Foundations of Visual Communication: How Visuals Appear in Daily Life

Description

Drawing upon theories from visual studies, critical visual culture studies, and cognitive psychology, and with a special focus on gender and ethnicity, this book gives students a theoretical foundation for future work as visual communicators. The book takes a closer look at the interwoven character of perception and reception that is present in everyday visual encounters. Chapters present a wide variety of visual examples from art history, digital media, and the images we encounter and use in our daily lives. With the tools to understand how images and text make meaning, students are thus prepared to better communicate through visual media. This book serves as a main or supplementary text for visual communication or visual culture courses. Cover Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents Preface Acknowledgements Introduction What you will discover in this book About the authors Chapter 1: Visual landscapes Changes in the visual landscape Visual communication and its relationship to visual culture The meaning of ‘culture’ in visual culture Globalised visual culture and intercultural collaboration Conditions for interpretation and use of visuals The Namji doll and a Dala horse Navigating in a changing landscape The emergence of the outer eye Visual thinking and the body Visual studies and visual culture studies Key chapter takeaways Notes Chapter 2: Visual communication in practice Visual communication and representation A picture from a picture Emojis Pictorial traditions Our mind shapes the world we see Visual literacy Visual communication literacy Lost meanings Visual perception The active eye Cheating the eye Attracting the eye Vision and visuality Key chapter takeaways Notes Chapter 3: Analysing and interpreting visuals The role of Gestalt Theory in relation to visual interpretation The law of the good curve and continuity Figure-ground Proximity Common region Similarity Closure Focal point The Gestalt principles in contemporary use Meaning-bearing parts in visuals Characteristics of a visual Imitating visuals Schemata for interpretation Decoding messages Key chapter takeaways Notes Chapter 4: Communication and narration Communication as an interactive process The agency of the spectator Agency of the visual Visual communication in use Drawings and models Everyday visual communication Signs calling for attention Tele-vision means far sight Visuals and emotions Language as narration and memory Speaking of memories Another kind of storytelling Visual storytelling and the function of focalisers Key chapter takeaways Notes Chapter 5: Contexts, situations and framing Contexts and situations Situations Where the visual encounter occurs Notations Framing Teresa’s ecstasy in context Framing the body in visual culture Framing photographs as evidence or illusion Key chapter takeaways Notes Chapter 6: Changing time, place and media Maps and the representation of landscapes Mapping Visuals as mobile objects Visuals with different purposes Dislocated visuals Museum gaze Pictures as consumer goods—examples from a study Souvenirs The tote bag as a sign Key chapter takeaways Notes References Index