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?
Dales 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.
Movie
Indian Jones and the Temple of Doom,
Paramount Pictures, 1984.
Basic Visual Elements (Dot continued)
Dots can suggest:
Motion
Depth Perception
Direction
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
Motion
Blurring
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.
Basic Visual Elements
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 childrens 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- its 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 users
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
Dont 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
Dont 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 dont 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
Designing Layouts
Examples of good design.
Viewers eyes below.
Designing Layouts
Examples of good design.
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