Image Analysis Exercise

Context of Practice Task 1
Image Analysis Exercise

Image 1

The Uncle Sam Range (1879)
Adversting Image by Schmacher & Ettlinger New York

Image 2

Empire Marketing Board - East African Transport Old Style and East African Transport No Style
by Adrain Allinson from the Colonial Progress Brings Home Prosperity Series

Both these images are used to portray a message and as propaganda by their governments to help promote an idea they had, although for the same purpose both images are very different and are used in different ways. The first is an older image so therefore is printed in a more traditional way, this meant they had to compromise on colours, styles ect. The colour used in the second a lot more vivid and clear, this is a its a more recent image created in a new style. Being more recent meant it could use more bolder, interesting ways than the first because of the advances in technology over the time . Neither were created digital but still the process was very different, this lead to second image being clear and standing out more.  The first had to be cheap to produce and this is seen clearly from the quality of the image, it was probably used in magazines and other papers as it's image that you notice but understand over time, you have to study it to see all the points its trying to get across in the details.Whereas the second image is a very simple concept created but lots of little detail too but these add up to create a obvious image that is clear from a quick view.  The colours and shades are not as bright as in the first as in the second image which is as the second is a more recent document which will have newer more advance ways producing a poster. As printing technology has improved artist have been able to try and experiment with more unique different styles, like here the first is a very basic image in the old linagraphic style which was probably the most popular if not the only ways of producing work like this whereas the new image is a painted/drawn image that has then been reproduced on a larger scale as this was accessible to the artist. Although both images are from very different places with different aims, they both include issues of sexism and racism, they show this is the details of the piece that then collectively give off this issues. One way the first image shows racism is that there is a black slave serving the group at the table, this reflects the time as well as politics as this is when slaver was still very big in America, but only the rich had slaves so the artists is trying to show the group as rich, they want to portray they are the important so this use of racism would have implied. The slave is also working compared to the white people which are laughing, smiling and having a good time, this is to give off a positive image as they want it to be a happy fun poster rather than a depressing/negative image.The other piece uses racism as a more forward impact, the first part shows unhappy, unsafe african tribe traveling via walking in the wild, this is children in danger and other aspects that combine to give a negative impression, this is then contrasted with the more positive image of the white man in a boat directing the africans, first off all its clear there are no women or child in this image showing they are safe and not having to work. Second the images hows they muscly and happy to work rather than sad, the artist has changed the layout of the picture so that the white man is not only mental above but actually physically above the others this is to express his power over them and his importance. Sexism is used in the first poster as at the women is serving the food, she seems happy but is not allowed to sit with the men as is kept away and working, this shows the values of the times and display how women where seen to work only at this time in history. Also the world is seen as a man by wearing trouser and a suit, this reflects the view 'Its a mans world' at this point in history the world was very bias towards men and talking about the world using a masculine pronoun was normal rather than these days it would be kept gender neutral.  

All different elements from the first poster where added as propaganda to reinforce an image that its trying to show, it shows the 'america dream' Uncle Sam, in a all american suit sitting down with the world to trade. The smiling world shows hows the world is happy with everything and with america, this was to make people think that everything good as there was no media to tell them otherwise.