Introduction to Visual Literacy Principles - Area of Study:...

Introduction to Visual Literacy Principles

Presented by the Department of Instructional Technology.

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.


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.

indy.mov

Basic Visual Elements (Dot continued)

Dots can suggest:

• Motion

• Depth Perception

• Direction


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.


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.


Shape (Square)

• The square: seen as dull,

straight forward, honest,

lacking imagination

(though not always), and

stable.


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.


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.


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.


Motion

• Blurring


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.


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.


Depth

• We can distinguish the

size of objects through

other objects.

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

Don’t do this… it will turn your

viewers off right away……!!!!!!

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.



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

Designing Layouts

Examples of good design.

• Viewers eyes below.

Designing Layouts

Examples of good design.

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

http://www.fsu.edu/~ids/fac2002/lesson_delivery.htm

http://www.ascd.org/cms/index.cfm?TheViewID=1205

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