As visual communicators, we must solve problems of communication through visual means by using our knowledge of language, messages and meaning to effectively deliver content to a specific audience.
A group of people must share an understanding of signs, symbols, gestures and objects for visual messages to be sent, received and understood. Audience, context, media and the method of distribution are all factors which affect how something is communicated visually.
Visual Literacy: being able to interpret, negotiate and find meaning in an image. There must be an agreement between a group of people that one thing stands for another for a message to be communicated visually. We are not born with an ability to read symbols, there are a mixture of universal and cultural symbols which we learn.
Visual Syntax: the building blocks of an image, the structure and organisation of its components which affect the way we ‘read’ the image.
Visual Semantics: the connection between form and meaning and how meaning is constructed through references to culture, society, religion, politics, history, etc. Visual communicators must be informed on symbols which already exist so their work doesn’t unintentionally connect to an irrelevant aspect of any one of these themes.
Semiotics: the study of signs and sign processes. It is related to the the study of language (linguistics) but explores visual language and visual literacy as well.
Symbol: an image (logo)
Sign: what it represents (identity)
Signifier: what it stands for and implies (brand)
Visual Synecdoche: when something is used to represent part or the whole of something else, a synecdoche must be universally recognised as having a definite connection for the substitution to work.
Visual Metonym: an image used to represent something through association to the intended subject. The two images must have a close connection but not a definite link.
Visual Metaphor: to take the meaning of one image and translate it to another. The two images do not have to be linked at all but must convey a meaning by focussing on a likeness in their qualities.
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