Journal Entry 10: Advertisements and Color

Oztam is a TV ratings company based out of Australia. This advertisement is rich in color! All the colors flow together and make for an eye catching image overall. The blue (gradient) background allows the foreground to burst out of the page in a way. The colors white, yellow and red are far enough away from the color blue to give you the complimentary impression (certainly with red). The colors don't just help this particular advertisement, I'd argue that they make the advertisement! The colors are well contrasted and just as they are made bold in color, they make for an equally bold statement. The advertisement demands attention and it is well merited! There is harmony flowing through all portions of the page. It is extremely simple yet effective.

Journal Entry 9: Logos and Color Meaning

I chose three Logos everyone will be familiar with: ABC, Firefox and NBC.

Though this logo isn't as flashy as it's moder counterpart, it is in essence the same logo it has always been, without the shine. The two-color pallet offers a monochromatic logo. As such the logo(along with it's shape) becomes almost 'friendly' in a way. It's both easy on the eyes and easy to remember. Hard to not be harmonious with the two most basic of colors, black and white. Because of this, it is also complimentary.

We should all be familiar with Firefox by now, and their logo certainly would help you remember. First and foremost you'll notice the beautiful colorization. The (2) colors are complimentary and make for an eye popping image. The blue causes the orange of the fox to "jump out" of it's 2d space in a way. They chose these colors because they work well together, they are at the same time, strong and effective. I can guarantee with confidence (as could the logo's producers) that you will not forget this logo.

This logo is certainly catchy and memorable. The colors add much to it's overall appeal. Right from the get-go you'll notice that all the colors (minus the black) are analogous from one side of the color wheel to the other. The colors work so well together that it'd be nearly impossible to forget this iconic logo. I guess in some way, one could relate the colors to the variety of offerings on the network, in essence they're trying to say they have something for everyone.

Journal Entry 7 and 8: Similar Advertisements

I went a bit of a different route for my advertisements you could say. Both are indeed advertisement, as covers to any magazine are an advertising foreshadow to what may come within it’s pages. Both advertisements are Incredibly similar despite both being made by different publishers and at different times and by different designers(albeit contents within both and established text on both are way different, the background is the same.. sort of). Both advertisements(covers) sport the same depressing character, a very depressed looking individual(presumably Kurt Cobain? I don’t know…who cares).
In the first one, by Newsweek, All colors are muted(gray scaled) allowing for ample attention to be acquired by the large white print and ‘areas of red’, such as the title and supporting features as I call them. You have a STRIKING(bold huh?) Suicide immediately facing you in big, bold letters. Coupling this with the very sad(depressing) background image, you have yourself a very literal meaning or a denotation. Being that the advertisement is very literal, I don’t think(at least I don’t think, maybe someone else does) it can be considered connotative(connotation).
While you could call it a ‘myth’ that all suicidal(or depressed) people have that same sad look on their face(just brainstorming here, I don’t know for sure whether they all carry this look), I’m sure not all do. I’m sure some hide it pretty well. The sign and the signified have a very clear and direct relationship here: Suicide(a definite Iconic word) being the signifier and The very depressing man in the Background being the Signified. Putting these two together is a definite sign. Also, the muted colors make for a much more “Sad”, dull look, really driving home the point.


In the advertisement by Rolling Stone, colors are similar to those of the first. You have very muted(depressing under circumstance) colors, while the relationship between the signifier and signified are greatly different from that of Newsweek. The signifier seems to be “Who is Kurt Cobain” so presumably the signified is Kurt Cobain. While the Newsweek advertisement is completely grayscale(minus the red and orange) this advertisement offers a bit more color to the figure in the background. Giving his eyes some slight color pulls the advertisement’s colors into a unity. While the first one certainly had a clear relationship between signifier and signified, making an “index”, this one is not as clear making it more of a symbol. This remains true as long as you don’t know who the figure is and assuming there is something else present it could mean(maybe you could call this an index too). Whether or not you could consider it an index or a symbol is debatable, but there is no doubt to the Iconic nature of the ad. That is because there is a very sure connection between the photo and what the photo represents(as with all photos).
Unlike the first ad., this one featured a greater portion of the photographed signified. This works well for this one with the given text, completely optimizing it. Same as before, the dark colors bring out the lighter(richer) colors, the whites and blues. The connection between the signified and signifier is both literal and not literal, depending on what it means individually. Meaning, if you don’t draw the connection it won’t be  denotative. Where before you could see clear relationships in the first one where the character certainly looks depressed, maybe on the verge of suicide. These ads, as they are covers, are trying to sell you the magazines. Maybe the first one could draw in those interesting in reading up on suicide, or those contemplating suicidal action. Rolling stone is offering you the chance to enter the person of Kurt Cobain. Depending on who you are(as I don’t like reading magazines), these could be clever tools to inspire you to lay down the cost required to read into these magazines.

Journal Entry 6: Vegetarianism

Meet Bob(right) and Larry(left). Today, Bob and Larry are helping me illustrate my stance on Vegetarianism. For you who don't understand the image(understandable) I'll explain it. While it isn't true for all Vegans, there are a large amount of members who believe killing an animal(or living thing) for consumption is wrong. So with the help of old Veggie Tale friends I am showing how Veggies too, are living things. Clearly, I am all for eating anything(except other people! C'mon people!). The way I see it is that God made the animals for food as well and a tiger won't think twice before eating a person.

p.s. I do love animals...I just also like how a lot of them taste!

Journal Entry 5: Metaphor

This, as if it were not obvious, is an advertisement for a special toothbrush capable of bending its "head and neck parts(I don't know what to call them...clearly)" into different shapes. The different shapes allow for better reach into certain areas of the mouth. This is all clearly represented through the corresponding objects to each brush shape. It is an effective metaphor, because one object is used to represent another, effectively. This advertisement strongly gets its point across, which is: Buy these brushes.

Journal Entry 4: Signs

There was so many signs I found, They are EVERYWHERE you look. You cannot(in a city) look in any direction, and NOT see one. Since there was numerous signs I wanted to show, find a connection(or theme) amongst them all was not easy. Let's just say they're all between Taylor Hall and Heritage Square in Downtown Flagstaff! These given signs vary from warnings, to directions, to marking locations, to telling stories, and even unintended changes. One Way, No Parking, and Do not Cross are all important warnings for safety or perhaps to keep your car un-towed. Same with the handicapped symbol. Others such as the '32' in the ground mark locations, much like a tombstone. Restrooms and Restaurants are given symbols so you can know the difference from one to the other. Other warning let you know there may be people near by or that you shouldn't go over a certain speed, for safety. Signs can be simple, such as a hand drawn '50% off', simple but able to get one's attention. Look both directions! Indicated before you(perhaps your deaf) step into a not-so-good situation. I included the "GO Trespassing" because, (1) I found it humorous and (2) because it shows how signs can often be manipulated to mean something other than their original intended meaning. I had my friend stand behind the sign when the train came for emphasis...The license plate is a sign we all use. It indicates at the same time, where we reside, and a number to track your vehicle The last sign represents a story we all know(in a very cartoony way...). Who doesn't know the story a Noah and the Ark? This is an illustration of that event, and a lesser recognized form of sign, so I included it as well.

Journal Entry 3: Arrows

Initially, the idea of having to find twenty arrows for a journal was startling. But as said by some before, once you get going it becomes one of the easier things to do! Before you know it, you have too many arrows! I started my 'arrow campaign' just outside the front of Taylor Hall on North Campus. Almost immediately I noticed at least three! Three became six, six became ten...and so on! With a walk downtown(not even necessary to finding enough), I was easily finding more than my quota. Most arrows I found were between here(Taylor Hall) and route 66 downtown.

These first two arrow pictures, an iPod shuffle's 'play, forward and backward' arrows and the arrow of a compass indicating 'north' were the easiest to find, I didn't even have to leave my room! It's amazing if you think about it. For instance, on any standard 'music playing device', you have up to five arrows(similar to what Phil Patton pointed out in his article, Setting Sights at the Arrow), Thats crazy!!! And how would you have known unless you looked? Same as my compass, we've all seen the arrow to indicate north, but has anyone really given any thought to the meaning of the arrow? We seem to instinctively know it's meaning but none of us seem to really reflect on 'the arrow'. Interesting.

This Exit Sign Arrow, was a random shot I took leaving Taylor Hall on my way to lunch. Here again, direction is indicated through the simpleness of the arrow. It's meaning is instantly recognizable and obvious, allowing us the know how to find the 'exit'.

All five Images above were taken out front of Taylor hall. From 'one way' to 'parking' to 'time' all contain arrows in some form. A "one way" signifier by itself means literally nothing to the viewer without the proper "signified", the arrow. How would anyone know(in some cases) which was the "one way" if it was just the text? Putting arrows for parking saves the amount of material used for signs by spreading meaning through a single sign to multiple spaces. As for time, who isn't familiar with the hands of a time piece? Without those hands(arrows) you would not be able to gauge the time rendering any watch or clock useless.

The above five are all necessary for conveying specific instructions on where to find something, or how something is to be used. Meanings derived from these mechanisms are easy to comprehend and cannot be misconstrued. The arrows help reinforce, what might be considered obvious. I believe I found all of these between the Drury Inn at North Campus and the Flagstaff Christian Church before Downtown Flagstaff.

The above two are located at and in the Drury Inn and both are relating to mechanical doorways, an automated door and an elevator. Both arrows indicate what we acknowledge as 'up'. While immediately obvious at the entrance of an elevator to mean, "going up", the arrow above that one is unclear as to why an automatic door should have an 'up' arrow....?

The remaining five were all found north of campus, between Butler and downtown. All five, in each form they come were used to indicate position or direction on top of or under the concrete. Obviously this can be very important depending on circumstance. When we drive our cars around, it's important to know which way our lane is turning so that we do not end up in a collision. Arrows show you where to turn, where you are, where you will be, whats ahead, below, up, or anywhere. And as stated in the Article, they are everywhere. If you are looking you cannot miss them. The meaning of the arrow has been ingrained into our very culture(s). And has been around longer than any of us and will be around long after we're gone. The arrow is an amazing tool when you get down to it.