Visual Literacy Week 2 (of 6) Slides

© 2010, Craig DeLarge1

Visual LiteracyMarketing 320 - Week 2

Philadelphia UniversitySpring II 2010

Craig A. DeLarge, MBA


Week 2 AgendaTake RollReview Key Week 1 Concepts•1) Visual Literacy; 2) Elements; 3) Contrast v. Harmony; 4) Markets & VizLit's effect on them

Review Exercises (as workshop)Comment on Final Project Delivery, et al.Report out on Final Project Selections Week 2 Concepts to Cover• Fine v Applied Art from chapter 1• Compositional Concepts from Chapter 1


Take Roll


Week 1 Concept Review1) Visual Literacy2) Elements3) Contrast v. Harmony4) Markets & VizLit's effect on them


Marketing & Its EffectMarketing has 2 Chief Goals

1) to create markets where buys and sellers come together to execute transactions and hopefully develop relationships

2) effect changes in thinking (belief), feeling (emotion), & action (behavior) that leads to transactions, and hopefully, relationship & community (tribes)

Visuals are a key tool of the marketer!


Exercise WorkshopsChapter 1 – Question #1• Choose object with fine & applied art value• Evaluate its function, aesthetics, communications & decorative & entertainment value

Chapter 2 – Question #3• Choose an example of bad graphic design defined as difficult to read & understand• Analyze how ambiguity contributes to failure of communication• Resketch design to level of sharpen the effect


Final Project DeliveryPrepare final project in PowerPoint (even the research report)There is a 10 minute presentation limitMake generous use of course concepts & reference them.Make generous use of visualsBe sure to reference workYou may use speaker notes to further annotateYou may hold notes to speak from but do not read word for word when presenting


So, What Is Your Final Project Going To Be?


Week 2 Concept Discussion


Fine v. Applied ArtFine art related to decoration & entertainment

Applied art related to use, purpose & functionality, and is often distinguished as design (vs. art)

Most objects serve both purposes

There is an argument that this is a false dichotomy


Is fine v. applied art a false dichotomy?

Dondis, A Primer of Visual Literacy


Are these functional art only?

http://images.businessweek.com/ss/08/07/0717_idea_winners/image/g_iphone.jpg

http://theboombox.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/mini-cooper-mosaic01.jpg


Chapter 2: CompositionComposition is most crucial step in visual problem solving

Syntax is important to composition in that is is the orderly arrangement of parts to produce an intended whole

Compositional decisions set the purpose & meaning of the visual statement

Compositional rules are subjective & not absolute



Basic Communications Model

http://records.viu.ca/~soules/media301/message.gif

Intended Meaning created

here

Perceived Meaning created

hereIntended & Perceived Meaning (hopefully) reconciled here.

Misunderstanding aided by noise.

Verbal/Visual

http://records.viu.ca/~soules/media301/message.gif


Perception & VizCommPerception is the application of meaning to composition

Perception occurs via our 5 senses

Seeing is the result of our visual sense

Seeing is a response to light; i.e. tonality

The VizLit Elements are the tools we use to create compositions which create perception (meaning) via light & seeing



VizLit Basic Elements

• Dot• Line• Shape• Tone

• Color• Texture• Scale/Proportion• Dimension• Motion

• These are like the letters, words, & sentences in linguistic literacy.

• Literacy requires the ability to use these elements to create meaning



What meaning lies in these compositions, representationally, symbolically & abstractly?

http://images.businessweek.com/ss/08/07/0717_idea_winners/image/g_iphone.jpg

http://theboombox.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/mini-cooper-mosaic01.jpg


Comp. Decision: Balance v. Stress• This continuum is like harmony & contrast• The eye seeks balance along a horizontal &

vertical axis for security……while craving stress to create interest & surprise



• Another dichotomy like harmony & contrast• Leveling is balanced• Sharpening is “intentionally” unbalanced• Both contribute to clear communication• Ambiguity is the absence of either & confuses


Comp. Decision: Level v. Sharpen


Comp. Decision: Level v. Sharpen• How information is grouped in a composition

impacts leveling & sharpening


• Elements in areas of stress have more weight, or ability to attract the eye.

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© 2010, Craig DeLarge

What is Gestalt?• positing that the operational principle of the

brain is holistic, parallel, and analog, with self-organizing tendencies

• Gestalt effect: form-forming capability of our senses & involves recognition of figures & whole forms instead of just collections of simple lines and curves.

• Pertains to comp. decision of attraction & grouping

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gestalt_psychology

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gestalt_psychology


Comp. Decision: Attraction & Grouping• Based on Gestalt Theory• The eye tends to group similar elements as well

as to order elements for expected meaning



Comp. Decision: Positive & Negative• The positive is active & attracts the eye most• The negative is passive and in the background



This Week’s HW Focus

• Read Chapters 3-4

• Read Chapters 5-6, if ambitious

• Complete Chapter 3 & 4 exercises

• Finalize and outline your final project

Education

Visual Literacy Week 2 (of 6) Slides