Texts, Images and their relationship drama

A friend of mine and the man she was dating were once both invited to the same family reunion, but by their own families. It didn’t matter that they weren’t related by blood, they couldn’t been seen at the same party because of how it would be perceived by others. It is the same with text and graphics. Even if they’re not related to one another, the reader will perceive that they are if they’re starring in the same publication. Karen Schriver, in her book ‘Dynamics in document design’ (1996, p. 420), helps us acknowledge the relationship between text and images, and outlines the five different relationships we commonly see.

1 // Redundant

If the text and image are telling the reader the same thing, one of these is superfluous. If the brand Apple featured their logo of an apple, with their brand name underneath, also Apple, the word ‘patronised’ would not be enough to describe how the public would be feeling. As they say, a picture says a thousand words, so it is imperative to know how much is too much.

2 // Complementary

This is when the graphics and text are saying slightly different things, but still relate to one another. It’s like when a woman’s skirt is short and provocative, while her blazer says business. The two items are saying different things, but together they chorus as a provocative work outfit.

3 // Supplementary

Imagine a science textbook with no diagrams. The end result would be an incredibly dull and confusing piece of writing. However, the supplementary relationship is when the text or graphic supports the other, just as in a science textbook when the diagrams support the bulk of the text.

4 // Juxtapositional

This is when the words and pictures are exclaiming different things, but for the main idea to be understood, both elements have to exist.

5 // Stage-setting

Just as the set on a stage excites and intrigues the audience before the actors arrive, the same principles can be used with text and images. Often an image will be used to foreshadow or tease the reader about the upcoming text, much like a book cover.

As you can undoubtedly see, there are many differing relationships that can be found between text and graphics. The importance of recognising and utilising these relationships is vital when producing publications.  

Schriver, K 1997, Dynamics in document design: Creating texts for readers, Wiley Computer Publications, New York.