Visual Literacy

Salience refers to the feature in a picture that grabs your attention

An image can be made salient through: Placement: usually an image becomes “heavier” if placed towards the top or left Colour Size Focus Distance A combination of these things

What is most salient? What part of this image is most salient? Why is it most salient?

Reading Paths A reading path is the path you take through a visual text. The path moves from the most salient to the least salient elements

Describing the Reading Path In this image, what path/s does/do your eyes follow? Describing the Reading Path

What is the reading path here?

Vectors A vector is a line that leads your eye from one element to another A vector may be a visible line or an invisible one It can be created by such things as a gaze, pointing fingers or extended arms

Explain how vectors work in the following images

The Last Supper

Compositional Axis The Vertical Axis The Horizontal Axis The upper section is ideal; The lower elements are real. The left, is known or given; The right is new or unknown.

Does the theory work?

The Centre Images here are the nucleus information. The margin images are subservient

Framing Elements in a layout can be disconnected and marked off from each other or connected. If elements are cut off from one another they are strongly framed

Framing continued… Framing can be achieved by borders, discontinuities of colour and shape, or by white space. Connectedness can be achieved by vectors and devices such as overlapping or superimposition of images.

Gaze Demands and offers. Demand: subject looks out of the image at the responder This establishes a connection between subject and viewer

Gaze continued… Offer: The figure looks away. The viewer is a detached onlooker.

Subjective and Objective Viewpoints The viewpoints come from the vertical and horizontal angles Subjective viewpoints encourage the viewer to adopt a certain stance Objective viewpoints have the viewer not being drawn into involvement with the image. Meaning comes from the symbolic connection made by the reader

A high angle gives the viewer a sense of power SUBJECTIVE A high angle gives the viewer a sense of power

A low angle makes the viewer feel powerless SUBJECTIVE A low angle makes the viewer feel powerless

A straight on eye level view creates no power difference. SUBJECTIVE A straight on eye level view creates no power difference.

OBJECTIVE

Social Distance A close up is intimate A medium shot is close A whole figure framed is close A long shot is disconnecting the audience (far social distance)

Lighting and Colour Lighting creates mood Shadows may suggest concealment or fear and despair Light, hope and inspiration. Soft light, romance. Colour can be symbolic

How is mood created here?

What effect does colour have here?

What is the effect of the use of light?

How is light used here?

Modality/Credibility Lowest modality graphics are the least real. Highest modality is most real.

Influences On Modality Idealisation: the image is better than real Decontextualisation: Components are removed from the expected context and used elsewhere.

Influences on Modality continued… Modality can be affected by tricks with perspective