The Critical Illustrator
Season 1 - 12
Session 1
Notes from session 1
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The Hoodie
The hoodie as an item of clothing that is made with both function and comfort in mind, usually made from a stretch fabric with fleece lining. It is often associated with both casual and sportswear, the hoodie is an outer-layer of clothing intended to protect against cold weather. The origins of the hoodie reflect this with the first hooded sweatshirt being made by the company Champion in the 1930s to keep workers warm in New York. In the modern day the hoodie is no longer only worn to protect from the elements and while still serving this practicality it may also be worn for its aesthetics or purely for comfort. The term “hoodie,” as a shorthand for hooded sweatshirt, became more widely used in the 1990s. The clothing, since its initial purpose, has developed a negative connotation to crime, though this would boost its popularity as a cool and urban clothing item as it became commercialised in the 90s. While these negative associations may remain, mostly amongst older age groups, the “hoodie” is no longer viewed as a ‘rebellious’ piece of clothing by the majority, and is instead regarded more neutrally as a versatile piece of casual wear.
Modern day hoodies are made in a variety of colours appealing to a large demographic, it is a unisex piece of clothing that can be worn by anyone regardless of their gender, age group or social class.
Modern day hoodies are made in a variety of colours appealing to a large demographic, it is a unisex piece of clothing that can be worn by anyone regardless of their gender, age group or social class.
Session 2
Notes from session 2
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Notes from reading “The World of Wrestling” Roland Barthes’ Mythologies (1957)
Summary of essay:
In his essay ‘The World of Wrestling’ from his book Mythologies, Roland Barthes concludes that wrestling is less of a sport and more a spectacle; something meant to entertain an audience rather than a display of a practiced skill. The spectators in wrestling expect certain events to take place and plot points to be met within a match, which is more important to the audience than which competitor will be the winner. Barthes explains that through signs, such as the wrestlers physique, gestures and attitudes, that an obvious judgment can be made by audience of which wrestler is playing the role of the villain. Barthes describes a wrestling match as containing three key spectacles, “Suffering, Defeat and Justice,’ going on to explain how these are shown, from a hold wrestlers are put showing suffering, collapsing completely being used to signify to the audience a wrestlers defeat, and the sudden change of circumstances within a march displaying to the audience the spectacle of justice. The piece also concludes that there are differences the roles played out by wrestlers in different cultures, American wrestling is a “mythological fight between Good and Evil,” while French wrestling is “based on ethics and not politics.” Ultimately Barthes concludes that every action and gesture within wrestling goes towards the performance of the match and the spectacles it portrays.
In his essay ‘The World of Wrestling’ from his book Mythologies, Roland Barthes concludes that wrestling is less of a sport and more a spectacle; something meant to entertain an audience rather than a display of a practiced skill. The spectators in wrestling expect certain events to take place and plot points to be met within a match, which is more important to the audience than which competitor will be the winner. Barthes explains that through signs, such as the wrestlers physique, gestures and attitudes, that an obvious judgment can be made by audience of which wrestler is playing the role of the villain. Barthes describes a wrestling match as containing three key spectacles, “Suffering, Defeat and Justice,’ going on to explain how these are shown, from a hold wrestlers are put showing suffering, collapsing completely being used to signify to the audience a wrestlers defeat, and the sudden change of circumstances within a march displaying to the audience the spectacle of justice. The piece also concludes that there are differences the roles played out by wrestlers in different cultures, American wrestling is a “mythological fight between Good and Evil,” while French wrestling is “based on ethics and not politics.” Ultimately Barthes concludes that every action and gesture within wrestling goes towards the performance of the match and the spectacles it portrays.
Session 3
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Divergent anchorage
Session 4
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Advertisement analysis
Linguistic message - brand name is minimal. text promoting automatic post-collision breaking system
Image message - product is not directly seen in the image. image ads humour to a serious issue
Anchorage - dual message
Frame of reference - volkswagen advertisement from 2024 advertising an automatic post-collision breaking system
Image message - product is not directly seen in the image. image ads humour to a serious issue
Anchorage - dual message
Frame of reference - volkswagen advertisement from 2024 advertising an automatic post-collision breaking system
Session 5
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Scott McCloud’s panel ‘transition’ types - ‘Land of the Lustrous’ Chpt. 70 by Haruko Ichikawa
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Session 6
Notes from Session 6
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A subculture can be defined as a group of social minority that stands out from the current mainstream dominant culture. These groups develop their own distinct beliefs and values that often form as a response against the prominent politics, media and social interests of the era. For example, the punk subcultures of 1970s Britain developed a DIY cultural aesthetic which went against the consumerist nature of mainstream ideas at the time. Subcultures, in their origins, are particularly prominent in youth culture, anxieties about these groups of young people has had a repeated impact on the definitions of subcultures for over the last. 150 years (Skelton, Valentine 1998)
Skelton, Valentine (1998), Cool Places Geographies of Youth Culture, Taylor & Francis e-Library
Skelton, Valentine (1998), Cool Places Geographies of Youth Culture, Taylor & Francis e-Library
Session 7
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Task: conduct a review of Laura Mulvey’s essay ‘Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema’
In her essay ‘Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema’ Laura Mulvey argues that the traditional films of Hollywood contribute to the reinforcement of patriarchal structures through the male gaze. The male gaze objectives women for a male audience, the theory suggests that the audience for these films, particularly male viewers, derive pleasure from identifying with the male gaze who is usually framed as more active and important to the narrative than their female counterparts, who are typically portrayed as passive in objectified roles.
In her essay ‘Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema’ Laura Mulvey argues that the traditional films of Hollywood contribute to the reinforcement of patriarchal structures through the male gaze. The male gaze objectives women for a male audience, the theory suggests that the audience for these films, particularly male viewers, derive pleasure from identifying with the male gaze who is usually framed as more active and important to the narrative than their female counterparts, who are typically portrayed as passive in objectified roles.
Session 8
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Session 9
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Session 10
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