its essence and turn it into a cartoon.”  Does a visual image really have that much of an impact?  Do agree that it creates an impact that “words wouldn’t be able to do”?

Second,  have fun analyzing a visual image of your choice. It can be a painting, cartoon, photograph, or even you’re an image you took on your own. Explain:

· The title/author

· Where the original is located (on the web or a physical location)?

· Why did it stand out to you and why did you selected it for analysis?

· What is the meaning and does it “crystallize” a particular event or social trend?

· What does it do that words can’t?  (You might even say that words would convey MORE meaning or it has no meaning without adding words.)