Form, Colour and Composition Theory (20385)
Degree/study: Degree in Audiovisual communication
Year: 1st
Term: 2nd
Number of ECTS credits: 4 credits
Hours of studi dedication: 100 hours
Teaching language or languages: catalan
Teaching Staff:Óliver Pérez
1. Presentation of the subject
This subject is part of the general itinerary of history, theory and analysis of the audiovisual work and poses three interrelated lines of study: the theory of visual perception, the study of the image expressive dimension (shape, colour, texture and composition) and the learning of structures and primary processes for the analysis of the visual speech.
2. Competences to be attained
Instrumental skills
- Capacity to apply image theory concepts to the analysis of several types of images
- Capacity to interpret a same image through different theoretical prospects
- Acquisition of a sufficient theoretical basis for the student's autonomous evolution in the analysis and creation of images.
Systemic skills
- Knowledge on the fundamental principles of visual perception and image psychology
- Knowledge on the fundamental principles on evocative composition of images
- Learning structures and basic processes for the speech analysis of images
Interpersonal skills
- Reflective capacity and quality in oral and written communication
- Auto-critic capacity on their own work
- Capacity to work in a team
3. Contents
Unit 1. Visual perception basis
Origin of image formation. Upward and downward visual processing. Visual perception and optical illusions. The ocular system: structure and functions. The primary visual draft: limits, lines, fields. Visual and semantic perception.
Unit 2. Shape and visual expression
Primary shape organization: segregation figure-background, Gestalt laws. Shape characteristics and meaning: size, location, orientation. Shape syntagmatic: gestalts speech projection, interaction of expressive gestalts and iconic shapes.
Unit 3. Visual speech analysis basis
Decomposition: segmentation and stratification. Expressive level vs. Iconic level. Re-composition and model creation. Speech coherence. Case study.
Unit 4. Colour and visual expression
The perception of colour. Synthesis of colour additive and subtractive. Properties of colour and its meaning: tonality, clarity, saturation. Colour syntagmatic: chromatic balance, chromatic structures.
Unit 5. Image composition and visual expression
Order vs. variety compositions. Composition balance and perceptive shape tensions. The central and eccentric systems of visual composition.
Unit 6. Image in movement and plasticity in the audiovisual.
Real movement and illusory movement perception. Movement and visual expression. Interaction of the expressive image with the audiovisual media.
Unit 7. Three-dimensional image, recognition and downward perception
Primary and secondary keys of depth perception. Visual texture and depth gradients. Recognition and downward perception. Perception and expectations.
4. Assessment
a) Exercise 1: Analysis of fix image through the expressive shape; use of analysis concepts of the visual speech (units 2 and 3). 15%
b) Exercise 2: comparative analysis of figurative fix images with an expressive approach; analysis of shape, colour and composition (units 2, 3, 4 and 5). 15%
c) Exercise 3: Audiovisual image analysis with an expressive approach; analysis of shape, colour, composition and relation between the expressive image and the audiovisual media (units 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6). 10%
d) Exercise 4: final student's assignment. 15%
e) Final exam. 40%
f) General attitude and participation in the reading's debates. 5%
g) The assignments that don't meet the deadline will be graded as a 0.
h) It will be necessary to pass the exam in order to be assessed in the final evaluation, in the contrary, the subject will be failed.
5. Bibliography and teaching resources
5.1. Basic bibliography
ARNHEIM, R. Arte y percepción visual. Madrid: Alianza, 1979.
ARNHEIM, R. El poder del centro. Madrid: Akal, 2001.
BORDWELL, D. i THOMPSON, K. El arte cinematográfico. Barcelona: Paidós, 2007.
BORDWELL, D. La narración en el cine de ficción. Barcelona: Paidós, 1996. Chapter 3: "La actividad del observador".
CASETTI, F. i DI CHIO, F. Cómo analizar un film. Barcelona: Paidós, 1996.
GARAU, A. Las armonías del color. Barcelona: Paidós, 1992.
GOLDSTEIN, E. B. Sensación y percepción. Madrid: Debate, 1992.
GOMBRICH, E. H. Arte e ilusión. Madrid: Debate, 1998.
GOMBRICH, E. H. El sentido del orden. Madrid: Debate, 2004.
GROUPE M. Tratado del signo visual. Madrid: Cátedra, 1993.
HELLER, E. Psicología del color. Barcelona: Gustavo Gili, 2006.
LUNA, D. i TUDELA, P. Percepción visual. Madrid: Trotta, 2006.
PRAKEL, D. Composición. Barcelona: Blume, 2007.
RUIZ COLLANTES, X. "El significado de la marca 
". In: Formats, num. 2, 1999. Barcelona: Universitat Pompeu Fabra. On-line: .
5.2. Complementary bibliography
BORGES, J. L. "Funes el memorioso". In: Ficciones. Madrid: Alianza, 1997.
BRUNER, J. S. Actos de significado. Más allá de la revolución cognitiva. Madrid: Alianza, 1998.
DONDIS, D. A. La sintaxis de la imagen. Barcelona: Gustavo Gili, 1990.
DUNNING, W. Changing images of pictorial space. Syracuse: Syracuse University Press, 1991.
HOFFMAN, D. Inteligencia visual. Barcelona: Paidós, 2000.
MATLIN, M. i FOLEY, H. Sensación y percepción. Mèxic: Prentice Hall, 1996.
SACKS, O. Un antropólogo en Marte. Barcelona: Anagrama, 1997.
SACKS, O. El hombre que confundió a su mujer con un sombrero. Barcelona: Muchnik, 1987.
5.3. Teaching resources
- On-line documents of all the compulsory reading or recommended texts, available in Moodle.
- Visual guides of each one of the subject's units; on-line Power-Point documents available in Moodle.
6. Metodology
During the course the following learning methods will be combined:
- Theory classes (master classes)
- Analytical application of the different theories to several types of images: abstract, figurative, static, audiovisual, etc.
- Analysis of cases with the participation of students
- Student's class exercises and out of class assignments
- Recommended and/or compulsory readings that will be discussed in class
- Images / audiovisual pieces viewings out of class
- Tutorships / exercise review
7. Planning of activities
|
Week |
Class activity / Type of activity |
Out-of-class activity/ Type of activity |
|
Week 1 |
Thursday 07/01 - Unit 1; Readings assignation 1 and 2 |
Readings 1 and 2 |
|
Week 2 |
Wednesday 12/01 - Unit 1; Thursday 14/01 - Unit 2; Readings discussion 1 and 2 |
Readings 1 and 2 |
|
Week 3 |
Tuesday 19/01 - Unit 2; Thursday 21/01 - Unit 2; |
Readings 2 and 3 |
|
Week 4 |
Dm 26/01 - Unit 3; Readings discussion 2 and 3 Thursday 28/01 - Unit 3; |
Exercise 1 (fix image analysis: unit 2 and 3) |
|
Week 5 |
Tuesday 02/02 - Unit 4 Thursday 04/02 - Unit 4; Hand in exercise 1 |
Exercise 1 |
|
Week 6 |
Tuesday 09/02 - Unit 5 Thursday 11/02 - Unit 5; Review exercise 1 |
Repàs units 2, 3, 4 i 5 |
|
Week 7 |
Tuesday 16/02 - Exercise 2 (I): analysis of fix figurative images in plastic key (units 2, 3, 4 and 5) Thursday 18/02 - Exercise 2 (II): analysis of fix figurative images in plastic key (units 2, 3, 4 and 5) |
Revise units 2, 3, 4 and 5 |
|
Week 8 |
Tuesday 23/02 - Unit 6 Thursday 25/02 - Unit 6; Revise exercise 2; Assignment exercise 4 |
Exercise 4 (final assignment) |
|
Week 9 |
Dm 02/03 - Unit 6; Thursday 04/03 - Unit 7; Readings assignation 4 and 5 |
Exercise 4 Revise units 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 Readings 4 and 5 |
|
Week 10 |
Tuesday 09/03 - Exercise 3: plastic analysis of the audiovisual image Thursday 11/03 - Unit 7; Revise exercise 3; Hand in exercise 4 |
Exercise 4 General unit revision Readings 4 and 5 Study for the exam |