Visual Argument Approach Examples

 

Visual Examples:
One
Two
Three

Context Example

These are just a few representative examples. You have LOTS more options to choose from!

Translating Linguistic Claims into Visual Claims Example:
How does your visual support your linguistic claim?

Claim: In Star Wars: Episode IV, Han Solo is a more much more interesting character than the actual lead, Luke Skywalker.

Example 1) I could make an original movie poster to establish that Han Solo is a more complex character that Luke. [notice that, since my claim is a comparison, I can't just go off on Han Solo or Luke alone].

Visual Representation of Grounds: I could put Han Solo in the forefront (using graphics I've gotten from the movie or the web - but it's VERY important that I devise my own layout and don't just follow other movie posters. This is SOOO essential to remember, as it's tempting to rely too heavily on outside sources. However, copycatting with minimal changes is still PLAGIARISM.) Luke would be in the background. Luke would be in his little white outfit with a simplistic look on his face. Han would be all wild looking, with an intense, maybe even tortured look upon his face. I'd have to look around for a photo/graphic that suited me best (Personally, I'd go for the photo, as cartoons don't capture that look of intensity I want). Han would be more colorful than Luke and his white outfit. I could even use a little photo manipulation to make Luke look paler and even less vivid.

What I'm trying to visually communicate here is that Luke is not as three-dimentional a character as Han Solo. I'm doing this using color, expression, and positioning. That's how I'm "arguing."

Example 2) I could make a video montage of Star Wars: Episode IV to demonstrate that Han Solo is a more dynamic character than Luke.

Visual Representation of Grounds: Since a "dynamic" character is a character who changes, we can follow Han Solo from his beginning as a pure mercenary to the ending where he unselfishly comes back and helps the Rebels destroy the Death Star, saving Luke's life. I could use clips from the movie to demonstrate this, but I'd have to edit this carefully. There would be a logical, compressed use of specifically chosen clips that not only show Han changing, but Luke passively standing by. I'd probably do a take off on the intro, using the traditional Star Wars angled scroll to extol Han and diminish Luke. I could insert this whenever I had to do some explanation because I was skipping around. I'd pick clips like Luke in the beginning, Luke and Han at Mos Eisley, Luke and Han discussing rescuing the Princess, Han declaring "I'm not in this for your rebellion, sweetheart" to Leia, then of course the dramatic ending where Han shoots Darth out of the sky, allowing Luke to blow up the Death Star.

Here I'm using key clips to demonstrate my point, while using the traditional Star Wars font and visual "tricks" to communicate extras.

Example 3) I could make a comic strip to demonstrate Han Solo has a sharper wit than Luke.

Grounds for Reason 3: I could write a little cartoon script where Han makes a bunch of clever one-liners while Luke makes stupid, simple comments. I would exaggerate it and not just use lines from the movie, as I need to demonstrate Luke's cluelessness as well as Han's cleverness. I could include other characters like Leia, having her hang all over Han and roll her eyes and make degrading comments about Luke.

Here, I'm making my audience laugh and Luke while admiring Han's sense of humor. This certainly makes Han look better, smarter, funner, and more interesting, especially since I've exaggerated it (remember our satire techniques).

 

Writing About Context Example:
In what ways does your visual argument appeal specifically to the audience you identified? That is, how do your design choices persuade your audience?

Audience: My audience is people who have seen Star Wars: Episode IV. I'll refer to events they're aware of by using the traditioanl Star Wars fonts and layout, and use dramatic staging to appeal to the fans of such a movie who love action, science fiction, adventure, etc. [You would get into more detail about what exactly that layout and staging was in your paper]

 

 

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