The Anatomy of a Visual Message

Representational

In this image we can appreciate a representational visual message. Representational is what we see and recognize from the environment and experience. Depicts objects from reality. We see a person and a dog laying down sleeping. The woman and the dog carry a large amount of detail and is directly reporting their actions. We get a lot and of information from this image. The viewer gets a clear idea of what this picture is about, and spends time looking at the detail to make a conclusion. Little ambiguity as to what is trying to communicate.

Abstraction

Abstract, the process of distillation and the reduction of multiple visual factor to ONLY THE ESSENTIALS and most typical of what is being represented. In others words a simplified reality. In this image we can admire abstraction everywhere. We now what a kid/person looks like thus we immediately conclude this picture to be depicting abstract kids. We conclude that by looking at the detail. There isn't much, no detail on the face but just the essentials; mouth, nose and a dot as a eye. We are not flat/2D objects we see in 3D. Abstraction is often use as a direct communication tool. It allows the viewers to get the general message faster without having to look carefully at every detail. 

 

 Symbolism

A Symbol, an object, picture, written word, sound, or particular mark, denotes (refers to) something else by association, resemblance, or convention. Symbolic communication is express via coded form such as numbers, music, letters, the alphabet of any language. It can refer to a thing, an action, a group, idea, business, institution, political party, religion, etc. Symbols are abstracted, simplified, and standardized, making abstract thinking and communication more efficient, the more abstract, the more effective. Symbols depend on links to memory, experience, concepts and are often drawn from nature, sometimes from artificial constructs or other symbols. In this image we can appreciate a symbol that there is an electric escalator somewhere. Since this kind of symbols are link to memory, only those who live or have live in a city will recognize such symbol.

Visual Techniques

Regularity, Symmetry, Intricacy, Depth, and Episodicity.

Colorfulness, repetition, juxtaposition, depth, variation, unity, and balance.

Composition is the interpretive means for controlling the reinterpretation of a visual message by those who experience it. Both examples use similar visual techniques but in different ways. In the first image we can see regularity favoring the uniformity of the elements, clippers, tape, black and white photos. Symmetry, the axis balance, mirror image of book pages. Intricacy, heavily old style page look, vellum look. Depth, background image, the effect of light and shade to imitate dimension. In the second image we appreciate colorfulness and a garden feel throughout the composition. through the repetition of flowers and the grass we get that feel. Juxtaposing the camera and the flowers side by side for a better interpretation/intention of the design. Depth thought the clouds and rainbow on the back to release it from its flatness. Variation of different kinds flowers and colors. Unity of variety to perceive it as a whole, rather than the sum of its parts and a well balanced composition. Through the usage of all these different techniques we can admired a well defined message in web design.

Contrast

Contrast is the most fundamental and the most critical technique in visual design and communication. As a concept it embodies the essence of polarities we use to construct meaning, such as Light without Dark, Good without Bad, Big without Small etc. Confusion and ambiguity in contrast are generally not effective in design or communication. We define meaning.

In this example FRONTLINE Flea & Tick Spray has make a remarkable Ad. Using a gigantic picture of a dog scratching, putting on the ground and representing people passing by as the fleas makes this Ad a success. The use of contrast in scale was use successfully. Scale requires comparison, in this case between the gigantic dog and the tiny people walking by, we are able to understand the meaning without having to read what's advertising, it just make sense.

In this other Ad contrast was intended using color yet it didn't succeed. Context influences our perception of color, yes this Ad is using color to draw our attention to that specific area and it succeed, but the BIG question is, what exactly is emphasizing? For what reason was this area selected? Every time you look at it, there's nothing of importance there. There's just the beginning of the message but nothing else. Is it telling us that we should begin to read from there, top to bottom, left to right? We already know that. That area is so stress by the color and its position that is impossible to look at something else, even its content. Confusion and ambiguity in contrast are generally not effective in design or communication, thus making this Ad a failure. I found this example while ridding BART. Amazing how this kind of Ads are actually out there.

Implied Motion in Design

This graphic image contains the element of implied motion. The guy is about to be launched as soon as the bottle releases the cork. This is implied motion of expectation because we expect to see the guy riding the cork to be launched, we even unconsciously start counting down. It is also a good example of scale exaggeration and thus the designer has successfully created an image that contains energy of movement.

In this other image implied motion plays an important role. This Ad for Legos shows a toy by the sidewalk of a city trying to get a taxi and it blurs the background to create a busy street scene and to emphasize the Lego toy. The Ad uses Familiar size cue to emphasizes that its a toy not an scale exaggeration of a human dress in Lego costume. Also the ad uses strong diagonal lines and perspective, creating an converging point, to imply motion down the street to show that the toy will never get a taxi in this busy city.

Dimension/Depth/Space

Office Products now at FedEx Kinkos

Its hard not to look at this Ad again and again, but why is that? What makes this Ad stand out more that any other around us. We are used, at least those who live or have lived in the city, to see hundreds if not thousands of different Advertisements around us trying to sell or better yet stand out more than others. In this image FedEx has gone beyond paper and ink, playing with our perception by using scale. Typically, our minds use a combination of perceptual cues to interpret visual information. Overlap, Relative Size, Atmospheric, Linear Perspective, Texture Gradient etc. We are familiar with the size of a highlighter, the depth+size cue "Familiar size" telling us that the highlighter should be further away from the person walking by, but other information conflicts, making no logical sense and therefore making it more interesting and confusing. Conflicting cues cause excitement and/or confusion.

Tone & Color

Tone, dependent on context, is a basic yet important visual element for communication. In this image we can admire tone everywhere. Continues tones in both the bride and groom to emphasize their faces and to create a happy couple mood. Thought there is not much detail in the highlight or the shadows of the dress and suit, we can see contrasting detail in the mid-tones. Tone interacts most of the time with the idea of dimension. In this image there's a clear sense of deeper space. The foreground is out of focus while the background clear and with detail. By overlapping them we get the idea that the couple is far and the image out of focus really close.

Color, highly dependent upon context and contrast with other colors, plays an important role in communicating concepts and for our survival. In this two images we can see the same image but the concept changes when the color is removed. In the first picture, the green becomes the focal point and its meaning follows. The green color in traffic lights is associated with the command; proceed, go, etc while the red, stop. Then the attention goes to the bright background and then we see the two individuals standing there. It created visual hierarchy. The meaning of the message is up to the viewer to interpret. In the second image everything becomes one. No color only tone. It has meaning but no real emphasis anywhere. Color and tone are considered to work together, they interact with each other and show hierarchical relationship in both perception and design. In the first image the combination of both show mood, and a more concise message. Without tone, pure Hue has no strong meaning in this image.

Product Design

Shape

What a better way to recycle the materials instead of throwing them away. Shape, derived from the dot and line, plays an important role in design. We can appreciate how several similar curvilinear shapes interact with each other to create a whole new one, a unique chair. Using the circle, the basic life structure that everyone is familiar with, as the dominant shape helps to create a safe, peaceful, relaxing, protecting atmosphere. So,  if you want to turn your bike into a rocking chair, you know what to do.

 

Line

Though at a simple glance it might look like a normal, and modern shelf unit that could be sold at an any furniture store, there’s more a whole lot more. Line, derived from the dot and the most important visual element, shows structure and balance in this simple yet interesting and playful shelf. Line is every where, from straight, rectilinear to curvilinear edges.  

Texture

It might look as a regular boring block yet its appearance states the opposite. Texture, whether visual or tactile, frequently serves as a stand-in for the qualities of our touching sense. We are extremely curious beings but sometimes we are held against, limited by the many "Do not touch" signs that do nothing more than enticing it viewers to actually touch it. Most of out textural experience is optical, we only see, not tactile, touch, feel. In this simple block, texture, achieved through patter, was added to relieve the block from its flatness in order to create a more interesting piece.