Brain Teasers: Playing With Word and Image

According to Scott McCloud, the arrangement of word and image has been used historically to thoroughly or completely convey a message. The combination of the two is usually used to convey an idea that needs more explanation beyond words.

Comics are a common form of art and communication that juxtapose image and word. Appearing in most newspapers near the comic section, one might find a different combination of word and image, ones that intends to confuse and to trick rather than clarify. These combinations, commonly referred to as brain teasers seek to accomplish a very different goal. The reader/viewer leaves the experience feeling smart, clever, accomplished and capable if he can figure out what the author is trying to say. If not, the person may leave with feelings frustrated and incapable.

The content in brain teasers, what the author is trying to say is usually very different than the content in comics. The main goal of a brain teaser is to confuse the mind at first glance and then force the onlooker to think in ways they are normally not asked to explore. This new perspective is necessary in order to synthesize the layout/structure of the words (what I would consider the image) and the letters themselves. The mind must separate from the common practice of reading a word and in doing so receiving the information intended for conveyance by the author.  With brain teasers, the reader must do more than read. They must proccess the letters while simultaneously recognizing how they are arranged, the image they display.

Here is a very simple example that expresses what I am trying to say.

     R                                                                           
     O
ROADS
     D
     S

We first read the word “Roads” twice. That makes little sense. We must assess the situation further to understand what is trying to be conveyed. Now we notice the two words are arranged in such away that they resemble a cross symbol. Hmmm, perhaps....CROSSROADS!




Now my brain feels capable and properly exercised.