

Visual elements in pieces of art, such as an album cover or poster, are able to further develop a specific theme the artist wants to convey to the viewers. Whether the visual has text or not, is in full color or black and white, each aspect of the visual was intentionally made that way. The famous rapper, Eminem, struggled with drug abuse and depression throughout his career until he was able to go to rehab. Once out in 2010, he released Recovery with a meaningful message behind the album art. Through use of symbols, text, and color, the designer of the album cover for Eminem’s Recovery is able to illustrate a theme of overall self-improvement.

Typically, recognizable symbols appear throughout visual texts allowing for ordinary viewers to recognize the symbols and connect with their meaning. The album cover for Recovery follows that assumption perfectly. At the upper right hand corner of the cover, in place of the “o” in “Recovery”, a white cross with a red background is evident. This is the symbol for a hospital or some sort of health institution, in this case a symbol for rehabilitation. After many years of drug abuse, Eminem made the conscious decision to check into a rehab center. Nothing says self-improvement more than checking yourself into a rehabilitation center. The symbol of the hospital is easily distinguished by viewers and significantly develops the theme of self-improvement.  Starting at the bottom left of the page is a solid yellow line, another symbol that appears on the album cover. A solid yellow line, in terms of driving, means that there is no crossing into the other lane to pass a car which symbolizes two different aspects of self-improvement. While recovering from drug abuse, it is important not to cross into the oncoming traffic lane of relapse. The solid yellow line that Eminem is walking directly next to symbolizes his constant thoughts of being on the brink of relapse. Eminem’s self-awareness that he is a recovering drug addict and that he has a chemical makeup that constantly seeks drugs develops the theme of self-improvement by showing that he is not as tempted by the drugs he once took. The solid yellow line in the middle of the road also symbolizes the fact that there are no shortcuts to overall self-improvement. Someone who is struggling to improve their lifestyle is not able to speed up and pass a car in front of them, they have to watch the brake lights of every car in front of them until they reach their destination, full self- improvement.

Text in visuals can often times prove to be more telling than the image itself. In Eminem’s album cover there is only one piece of text on the entire cover, which is rare for some albums to have such little text. The only text is the title of the album, Recovery. Recovery is a strong word when it comes to an overall theme of self- improvement. At one point, Eminem had his life straight and he is wanting to recover to a normal state of health and being. His recovery process is the most important part in the improvement of his life, just as it would be in anyone’s attempt at self-improvement. The lack of text throughout the album also proves to be significant in the development of the theme of the cover. When a person acknowledges that they need a change of lifestyle, the only thing that they have on their mind is recovery. At that very instant, the one word that remains on their mind is that of recovery, which is the only thing that viewers see when they look at the album. The placement of a single word on the album draws viewers’ attention right towards it, showing the importance of the word. By using one piece of text on the album cover, the designer proved how text can prove to be effective in the development of the theme of a visual text.

The choice of color in any work of art is a decision the creator has to make and heavily influences the mood and theme of the visual. Whether it be a vivid display of neon colors or a monochromatic color scheme, each has a specific effect. In Eminem’s album, the color scheme seems to be relatively basic. There is an empty pale blue sky along with a normal looking road, but overall the colors seem dreary. The dreary colors relate to a theme of self-improvement as the times building up to successfully becoming happy in oneself can be dark times. People struggle with stages of depression and anxiety which lead to a dull lifestyle. The only color that seems to stick out to the viewers’ eyes is the red hospital cross in the title. Red color usually indicates something of importance. In this case, the hospital cross is significant as it resembles some sort of health improvement establishment, as mentioned earlier. Rehabilitation centers and hospitals are crucial to the recovery and self-improvement process as they provide mental and physical health relief. The cross is colored red in order to signify the overall importance of the hospital in the process of improving oneself. Color, in regards to art work, plays a huge role in the development of the mood and themes a visual text is conveying. In this album the dreary background paired together with the red hospital cross aid in the development of a theme of self-improvement.

Works of art contain certain visual elements put into place intentionally by the designer in order to further develop themes being conveyed to the audience. Certain color schemes, symbols, patterns, and text relate to certain ideas. Eminem struggled with a serious drug and alcohol problem early in his music career and released Recovery in which the designer included certain symbols, pieces of text, and colors that all assist in the illustration and development of the theme of self-improvement.
