Introduction to Visual Literacy Principles - Area of Study:...
Transcript of Introduction to Visual Literacy Principles - Area of Study:...
Objectives
Participants will understand the basic theory behind visual literacy
principles. (Basic Visual Elements)
Participants will understand what colors work best with each other
for readability.
Participants will understand what colors can trigger different
human emotions as used in advertising and education.
Participants will know various layout/interface designs and
techniques used on websites and in print that increase
comprehension of material.
What is Visual Literacy?
Visual literacy as defined by the International Visual Literacy Association
is "a group of vision competencies a human being can develop by
seeing and at the same time having and integrating other sensory
experiences. The development of these competencies is fundamental to
normal human learning. When developed, they enable a visually literate
person to discriminate and interpret the visual actions, objects, and/or
symbols, natural or man-made, that are encountered in the
environment. Through the creative use of these competencies, we are
able to communicate with others. Through the appreciative use of these
competencies, we are able to comprehend and enjoy the masterworks
of visual communications".
Interesting Facts
In the United States, the average teenager spends 22,000 hours
watching television by the time he or she graduates from high
school.
Humans process images an amazing 60,000 times faster than text.
According to Time magazine, the vocabulary of the average 14-
year-old dropped from 25,000 words in 1950 to only 10,000 words
in 1999.
What is the emotional response of people aged 50 and older to
photos in the brownish (sepia) tint? Do today's teenagers have the
same reaction?
Dale’s Cone
Edgar Dale described a model for looking at the degree of
abstraction of different types of learning experiences. The
more concrete the experience, the more it actively involves
students.
Basic Visual Elements
The fundamentals of all visual communication are its basic elements; the compositional source for all kinds of visual materials, messages, objects and experiences.
Basic Visual Elements
Dot
• Dots direct the viewers attention to a specific point.
• Provides instant harmony or stress to a specific visual element.
• Think of the sun throughout years of humanity. The sun has been thought of throughout many cultures as a god bringing warmth and harmony.
TV and computer screens use dots to make images.
MovieIndian Jones and the Temple of Doom, Paramount Pictures, 1984.
Basic Visual Elements
Line
• Just as the horizon of an
open outdoor space
provides balance and
orientation, a horizontal
line creates a strong
sense of equilibrium in a
composition.
Basic Visual Elements (Line continued)
In contrast, diagonal lines
create visual stress and
attract the eye. This stress
creates a point of heightened
interest in a composition and
often can be used to imply
movement.
Basic Visual Elements
Shape
• How we perceive everyday objects often begins with the most basic geometric shapes.
• As children, we learned what a circle, a square, a triangle etc was.
• Shapes give us a foundation in which to grasp more complex shapes. Almost like a base language for more complex shapes.
Basic Visual Elements (Shapes continued)
Shape (Curves)
• Curves allow our eyes to
roam giving us that same
sense of continuity we
seem to get from the sun.
• They seem calm, pacific,
assured, sensuously
relaxed, and optimistic.
Basic Visual Elements (Shapes continued)
Shape (Square)
• The square: seen as dull,
straight forward, honest,
lacking imagination
(though not always), and
stable.
Basic Visual Elements (Shapes continued)
Shape (Triangle)
• The triangle is seen as
action, agitation, conflict,
tension, and aspiration. The
most famous triangles, are
probably the Pyramids of
Egypt. The pointed, sharp,
and jagged edges suggest
anguish, danger, and
antagonism; by association
with fire, splinters, thorns,
arrowheads.
Basic Visual Elements (Shapes continued)
Practical use in advertising.
• Advertisers use shapes to define and market their products.
• Categorizing humans in the form of perfume.
• Square bottle- Stands for honesty and stability- a common stereotype for men in our society.
• Curvy, Circular, or Triangular perfume bottles for women. Signifying excitement, risk, and challenge.
• True or not, these techniques are used.
Basic Visual Elements
Texture
• Feeling with our eyes.
• Seeing a texture can
often times give us a
feeling or sensation as if
we are touching with our
eyes.
Basic Visual Elements
Another example of blurring
• Mona Lisa, Da Vinci,
1503-1506
• Blurring the sides of the
mouth give a feeling of
motion as to whether she
is smiling or frowning.
• This technique is used
often to make the viewer
decide.
Basic Visual Elements
Another form of motion is to
twist or shift the weight of a
figure implying that it is in
motion.
The feeling of imbalance tells
the viewer that they are in the
process of moving.
Color
Color
• Color sets the mood for
the message you are
trying to convey.
• Color has a profound
effect on audiences
whether it be a consumer
or educational viewer.
• Take into consideration
how many children’s toys
are marketed with bright
colors or why health
products are usually
associated with nature.
Colors
A chemical message is sent to your adrenal medulla and releases the hormone epinephrine.
Causes you to breathe more rapidly, increases your blood pressure, pulse rate, heartbeat and your flow of adrenaline.
The color red is connected with the feeling of excitement and high energy.
Red
Colors
High energy- seen as energetic, youthful, and create a feeling of movement.
Fun and exciting but riskier to use than red because they are perceived as faddish.
Often used in cosmetics and perfumes because pink is a skin tone that is seen as healthy. Pink
Colors
A high arousal color mostly associated with autumn and the sunset.
The hottest of all colors.
Seen as playful, happy, and childlike.
Children between 3 & 6 tend to be attracted to the color orange.
Orange
Colors
In every society, yellow is equated with the splendor and heat of the sun.
Warmth, imagination, enlightenment.
Cheerful, mellow and soft to touch.
Mixed with black makes it toxic- it’s association with bees and exotic snakes makes it an edgy combination.
Yellow
Colors
Earth color associated with home, substance, and stability.
Connected with the earth, (clay, roots, dirt, coffee, leather)
Causes a positive response however some viewers may think of it as dirty.
Brown
Colors
Dependable, cool, calm.
The ocean and the sky. Maybe the two most constant things on the earth.
Gives the viewer a sense of reliability, trustworthiness, committed, inspiring confidence.
Ideal for websites. Example.. Look at some Bank websites. Most of them use the color blue for dependability.
Blue
Colors
Gives the viewer a refreshing and healing feeling.
Association with nature.
Forests, the grass, plants, and spring.
Green
Colors
A complex color preferred by very creative and eccentric types.
Sensual and elegant.
Many meanings depending on the background and culture of the viewer.
Mysterious.
Attention getter.
Futuristic.
May be best used with newer ideas or products.
Purple
Colors
Associated with time and antiquity.
Ancient monuments, temples, and buildings.
Timeless.
Solid, and eduring.
Neutrals
Colors
Seen as pure and bright.
Purity and simplicity.
Works best as a contrast to other colors.
White
Colors
Seen as strong and classic.
Mysterious.
Elegant.
Associated with mourning however that attitude has given way to sophistication.
Black limos, leather jackets, black ties, polished granite.
A very powerful color.
Black
Designing Layouts
Two main factors to consider when designing an interface.
• Who is your audience?
• What is the context in which your presentation/instruction will be used?
Designing Layouts
Audience
• Who your audience is will dictate how you design your layout.
• You may need to pay close attention to the language, colors, and layout for different people, cultures, and literacy level.
• Small children may react better to a bright colored layout.
• Adult audiences may find a instruction/presentation with to the point facts and relevant pictures to be useful.
Designing Layouts
Context of the presentation/instruction.
• Questions you may ask yourself before designing and
instruction.
• Where will my audience be using my instruction? School?
Home? Outside? All?
• What type of medium should I develop this instruction on?
Computer? Paper based? CD-ROM? Web site? Video?
All?
• Will they be using a computer? How fast is my user’s
computer?
Designing Layouts
Starting the design process
• Draw out your
instruction/presentation
onto a storyboard or
flowchart so you can
better visualize what and
how your presentation will
look and work.
Designing Layouts
Contrasting colors for better
readability.
Keep it simple.
• As a general rule, using a
light background with a
dark text is the best way
to ensure optimum
readability.
Designing Layouts
Contrasting colors for better
readability.
• A black background with
white text is also effective.
• Any two colors that highly
contrast each other will
work.
Designing Layouts
Serif fonts- mostly used for
print based materials such
as flyers and technical
manuals.
Sans-Serif fonts are easier
to read on screens that are
being projected or on web
pages.
NEVER USE CAPS
Serif Sans-Serif
Times New
Roman
Arial
Garamond Verdana
Georgia Tahoma
Designing Layouts
Rule of thirds
• Mentally divide the screen
or area into a sort of Tic
Tac Toe box.
• Place your images in the
intersected areas of the
lines.
Designing Layouts
Rule of thirds
• Your viewers will typically
scan their eyes from left
to right top to bottom.
(Just like they are
reading).
• Other cultures may read
from right to left or bottom
to top.
Designing Layouts
Sometimes to ensure
everyone understands your
message, it may be
necessary to label your
pictures.
Websites need to be
accessible to all people so
<alt> tags need to be used.
Designing Layouts
Animations are seen as
distracting to your audience.
Avoid animations unless
they are important to your
instruction or presentation.
Designing Layouts
What not to do
http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~chenj/brucelee/brucelee.html
Designing Layouts
Too many pictures that have nothing to do with
your presentation is not an effective way to design
your layout.
Designing Layouts
• Don’t do this… it will turn your viewers off right away……!!!!!!
• This is a really ugly design
• The contrast of these colors are not a very good pair.
• This would be a good color to use sparingly if we had a presentation about
Barbie dolls.
• If I sold bubble gum, I might want to use this color.
• Pink and Yellow is a bad layout decision.
• Your audience will generally be turned off by this color and you will not be
taken seriously.
• If you are reading this, I am surprised because of the horrible layout.
• I really don’t know why you are still reading this.
• There is too much text on this screen.
• You generally want to keep it to a maximum of 3-4 bulleted sentences.
• This much text could be split up into 3 or 4 slides.
Designing Layouts
What not to do
• Do not use bright text on bright backgrounds.
• Do not use lots of pictures on one page unless it is relevant.
• Do not use animations unless it is relevant.
• Do not make it difficult for your user to navigate.
• Do not use CAPS.
http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~chenj/brucelee/brucelee.html
Designing Layouts
What to do
• Keep it simple
• Always keep your audience in mind.
• Use colors that appeal to your audience.
• Be consistent
• If using a navigation scheme, make the navigation buttons easy to understand.
• Use pictures that are relevant to your presentation/instruction.
• Avoid animations or other distracting elements.
• Use the Rule of Thirds
Summary
Visual techniques can be used to engage your audience in a richer
experience.
Colors play a key role in design because they set the mood.
Always design your instruction/presentation to the audience who
will view it.
Consider the context in which your design will be used.
Sources
Eiseman, Leatrice. 2000. Pantone Guide to Communicating with
Color. Cincinnati OH, F&W Publications.
Satran, Amy; Kristof, Ray. Creating & Communicating with New
Media. Mountain View CA, Adobe Press.
http://www.fsu.edu/~ids/fac2002/lesson_delivery.htm
http://www.ascd.org/cms/index.cfm?TheViewID=1205