VISUAL RHETORIC Is a theoretical framework describing how visual images communicate, as opposed to aural, verbal, or other messages

VISUAL LITERACY Purdue OWL defines VISUAL LITERACY: one's ability to "read" an image. In other words, it is one's ability to understand what an image is attempting to communicate.

VISUAL LITERACY Visual literacy involves understanding creative choices made with the image such as Coloring Shading Object placement

VISUAL RHETORIC is a conscious, communicative decision » Colors » Form » Medium » Size are chosen on purpose.

VISUAL RHETORIC However – A person may come in contact with a sign, but if they have no relation to the sign, its message is arbitrary. (based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system; random)

VISUAL RHETORIC Therefore, in order for artifacts or products to be conceptualized as visual rhetoric, they must have three characteristics: they must be symbolic, involve human intervention, and be presented to an audience for the purpose of communicating.

VISUAL RHETORIC ARTIFACT MUST: Be Symbolic Involve human intervention Be presented to an audience for the purpose of communicating.

VISUAL RHETORIC ARTIFACT MUST: Be Symbolic A SYMBOL is something that stands for or represents something else, especially a thought, feeling, or idea. In a visual rhetoric artifact, something must stand for or represent something else.

VISUAL RHETORIC ARTIFACT MUST: Involve Human Intervention Human intervention requires that human beings are interacting with or engaging with the artifact; to make it a visual rhetoric artifact, it must be experienced by people.

VISUAL RHETORIC ARTIFACT MUST: Be presented to an audience for the purpose of communicating. A visual rhetoric artifact is created as an effort to communicate; it cannot be accidental or something that simply exists on its own. To be a visual rhetoric artifact, it must be intended as a message.

HOMEWORK Choose one of the following 4 slides and comment on the following: Coloring Shading (light vs. dark) Object placement Use of symbolism What you believe is the message that the author is trying to communicate to the viewer

Related : SEMIOTICS Semiotic theory seeks to describe the rhetorical significance of sign-making. Semiotics, or semiology, is the study of signs, symbols, and signification. It is the study of how meaning is created, not what it is.

SEMIOTICS Signifier: any material thing that signifies, e.g., words on a page, a facial expression, an image. Signified: the concept that a signifier refers to.

SEMIOTICS Together, the signifier and signified make up the Sign: the smallest unit of meaning. Anything that can be used to communicate. Symbol/Symbolic signs: signs where the relation between signifier and signified is purely conventional and culturally specific, e.g., most words. Iconic signs: signs where the signifier resembles the signified, e.g., a picture. Indexical Signs: signs where the signifier is caused by the signified, e.g., smoke signifies fire.

SYMBOLIC SIGNS bald eagle for USA bear for Russia cross for Christianity star of David for Judaism swastika for Nazism font for a specific product (eg, Coca-Cola)

ICONIC SIGNS A picture of your face is an icon of you. The little square with a picture of a printer on your computer screen is an icon for the print function. The picture of a smoking cigarette with a diagonal bar across the picture is an icon that directly represents `Smoking? Don't do it'

dark clouds in the west are an index of impending rain, for a fish in the sea, the direction of greater light is the direction of warmer water a limping gait is a sign that an animal is physically impaired a scowling facial expression is an index of displeasure or concern (to a human) a particular pronunciation of a word can index a particular geographic place or social group. INDEXICAL SIGNS

SEMIOTICS Denotation: the most basic or literal meaning of a sign, e.g., the word "rose" signifies a particular kind of flower. Connotation: the secondary, cultural meanings of signs; or "signifying signs," signs that are used as signifiers for a secondary meaning, e.g., the word "rose" signifies passion. Metonymy: a kind of connotation where in one sign is substituted for another with which it is closely associated, as in the use of Washington for the United States government or of the sword for military power. Synecdoche: a kind of connotation in which a part is used for the whole (as hand for sailor).