Connotations with evidence.

Connotations are the associations made with interpreting the sign. This is what the connotative level would best be described as. For example, if I'm looking at pictures of famous people's faces, their facial expressions and their appearance can tell viewers a lot about the character that they are portraying. This is why casting is so important and that is people who cast actors for a specific role need to get it right otherwise what the viewer associates them with isn't very good then the film/programme wont make much success because the general public wont like what they have been associated with. However, if they are associated with something good and therefore the film/programme that producers are making will have great success.

Below are some examples I have done that help give evidence for connotations. I have picked 5 famous people's faces because even if it isn't their whole body there is still quite a lot you can write about them. The way they look, what they are wearing and their face expression. All these things can be associated with either good or bad things.

1. (top) Old age could be associated with retirement and it could help explain the scruffiness.
2. (top right) Scruffy hair can be associated with people who are untidy and don't care about their appearance.
3. (middle right) Bags underneath the eyes indicate tiredness and can be associated with age.
4. (bottom right) Staring directly into the camera is associated with intimidate and interrogation. It could show that there is something hidden about this character and he doesn't want to show it.
5. (bottom) Lips are small and expressionless. Could be associated with old age and could help provide evidence for the glum expression.
6. (bottom left) Dark and glum expression can be associate with depression and the fact that these may be something hidden about him.
7. (middle left) Scruffy beard could be associated with poor appearance and untidiness.

1. (top - top right) No bags underneath the eyes show that he might not be tired and this can be associated with energy.
2. (top - top left) Receding hairline could also be associated with old age and therefore can contribute to it.
3. (top right) Blonde hair is normally associated with being light and therefore could show he is more open than we thought.
4. (middle right) Glum expression could be associated with a dark side and depression. Maybe there is something more to this character than we assumed.
5. (bottom right) Black coat over the top of white can be associated with colour contrast especially against the blonde-ish hair.
6. (bottom) Small lips are associated with age and therefore, as well as other contributing factors, shows age in an old way. Also, it can be associated with stress.
7. (bottom left) Eyebrows over the eyes could be associated with old age and can also provide evidence for the glum expression.
8. (top left) Tidy hair can be associated with with care of appearance therefore making him smart.

1. (top - top left) Having a dark shirt on could be associated with being bad rather than innocent.
2. (top - top right) Skin head can be associated with being rebellious and therefore he might not be a very good person.
3. (top right) Barely any wrinkles, can be associated with young age.
4. (middle right) Bags underneath the eyes are associated with tiredness and therefore it could show he works too hard or he is stressed.
5. (bottom right) Gold chain can be associated with being rebellious and therefore, as well as the bald head, he could be a bad person.
6. (bottom) Biting his lip can be associated with trying to be seductive and therefore dangerous.
7. (bottom left) Black shirt on could make us think he is a dark person as we associate black with being dark.
8. (top left) Looking directly into the camera and using the 'seductive-biting-lip' thing could be associated with temptation which then leads onto the association with seduction.

1. (top) Very light skin tone could be associated with being wealthy and innocent.
2. (top right) Skin head could be associated with being rebellious.
3. (middle right) Dark eyebrows which covers his eyes could be associated with being dark as well as having male facial features.
4. (bottom right) Slightly open mouth could be associated with trying to look innocent or lack of intelligence.
5. (bottom left) Dark shirt on top of a white shirt could be associated with being a dark person and trying to use a different colour to contrast to show more about this character.
6. (middle left) Half shaven face could be associated with untidiness and poor lack of appearance.
7. (top left) Light coloured eyes means he might not be from a mediterranean country.

1. (top - top right) Light skin tone could be associated with wealth and innocence.
2. (top right) Dyed hair could be associated with old age as she has to dye her hair to cover up grey hair.
3. (middle right) Quite plumpy lips could also be associated with young age.
4. (bottom right) Barely any make-up on shows she isn't trying to hide who she is and can be associated with innocence.
5. (bottom left) Quite a strong jaw line and bone structure can be associated with male facial features.
6. (middle left) Light coloured eyes can be associated with people who don't live in mediterranean countries.
7. (top left) No wrinkles can be associated with young age and therefore not tired or 'frayed' out.
8. (top - top left) Not very scruffy hair could be associated with tidiness and care of appearance.