why study visuals? communication oldest form universal immediate increasing technology ...
TRANSCRIPT
UNDERSTANDING VISUALS
WHY STUDY VISUALS?
Communication Oldest form Universal Immediate
Increasing Technology Manipulation Awareness
TYPES OF VISUALS: Still
Advertisements Billboards Internet Newspapers &
Magazines Brochures Cartoons Collages
Comics Drawings Flyers/Leaflets Paintings Photographs Posters Signs Websites
TYPES OF VISUALS: Moving
Advertisements Commercials, Trailers, Spots, etc.
Films Multimedia Presentations Plays Television Websites Videos
COMMON TERMS & TOOLS
PURPOSE
The effect the artist hopes to achieve with the visual.
It may be to persuade, to inform, or to manipulate.
Artists usually consider under what circumstances the visual will be viewed.
AUDIENCE
The artist usually considers to whom s/he is directing the visual.
Visuals may be designed for certain groups of people:
Age Culture Education Interests Sex Sexuality Religion Race Occupation Social Status
AUDIENCE
MEDIUM
The medium is the vehicle by which the visual is conveyed, such as an illustration, a photo, a collage, or even a video.
Medium may also include the materials used to create the visual, such as oil paint or digital photography.
TONE
The attitude of the artist.
A visual may have, for example, a silly, serious, scary, or sad tone.
Artists use tools such as font style, colour, shape and placement to help establish tone.
TONE: What tones are felt here?
BALANCE
The way shapes are arranged.
When shapes are balanced, they create a feeling of order or harmony.
When shapes are not balanced, they create a sense of tension.
Think of balance as visual symmetry.
BALANCE: A Little Trick!
Balanced = harmonious
Unbalanced = tension
COLOUR
Colour is made up of hue, intensity, and value.
It is used by artists to represent the way things really look and also to create feelings.
The effects of colour on the viewer may be stronger than any other element.
COLOUR: Hue
(or tint) refers to the name of the colour, such as red or blue.
COLOUR: Intensity
the purity and strength of a colour, such as dull red or bright blue.
COLOUR: Value
the lightness or darkness of a colour.
EMPHASIS
Drawing attention to something by use of colour, size, or placement.
Closely Related to Focal Point.
FOCAL POINT
The main area of interest
It is usually that element of the visual to which our eyes are immediately drawn.
FORM
The height, width, and depth of a structure, all of which can create perspective.
HARMONY
The quality that binds the parts of a visual image into a whole. It is often created through simplicity and repetition.
Closely related to Balance.
LINE
The basic unit of any image that has both length and direction.
Straight lines often suggest order.
Jagged lines can suggest power, fear, or confusion.
Curved lines may suggest motion or softness.
Diagonal lines can suggest motion or tension.
LINE: Impact on Mood?
MOVEMENT
A sense of energy in a visual, determined by the spaces between shapes and by the shapes themselves.
PROPORTION
The comparative relationship between parts in a visual.
SHAPE
A space that is enclosed by a line. Almost anything can be shown using
three basic shapes: Squares Circles Triangles.
SPACE
The distance or area between, around, above, below, or within things.
Space can isolate an object or make it stand out.
It can also create tension between objects.
TEXTURE
The quality or feel of an object’s surface, such as roughness or smoothness.
Can be “felt” with the eyes and sometimes, literally, with the hands.
TEXTURE: See and Touch
CONCLUSION
Don’t get overwhelmed. Set a clear goal or purpose. Focus on what tools best help
achieve that goal or purpose. Experiment. Have fun! “Art is an experience, not the
formulation of a problem.” –Lindsay Anderson