Word + Image

A picture is worth a thousand words.  Often, this statement is understood to be quite true.  A freestanding, text free image can be extremely powerful.  While the image can range anywhere from a simple doodle, a large billboard advertisement, to a massive building sized mural, it has the ability to capture a person's attention, as well as convey messages that can be quaintly elusive or startling in its clarity.  In the image above, a small child looks upon the form of a flying spacecraft painted on the surface of a public wall.  The whimsical spacecraft is further enhanced by the playful use of light and shadow.  There are no words to be found, but the image is thought provoking and interesting.  In this particular case, the image does not need the use of text and words.

In this second image, a picture of a McDonalds billboard, text is also not a necessity. Also designed with an innovative use of light and shadows, this billboard is able to convey to its viewers wonderful suggestions for breakfast every hour from 6am to 11am.  Again, the message that the designers intended with this billboard is clear and does not need text convey its meaning.  However, found in the lower, left hand corner is the McDonalds logo above their well known slogan "I'm lovin' it".  Although this text is not a necessity in regards to this advertisement, it does play a supporting role to the actual ad.  It's presence here in the ad serves to further suggest to the viewer that these breakfast items would be a good choice.  The image itself is powerful enough that the words only appear as supplementary elements.

This is not the case for all images.  There are many others found in society today that without the aid of written word would be highly confusing, and thus, unsuccessful in conveying whatever message it was anticipated to deliver.  In another advertisement, this time done by Formula brand toothpaste, words are a necessity.  If the image were to be freestanding of any text, the image, although highly entertaining, would be hard to understand outside of its aesthetic qualities.  Word and image both can stand alone, but sometimes they must work together to have the best results.  With that said, I will leave you with one last image in which I feel would not be successful at all if the text were to be eliminated.  Enjoy.