visual communication and visual communication theories
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Visual communication theoriesTRANSCRIPT
“It is the theory that decides what can be observed.” Albert Einstein, 1879-1955 Physicist, Educator, Patent Clerk
Prepared by Danielle Oser, APR
Concerned with what the brain sees – visual cues
Too many images to process and remember Cells note the stimulation and passes it on to your mind without considering it
Max Wertheimer German psychologist,
1910 See the scene outside
although partially blocked
“Flipbook” effect Eye takes in all the visual
stimuli – brain arranges the sensation into a coherent image
Photomosaics by Robert Silvers
http://photomosaic.com/portfolio.html
Max Weterhimer
•
Objects that look similar will automatically be grouped together by the brain
Dissimilarity creates visual interest
Christoph Niemann
Brain more closely associates objects close together than it does an object that is farther apart
Brain seeks as much as possible a smooth continuation of a perceived movement
Also refers to objects that are partially blocked by a foreground object with a viewer’s mind continuing the line in order to achieve a kind of graphic closure
Viewers mentally group the arrows because they all point in the same direction
Opposite directions create tension because the viewer will not see it as part of the group
Create more noticeable print and screen media designs
• “The Whole is Different from the Sum of its Parts”
Insights can be learned when attention is turned to the entire image
Diane Arbus, 1971
Julian Hochberg, 1970 Emphasizes the viewers
eye movements in an active state of perception
Eyes are constantly in motion when scanning an image
Viewers construct a scene with short-lived eye fixations that the mind combines to a whole
Help designers capture attention
Content Driven
A sign is something that stands for something else The meaning behind any sign must be learned, understood
397 CE First proposed the study
of signs First to write about the
link between symbolism and nature
Swiss linguist Helped establish the
symbolic interpretation of signs
American Philosopher Helps establish the field
of semiotics in the US Defines 3 types of signs
Iconic Indexical Symbolic
Easiest to interpret Closely resemble the thing that they represent
What is the iconic sign here?
Iconic signs have the strongest one-on-one connection between the image and what it represents
What is the indexical sign here?
Logical, common-sense connection to the thing or idea they represent rather than a direct resemblance to the object
Learn signs through everyday experiences
No logical or representational connection
Must be taught Social, Cultural
considerations influence symbolic signs
• Symbolic
• Symbolic
Symbols tied to religious faith often evoke the strongest emotional response
Semiotics has evolved into a theory of perception that involves the use of images in unexpected ways
What is the symbolic sign here?
Hint (it’s not an image)
Example of cultural relativism Historical reference
Columbus Discovering Land
Codes: An amalgamation of hundreds of ideas and/or elements into one convenient concept
A collection of signs that cause the viewers to make assumptions about what is seen
Note our family here
Group of signs that cause the viewer to make mental comparisons
Transfer of meaning from one set of signs to another
Often sexual references and “shock” ads Phallic symbols
associated with alcohol, tobacco and lipstick
Several signs that combine to form a new composite message
Meaning must be derived by the viewer
Music often uses several signs to create a new complex message
Signs can enhance the visual experience, educate, entertain and persuade a viewer
Our link with all the images we have ever seen
Triggers memories that change the image meaning
A person’s mental state is projected onto an inanimate object or generalized statement
Individuals reveal personality traits by deriving meaning from oddly formed shapes
Seeing a face or other figure in an inanimate object
Preconceived expectations about how a scene should appear often leads to false or missed visual perceptions
Did you see it?
We usually focus only on significant details within a scene
Mind ignores visual stimuli that are part of a person’s everyday activities
One way to avoid habituation is to actively think about new images when one sees them
Walker Evans Series of images of common tools that demonstrated the habituation aspect of the cognitive approach
Edward Weston
A stimulus will be noticed more if it has meaning for an individual
“The more you know, the more you see”
Too many competing formats create confusion, distraction
Also occurs when there are too many outside stimuli Music Advertising
Criticized for having too many visual displays on the screen at one time
Culture determines the importance of the signs that affect the people who live with and among us
What you notice may be a factor of race, age, gender, weight, ethnicity
We think with words Profoundly affect our
understanding and recall of an image
We must look at the world closely to create designs that attract attention and be mindful of the varied messages that come from images