About

This is the webpage of Image Theory, a compulsory subject corresponding to the first year of the bilingual Bachelor’s Degree in Film, Television and Media Studies and the Dual Bachelor in Journalism and Film, Television and Media Studies at the Carlos III University of Madrid. This site is devoted to the public diffusion of students’ digital portfolios of the subject and to offering additional resources, most of them open licenses, to develop these assignments.

COURSE DESCRIPTION
Image Theory aims to provide a conceptual, theoretical and historical approach to the image from a wide range of perspectives attentive to its social, cultural, aesthetic and ideological role. At this point, it should be remarked that, according to William T. Mitchell, the notion of the image serves as a kind of relay connecting theories of art and language with conceptions of social, cultural, and political value (2013, p. 2).
The course draws on different disciplines, such as art history and aesthetics, semiotics, visual studies and media studies. Moreover, it introduces the principal methodologies to the study and analysis of the images, specifically still images, although we will also work with moving images. In all of these cases, a guiding principle of the course is to follow a critical approach to interpreting images. In addition to understanding the significance and place of images across a variety of historical and social contexts, a vital aspect of the course is the practical matter of creating and manipulating them.

LEARNING OUTCOMES
– Knowledge of the concept of image and image theory from a wide range of perspectives or disciplines.
– Knowledge of the different elements and characteristics of the image as well as the basic principles of visual language.
– Knowledge of different visual methodologies that allow a comprehensive analysis of different types of images.
– Knowledge of the social, cultural, political and aesthetic role of the image from a historical perspective, with a particular emphasis in contemporary society.
– Development of the iconic creativity and students’ expression through the still image, taking into account the relationships between text and image as well as the general principles of visual syntax.

This web is a non-profit educational project.