THE RABBITS
by John Marsden and Shaun Tan
VISUAL ANALYSIS ACTIVITIES
When we analyse pictures we need to ask ourselves a number of questions so that we can understand the meaning of things within that picture. We also need to understand where, when and why the book was written. We call this context. Looking at John Marsden and Shaun Tan’s The Rabbits we firstly need to answer three questions, even before we look at any of the pictures. The first two questions can be answered easily by looking in the front cover, however the third one takes a little thinking and interpreting. This one can be answered a little later if you prefer.
Copy the following questions into your work books. We will be answering them in class.
Context
When was this book written?
Where was this book written?
Why do you think this book was written?
COVER
When you start analysing a book, you start at the cover, much like reading a book. The difference is, though, that you need to ask yourself a number of questions in order to fully understand what the cover is telling us. In picture books, the cover tells us much more than the name of the book.
What is shown here?
What is recognisable? Are there any objects or words in the picture that you are familiar with or know from other places?
What has been stylised? Are there any pictures drawn a certain way or do any colours feature more than others?
What parts of the picture could not possibly be real? Decide what is real and what is made up.
What scale do you think has been used? Has this picture been drawn with real sizes of things in mind?
Discuss the proportion. If things are not shown the right/real size, say what is bigger or smaller than normal and why you think this has been done.
What is the perspective? Who do you think this picture is seen from (a character in the picture, an outsider, what type of outsider – think about context) Why do you think that perspective has been used?
Copy the following table into your books. In the left hand side of this table list the icons, or symbols, signs you recognise. Leave a space on the right side of the table and we will later come back to fill in what each icon means/represents
ICON MEANING
Using the icons you recognise, say what you think the fable of this page, and the story, could be.
THE RABBITS CAME MANY GRANDPARENTS AGO.
What tense is used, past, present or future?
‘Grandparents’ is a metonym, a special word which means something specific in a certain situation. In this case, what does ‘grandparents’ mean, write it another way.
What things are shown subtly in this picture, what do you need to look hard for and read into?
What is shown obviously and what is taken for granted?
What is represented as being ‘new’?
What icons do you recognise?
Discuss the colours in this picture. Are any colours or types of colours used more than others. What do you think this means?
Is there light and shade? What do you think this means?
Why do you think the gaze of the snake at the front of the picture, the foreground, important?
What is the gaze of the other snakes?
AT FIRST WE DIDN’T KNOW WHAT TO THINK
Centrality- what is in the centre of the picture and what is most important? Why? Is there a central theme?
Is this picture trying to make any kind of judgement? How do we know that?
Relative position- why do you think the rabbits and kangaroos are at the top of the page?
Visual arts techniques- how was this picture made?
What vectors (straight lines) are used on this page?
BUT OUR OLD PEOPLE WARNED US
Is there a deeper level of meaning being showed in this picture? What words suggest this?
Discuss the colour on this page. Which colours feature most and why? How are different colours used to add meaning, and what is the meaning being added?
Write a list of action words used in this picture.
Are there vectors (straight lines) used? What do they suggest? How do the images in this picture relate to other images? In your answer try to use words which describe; balance, harmony, repetition. dominance, emphasis, unity, contrast, variation and proportion.
THEY CAME BY WATER
Write a list of alternative words to replace ‘water’ eg by ship.
THEY DIDN’T LIVE IN THE TREES, LIKE WE DID.
Explain how framing devices work in this image.
Discuss the size of the objects in relation to each other in this picture.
What metaphor/ icons do you recognise?
Is there a certain order in which you must view the images (reading path) on this page? Outline this reading path.
THEY BROUGHT NEW FOOD
Look at the way that the words and sentences are placed on the page. Is there any specific structure or balance in the way these sentences are presented? What moods are created by these sentences and how do the pictures and colours relate to the moods?
What is shown obviously and what is taken for granted?
What is represented as being ‘new’?
What artistic method presents the new?
What animals and food are drawn here? Describe three of them using as many adjectives as possible.
When we analyse pictures we need to ask ourselves a number of questions so that we can understand the meaning of things within that picture. We also need to understand where, when and why the book was written. We call this context. Looking at John Marsden and Shaun Tan’s The Rabbits we firstly need to answer three questions, even before we look at any of the pictures. The first two questions can be answered easily by looking in the front cover, however the third one takes a little thinking and interpreting. This one can be answered a little later if you prefer.
Copy the following questions into your work books. We will be answering them in class.
Context
When was this book written?
Where was this book written?
Why do you think this book was written?
COVER
When you start analysing a book, you start at the cover, much like reading a book. The difference is, though, that you need to ask yourself a number of questions in order to fully understand what the cover is telling us. In picture books, the cover tells us much more than the name of the book.
What is shown here?
What is recognisable? Are there any objects or words in the picture that you are familiar with or know from other places?
What has been stylised? Are there any pictures drawn a certain way or do any colours feature more than others?
What parts of the picture could not possibly be real? Decide what is real and what is made up.
What scale do you think has been used? Has this picture been drawn with real sizes of things in mind?
Discuss the proportion. If things are not shown the right/real size, say what is bigger or smaller than normal and why you think this has been done.
What is the perspective? Who do you think this picture is seen from (a character in the picture, an outsider, what type of outsider – think about context) Why do you think that perspective has been used?
Copy the following table into your books. In the left hand side of this table list the icons, or symbols, signs you recognise. Leave a space on the right side of the table and we will later come back to fill in what each icon means/represents
ICON MEANING
Using the icons you recognise, say what you think the fable of this page, and the story, could be.
THE RABBITS CAME MANY GRANDPARENTS AGO.
What tense is used, past, present or future?
‘Grandparents’ is a metonym, a special word which means something specific in a certain situation. In this case, what does ‘grandparents’ mean, write it another way.
What things are shown subtly in this picture, what do you need to look hard for and read into?
What is shown obviously and what is taken for granted?
What is represented as being ‘new’?
What icons do you recognise?
Discuss the colours in this picture. Are any colours or types of colours used more than others. What do you think this means?
Is there light and shade? What do you think this means?
Why do you think the gaze of the snake at the front of the picture, the foreground, important?
What is the gaze of the other snakes?
AT FIRST WE DIDN’T KNOW WHAT TO THINK
Centrality- what is in the centre of the picture and what is most important? Why? Is there a central theme?
Is this picture trying to make any kind of judgement? How do we know that?
Relative position- why do you think the rabbits and kangaroos are at the top of the page?
Visual arts techniques- how was this picture made?
What vectors (straight lines) are used on this page?
BUT OUR OLD PEOPLE WARNED US
Is there a deeper level of meaning being showed in this picture? What words suggest this?
Discuss the colour on this page. Which colours feature most and why? How are different colours used to add meaning, and what is the meaning being added?
Write a list of action words used in this picture.
Are there vectors (straight lines) used? What do they suggest? How do the images in this picture relate to other images? In your answer try to use words which describe; balance, harmony, repetition. dominance, emphasis, unity, contrast, variation and proportion.
THEY CAME BY WATER
Write a list of alternative words to replace ‘water’ eg by ship.
THEY DIDN’T LIVE IN THE TREES, LIKE WE DID.
Explain how framing devices work in this image.
Discuss the size of the objects in relation to each other in this picture.
What metaphor/ icons do you recognise?
Is there a certain order in which you must view the images (reading path) on this page? Outline this reading path.
THEY BROUGHT NEW FOOD
Look at the way that the words and sentences are placed on the page. Is there any specific structure or balance in the way these sentences are presented? What moods are created by these sentences and how do the pictures and colours relate to the moods?
What is shown obviously and what is taken for granted?
What is represented as being ‘new’?
What artistic method presents the new?
What animals and food are drawn here? Describe three of them using as many adjectives as possible.