Visual Literacy

Robert Braden

“Visual literacy is defined as the ability to understand and use images, including the ability to think, learn and express oneself in terms of images.”

“Visual literacy is defined as the ability to understand and use images, including the ability to think, learn and express oneself in terms of images.”

Technocentric ThinkingTechnology drives the design

Learner-friendlyInstruction drives the design

Information drives the design

Information Design

When designingKnow the design rules

Break the design rules

Play around

Revise

Find inspiration

When designing with textNot all pictures are worth a 1000 words

Numerous fonts

Beautiful design in fonts

When laying out text

Alignment– Centering is far from best– To unify and organize text– Sets the mood (fun, serious, formal)– Use one type of alignment– Align all elements on a page

When laying out text

Proximity– To organize information– Crump similar information– Avoid too many elements– Avoid corners and the middle– Vary white space

When laying out text

Repetition– To unify and add interest– Be consistent– Notice eye movement– Avoid over repetition– Enhance existing repetitions

When selecting text

Contrast

– One of the most effective ways to create visual interest

– If it’s not the same, make it very different

– Don’t be a wimp

– Use typefaces, line thickness, colors, shapes, sizes, space, etc for contrast

– Avoid similar typefaces

When working with text

Summary:

– Contrast -

– Repetition

– Alignment

– Proximity

More about selecting text

W. A. Dwiggins

“What type shall I use?

The gods refuse to answer.

They refuse because they do not know.”

“What type shall I use?

The gods refuse to answer.

They refuse because they do not know.”

More about selecting text

Typeface families:

–Oldstyle i.e. Times - abcefg

–Modern i.e. Baskerville - abcde–Slab serif i.e. Courier - abcde

–Sans serif i.e. Helvetica - abcde

–Script i.e. Handwriting - abcde

–Decorative i.e. Blackletter - abcde

The Assignment

–Decide what message you want to convey

–Carefully consider who will see your message and how you want them to respond

–Design an informational document to convey your message

The Assignment

–Critique your informational document

–Design a second informational document with the same intent better than the first

The Assignment

Write an explanation /rationale discussing –the intent of your message,

–the intended audience and characteristics of that audience,

–how the different elements of your document fit the intent and the characteristics of the audience,

–why you chose the design in your document,

–what elements in the first attempt could use improvement and how you improved them in the second attempt