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Okay so the title was supposed to be "Words and Pictures" in the font Windings 2, but I guess it didn't transfer from Word to Blogger too well. I'm sorry.

My selection for this week's blog post is this scene from McCloud:

In the scene, he talks about how words and pictures could be used together and what effects come from the combination. I chose this scene because I think it is a perfect example of the power of multimedia and conveying messages. I never realized before how words and pictures could be used as complements and enhance a singular message. I never really stopped to think about it before, although I probably have seen many examples of how words and pictures were combined just so in order to make me think or feel a certain way. My example is this Lego advertisement: 

The ad is simple. A small red Lego block and a slightly larger black Lego block with the sentence, "Imagine a Children's story" next to the Lego logo. The picture of the Lego blocks are slightly larger than the words, so it places focus first on the toy. Then we see the sentence and that's when we start thinking about the toy and what the two blocks are supposed to represent. From McCloud's reading I would label this word/picture combo as "Interdependent" as I believe the picture and words need each other to send the message. Otherwise, it just seems like a couple of Lego blocks or some vague sentence. But together, it makes me think of how playing with Legos is using your imagination and how fun that it can be. The ad simply but effectively illustrates Lego's message that their toy inspires and fuels imaginations of those who play with them. Through this simple ad, I could totally imagine "Little Red Riding Hood." In fact, I no longer see the Lego blocks, but a little girl and a big scary bad wolf. I am reminded of my younger cousins and how much fun they have while playing with Legos.

 Nor did I realize the many different ways that words and pictures could be combined and used to elicit a different feeling. For me, it was very surprising to see the many different ways that you could use words to describe a drawn scene or vice versa. I guess it also depends on what you want to focus on. I have also realized that thinking visually is not always about what looks pretty or the most attractive, but how do these different elements relate to one another and what message are they trying to send? Knowing how word/picture combos work now, I can better fashion an image that uses both to convey the message that I wanted to convey. I will keep these word/picture combos in mind in this upcoming Photoshop project.

The Sounds of...Podcasts?

Images found on Google


Before taking on this project, I've always thought that podcasting was a pretty simple thing to do. You just sit down in front of a mic, choose a topic to discuss, and just talk. But now, I realize that podcasting isn't THAT easy. You do have to have a topic to talk about but you also need some research and direction that you want your podcast to take.That's where the planning comes from, why we have a script, so we know (generally) the direction that the podcast is headed and you're not too rambly or off topic.

But therein lies a challenge when it comes to podcasting. I have a feeling that having a script, while helpful in keeping focus and direction, can be hard because a script (at least for me) will make it hard to sound natural and NOT like I'm reading off a piece of paper. I will probably have to relax and do some vocal exercises before I record my podcast and will be something that I have to keep in mind.

A reward for me in working with Audacity and sound, is that it's teaching me a new way of creating art. Art isn't always visual, but can come in many different forms. With this podcast project, I'm learning how to create something that will be aurally appealing, like using sound effects and music and my voice. I will have to find a way to fit them together and make my podcast entertaining and a form of art. It's just a new way of expressing myself that I never thought about before.

The obvious thing that connects audio to text is that they are both dealing with words. Whether you're listening to a podcast or reading a book, words are the ones that are being used to communicate a message. One way that audio differs from text, is that with audio, you can hear exactly how the author is intending the message to be. For example, when reading a book, sometimes it's hard to decipher whether or not someone is trying to be sarcastic. But when you're listening to someone, you can definitely hear the sarcasm in their voice. You also get to hear emotions, how someone is feeling through their voice. Another difference, is that audio is a little more personal than text. Sure when you're reading you can get a sense of the author and his or her voice or the character's voice, but it's mainly your voice (the one inside your head) that is doing the talking. But with audio, you can actually HEAR the person's voice. It is not the Voice inside your head that is describing things to you, but the Person him/herself.I believe that with audio, you are better connected to the Speaker and get a better sense of who they are. Audio just gives a better sense of connection to the Speaker than text does. In podcasting, text and audio are important. Text is one way that a podcast host can write down his/her ideas and topics to be discussed, but audio, while adhering to the text, goes to the next level and brings life to the text. Audio is an attention grabber and with it you can be sure that the message is being received, loud and clear.  

The Draft that No One Sees

It was really reassuring for me to read “Shitty First Drafts” by Anne Lamott. See, I’ve had this dream of being a writer one day and the image that I have of being a writer is someone who sits down at a typewriter and writes and writes and writes for hours on end, until eventually they end up with a finished and perfect manuscript. And because of this image, this stereotype, I suppose I’ve at times considered myself to be a bit of a failure. If I can’t write a perfect manuscript on the first try, could I really call myself a writer? Some of that feeling could also come from the perfectionist inside of me. Everything has to be perfect and it all has to happen on the first try.

            But after reading “Shitty First Drafts” and learning that most (if not all) writers have trouble writing some times and that the perfect draft doesn’t exist, I feel relieved. I am not the only one with this problem and being stuck or having trouble writing is a very common problem. What I’ve learned from “Shitty First Drafts” is to relax and have confidence in yourself and your abilities. The most important thing is NOT being perfect the first time round, but GETTING THINGS WRITTEN. Let those ideas just come in whatever way, shape, or form even if it’s not “perfect.” Getting things down on paper is good because it can help flush away problems and find amazing ideas that wouldn’t have come up if I am too busy worrying about finding that “perfection.” So as long as I keep on writing and writing, I can never fail.

Lastly, I really like responding to readings by writing a blog entry because it is more fun and easier to write. I don’t have to worry about being professional or sounding too academic, I can just be myself and let my own voice shine through. Writing blog entries is also more relaxing and less stressful than academic writing because I can simply let my thoughts flow out of me, like a stream of consciousness, which is very cathartic.

To end on a happy note, here is a video that I’ve found that has authors giving some inspirational advice. :)

About Me

·  Hi! My name is Whitney Trang. It's nice to meet you! :)

           I am a senior, double majoring in English and Communication. I was born and raised in Southern California, and have one younger brother who attends UCR. Some of my hobbies include watching TV, reading fantasy and mystery novels, and creative writing. As an aspiring author, my new year's resolution (which has been the same for the past couple of years now) is to finish the first draft of a story that I am writing and (hopefully) publish it one day.

Taking a class on digital media sounded like fun and it will give me a different way of learning how to write, be creative, and express myself. I do not have too much experience with digital media, although I did take a "contemporary arts" class in high school where I learned how to use iMovie and we got to create, edit, and show our projects to the rest of our peers. I guess at this point I am more of a consumer of digital media and with this class, I can be a producer of digital media too.