Vdis10015 visual communication skills lecture 1

VIRTU DESIGN INSTITUTE

Written by Rachel Hawkins

VIsUal CommUnICaTIon skIlls VDIs10015 - LEcTUrE 1

How Do wE vISUaLLy commUNIcaTE?

aLDoUS HUxLEy

“THE morE yoU SEE, THE morE yoU kNow.“

VIRTU DESIGN INSTITUTE: VISUal CommUNICaTIoN SkIllS, VDIS10015 - Lecture 1 3

most simply, visual communication is communication that relies on vision.

In this lecture we will discuss the conveyance of ideas and information through form that can be looked upon. most often this form is the result of a combination of visual aids such as signs, typography, drawing, design, illustration, colour, symbols, light, dance and more.

combining these visual aids creates a power to inform, educate or persuade our audience through pictures, graphs and charts, as well as through signs, signals and symbols.

as designers, we can refer to our work as ‘visual presentation’ that convey information through a visible medium such as text or images.

measuring effective visual communication design is based on the audiences comprehension of the message within the work. There are several factors that can influence comprehension such as cultural perceptions of images, gestures and body language, and memory.

wHaT IS vISUaL commUNIcaTIoN?


introduction of software applications introduced a generation of designers to computer image manipulation and 3D image creation that had previously been unachievable. computer graphic design enabled designers to instantly see the effects of layout or typography changes without using any ink in the process. Not only did computers greatly accelerate and facilitate the traditional design process, they also gave a completely new outlook to sketching and idea formation, enabling designers to virtually create endless generations of one work/concept.”

FURTheR ReaDIng: http://www.citrinitas.com/history_of_viscom/index.html

a very brief history of Visual Communication:visual communication dates back as far as man kind. as a species we are built to communicate and we are programmed to use our senses in doing so. vision is one of our most dominant senses and therefore visual communication is instinctual through our body language.

we are also instinctively inclined to document our lives and this is where we see the beginnings of visual communication.

visual communication dates back to 15,000 Bc with rock and cave drawings. It’s time line includes ideograms, the development of the alphabet, the first books followed by the invention of the mechanical printing press in china in 1041 and Germany in 1450. From here there was a renaissance explosion with masters of type developing new types of fonts that were more secular, more legible, and more elegant for humanist writings. artists of the avant-garde, modernists and other movements explored visual communication through their art and other commercial work.

most recently the invention of the computer and design softwares has seen a growth of visual communication. “In the mid 1980s...the arrival of desktop publishing and the

a vEry BrIEF HISTory


For visual communication to be successful the audience must comprehend the message and information presented in the graphic work.

visual comprehension is a deep sea of possibilities and has been vastly studied in relation to the eye, vision and the psychology of how our brains receive and respond to imagery.

Gestalt Psychology is the study of how the brain groups visuals by their relationships to one another, similarities in shape and colour, and their proximity to each other. Gestalt means form or shape in German and max wertheimer is the most respected figure in Gestalt Psychology. cognitive and perception theories are very valuable in how we use graphic forms to communicate as they give us insight into how our presentations may be understood.

The interpretation of images and form is subjective and relies on a persons cultural background and experiences. we can analyse how a graphic presentation may be perceived by exploring different perspectives:

• Personal perspective • Historical perspective• Technical perspective • Ethical perspective• Critical perspective

comPrEHENSIoN oF a vISUaL mESSaGE

TeD Talk: Tom Wujec - 3 ways the brain creates meaning

Watch Tom Wujec’s 6 minute talk to better understand how the brain receives and processes visual stimulus. http://www.ted.com/talks/tom_wujec_on_3_ways_the_brain_creates_meaning.html

TalkIng poInT: In The leCTURe 1 ThReaD, posT a shoRT CommenT hoW The ConTenT oF WUjeC’s Talk WIll InFoRm yoUR DesIgn pRaCTICe.


THEory INTo PracTIcE

wE STarT To DESIGN & crEaTE

vISUaL aIDS

Now that we know what visual communication is, how do we translate it into our design practice?

• Objects • Models • Graphs • Maps • Tables • • Photographs • Drawings or diagrams • Colour •

• Shapes • Symbols •

we use the fundamentals of design to communicate with

purpose & intention...

makE PracTIcaL USE oF DESIGN PrINcIPLES &

ELEmENTS oF DESIGN


DESIGN ELEmENTSThe following six elements are fundamental to good visual design.

lInea line is a fundamental mark or stroke used in drawing in which the length is longer than

the width.

ColoRThe color wheel being used as a tool, and color theory providing a body of practical guidance to color mixing and the visual impacts of specific color combination.

knowledge of hue, tint, shades, saturation and values.

shapea shape is defined as an area that stands out from the space next to or around it due to a defined or implied boundary, or because of

differences of value, color, or texture.

TexTUReThe way a surface feels or is perceived to

feel. Texture can be added to attract or repel interest to an element, depending on the

pleasantness of the texture.

spaCeFor a two-dimensional design space concerns creating the illusion of a third dimension on a

flat surface

FoRmForm can be measured, from top to bottom (height), side to side (width), and from back

to front (depth). Form is also defined by light and dark.


PrINcIPLES oF DESIGNapplying the Principles of Design to the Design Elements determines how successful a design may be.

Lovett, John. “Design and color”

UnITy“To achieve visual unity is a main goal of graphic

design”. alex white, author of The Elements of Graphic Design.

when all elements are in agreement, a design is considered unified.

meThoDsProximity, similarity, continuation & repetition.

rhythm is achieved when recurring position, size, color, and use of a graphic element has a focal point

interruption.

BalanCeIt is a state of equalized tension and equilibrium,

which may not always be calm.

hIeRaRChya good design contains elements that lead

the reader through each element in order of its significance.

sCale/pRopoRTIonUsing the relative size of elements against each

other can attract attention to a focal point.

ConTRasTDesigning with a balance between similarity and

contrast to draw attention to a focus.

GraDaTIoNGradation of size and direction produce linear perspective. Gradation of colour from warm to cool and tone from dark to light produce aerial

perspective. Gradation can add interest and movement to a shape. a gradation from dark to light will cause the eye to move along a shape.

moVemenTmovement is the path the viewer’s eye takes

through the artwork, often to focal areas. Such movement can be directed along lines edges,

shape and color within the artwork.


Being a creative designer is often about coming up with unique design solutions. Unfortunately,

when the basic rules of design are ignored in an effort to be distinctive, design becomes useless. In language, a departure from the rules is only appreciated as great literature if recognition of the rules underlies the text. Graphic design is a “visual language,” and brilliance is recognized in designers whose work seems to break all the rules, yet communicates its messages clearly. Timothy Samara, Design Elements: a Graphic Style manual

TImoThy samaRa’s 20 BaSIc rULES oF GooD DESIGN

Timothy Samara, Design Elements: a Graphic Style manual Pg. 247

yoUr TooL kIT

DESIGN SkILLS For commUNIcaTIoN

we are going to explore the design skills that we can learn, develop and extend to assist us in achieving successful designs that visually communicate with purpose.

These skills make up a designers tool kit.

you may not develop all these skills in this course however you can work toward them on your journey to a professional career. The skills that you already have can be refined and extended to enrich your design work and outcomes.

This lecture offers you some tips and ideas for extending and developing your skills. you can put these into action while working on the assessable tasks in this course. Practice makes perfect.

DESIGN SkILLSTooL kIT

• Creative thinking• Drawing• Story telling• information gathering• Collaboration• Problem Solving• CritiCal thinking• moDel making• ProjeCt management• ComPuter anD Software

pRoFICIenCy

VIRTU DesIgn InsTITUTe: VIsUal CommUnICaTIon skIlls, VDIs10015 - LEcTUrE 1 11


Creativity is a phenomenon whereby something new and valuable is created (such as an idea, a joke, a literary work, a

painting or musical composition, a solution, an invention etc.). Wikipedia

‘Creativity is a way of thinking and doing that brings unexpected and original ideas to fruition.’

Dr. strong

creative thinking is a designers greatest tool. It is the skill that allows us to intellectually generate ideas that are totally unique and that reflect our personality and thought process. It is where we originate and develop concepts for all our design projects.

concept development is fundamental in a design project ensuring a well thought out result and systematic process.

creative thought can be divided into two thinking processes; divergent and convergent thinking.• Divergent thinking is the intellectual ability to think of many

original, diverse, and elaborate ideas• Convergent thinking is the intellectual ability to logically

evaluate, critique and choose the best idea from a selection of ideas.

There are several techniques you can use to help open your mind explore new ideas and organise information to further your creative thinking.

CheCk oUT: http://www.mycoted.com/category:creativity_Techniques

This website lists hundreds of idea generation techniques including things as common as brainstorming and different models you can use. a few of my favourites are below.

Flowcharts: “Flow-charts revolve around the decision phase they are therefore most appropriate for action planning scenarios where the chain of events is likely to change dynamically as it opens out”. (http://www.mycoted.com)

Body-storming: “Body-storming is a technique sometimes used in interaction design or as a creativity technique. The idea is to imagine what it would be like if the product existed, and act as though it exists, ideally in the place it would be used.”(http://www.mycoted.com)

Brainstorming: “The basis of Brainstorming is a generating ideas in a group situation based on the principle of suspending judgment - a principle which scientific research has proved to be highly productive in individual effort as well as group effort. The generation phase is separate from the judgment phase of thinking.” (http://www.mycoted.com)

super heroes: “Super Heroes is really a fantasy-based version of role-storming. Participants pretend to be a fictional (or real) super-hero (Superman, the Incredible Hulk, Batman, James Bond, wonder woman, Sherlock Holmes, Spiderman, etc.) and use their ‘super’ characteristics to trigger ideas.” (http://www.mycoted.com)

crEaTIvE THINkING


aVoID CReaTIVe InhIBIToRsThere are several inhibitors that apply to most adult creative thinkers. Being aware of these inhibitors can assist us in avoiding “writer’s block” and help us to be more creative.

These include thoughts like;“I am not creative enough”.“that’s not my area”“following rules”“don’t make mistakes”“looking for the right answer”“avoid ambiguity”“play is frivolous”“don’t be foolish”

These inhibitors are closely linked to Tim Brown’s theory that adult creativity is curbed by fear of judgment from our peers.

crEaTIvE THINkING coNT.


Drawing is the art of making marks on a flat substrate in 2D. you can use any chosen medium; graphite pencils, pen and ink, inked brushes, wax color pencils, crayons, charcoal, chalk or pastels.

one of the major forms of expression within the visual arts, drawing is often exploratory with its main emphasis on observation. Historically, drawings created from observation were called studies.

Drawing can be categorised into several areas; figure drawing, cartooning, doodling and shading and are achieved through different types of mark making, for example; line drawing, stippling, shading, cross hatching and tracing.

a good drawing takes into consideration scale, perspective and tone. These aspects require fine skills and a great deal of practice to achieve. The challenging in perfecting these skills is not only in the hand we draw with but also our eye and observation ability. a good drawer is able to separate what they “see” from what their “brain tells them they see”.

The drawings that graphic designers are most concerned with are unrefined quick sketches. These sketches can be used to document observations, explore ideas as well as for problem solving. They are a useful quick and inexpensive tool for communicating ideas to clients without putting a great deal of time into computer generated work.

Every good designer should start a project with pencil to paper to draw, problem solve and generate ideas.

TIp: a good way to train your drawing skills is to keep a sketch book. Do quick sketches of things you see and ideas you have on the go. Suspend judgment on “how good” the drawing is. Do a minimum of one drawing a day for 30 days and see how your skills develop quickly.

DrawING


Storytelling is defined as the conveying of events in words, and images. crucial elements of stories and storytelling include plot, characters, and narrative point of view.

Stories or narratives have been shared in every culture as a means of entertainment, education, cultural preservation, and instilling moral values.

For the purpose of the designer, storytelling is a way to enrich our concept. The key to a great design is that it communicates effectively. Storytelling can be a tool for making the message clearer. you don’t necessarily need to create and communicate the whole story but perhaps just reference a well known story.

For example, referencing well known characters in our designs can imply a story and deepen the inferred meaning of the design.

SToryTELLING


objectively gathering valuable research for a design problem is really important. It allows you the best understanding of the fundamental problem and allows you a solid springboard to launch your ideas from. Gather information from multiple sources; books, people, observations. This information is the evidence to support the validity of your design outcome.

plaCes To gaTheR InFoRmaTIon

stakeholdersIndividuals, groups, organizations that are affected by the problem, or its solution. Start with yourself and move through to the end user/customer.

Facts & dataPublished research papersresults from experimentation and studiesInterviews of “experts” and trusted sourcesobserved events, past or present, either personally observed or reported

BoundariesGather information on the boundaries or constraints.

opinions and assumptionsopinions of decision makers, committees or groups, or other powerful groups will be important to the success of your design solution. It is important to recognize truth, bias, or prejudice in the opinion.assumptions can save time and work since is often difficult to get “all the facts.”

INFormaTIoN GaTHErING


collaboration is when two or more people work on a task to achieve a shared goal. They do this by sharing knowledge and learning together. collaboration is more than just teamwork. Teamwork is often working alongside other people in a group to simply complete a task. collaboration is an extension of this and is often a more creative process requiring a closeness to share and build on each others ideas.

collaboration works best when there is leadership in the team. This assists in project management and the delegation of tasks. a leader is able to hold collaborative members accountable to the greater team. The leader is responsible for determining the delegation of tasks within a group. They need to identify the strengths and weaknesses of each collaborator so that they can bring their best skills to the table. another responsibility of the leader is to motivate, engage and reward the team to ensure momentum in the project is maintained.

The most successful collaborative groups are masters of communication. you need to be able to share complex concepts and ideas with your team whether by speech or visual aids. Several models like forms, rubrics, charts and graphs are useful in communicating objectively.

coLLaBoraTIoN


‘The most important factor in developing the theory of relativity was figuring out how to think about the problem.’

albert einstein

Problem solving consists of using creative thinking methods, in an orderly manner, for finding solutions to problems. Every design brief is essentially a design problem that needs to be solved. all problems have two features in common: goals and barriers.

Problem solving is very closely linked to creative thinking. we use our creative thinking skills to find solutions that “think outside the square”.

It is important to find the deep routes of problems not just the superficial symptoms.

There are four basic steps in problem solving:

1. Defining the problem.2. Generating alternatives.3. Evaluating and selecting alternatives.4. Implementing solutions.

http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTmc_00.htm#sthash.rsdqj3zy.dpuf

ProBLEm SoLvING

osborn: creative Problem-Solving Process | Idea Sandbox | www.idea-sandbox.com


critical thinking is defined as the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication.

when performing a critical analysis one might consider the following intellectual values of clarity, accuracy, precision, consistency, relevance, sound evidence, good reason, depth, breadth, and fairness.

a critical thinking process is most often self-guided and requires self discipline. People who think critically consistently attempt to analyse ‘things’ rationally, reasonably and emphatically. This process must let go of egocentric and socio-centric tendencies. They use the intellectual tools that critical thinking offers – concepts and principles that enable them to analyze, assess, and improve thinking.

Critical Thinking skills• Observation• Interpretation• Analysis• Inference• Evaluation• Explanation

Critical Thinking process1. make observations2. Qualify information3. Inference: deriving logical conclusions4. Form opinions and ideas5. Document supporting arguments6. challenge the outcome

TIp: For your next assessable task try applying this critical thinking process to both your design problem and your design outcome.

crITIcaL THINkING


models are an important part of the design process for any project. They are not simply a representation of the final design solution but a great visualising tool. Thinking in 3D is a great way to extend your creative thinking process. By creating models and building with our hands we engage more of our senses activating different parts of our brain.

models can help to analyse a situation and identify the needs of the end user. They are easily pulled apart and modified as we experiment. They help teach an appreciation of how spaces are used and identify problems that may arise from the interaction of different users.

They can be used as a means of communicating proposed solutions, highlighting shapes, angels, function, materials and colours or simply conceptual. most importantly, a model brings an idea to life in 3D.

models do not have to be perfectly scaled and measured mini marvels. your model can be bits of paper folded and stuck together. Explore shape, form, shadow and angels. Play with different materials - paper, tape, string, wood, fabric, twigs, leaves, foam core, glue etc.

TIp: For your assessable tasks in this course, create life-size models out of paper. Use printouts of images and type so that you can envisage how scale and typography will look in your final outcome. Learn from what you see and then make changes to your work.

speCIal noTe: Please remember to be cautious when using cutting tools in model making. Use appropriate safety measures.moDEL makING


Design projects small or large need to be managed to ensure a good and clear outcome is achieved in an appropriate amount of time and to budget.

we will discuss Design management in more depth in the next lecture.

Basic aspects of a design job to be managed are time, budget, suppliers (printers), resources, strategy, people (team or clients) and quality.

Time: It can be hard for a designer to be efficient in their role. There is no right or wrong answer in creativity and sometimes it takes longer than other times. Dealing with assessable tasks while studying, or dealing with clients, there is always a deadline. Good management can help the designer to achieve the desired outcomes in the time allowed. If charging by the hour, it is crucial for designers to be efficient to ensure they are making money and not devaluing their time.

Budget: Designers are often responsible for completing a project form concept to completion including print. Delivering a high quality product within budget is a key factor of a successful designer.

people: when collaborating on a project, each team member needs to be clear on their role. Delegating tasks and trusting

your team members can be hard but is important in you achieving your best outcome. with clients, it is important to communicate clearly and set expectations of when they may receive work from you and what to expect from your process.

TIp: For your next assessable task, sketch out a time line for yourself. Breakdown the project into tasks and then set aside the time to complete that task in. This can make your projects more manageable.

ProJEcT maNaGEmENT


keeping up with industry standards is a must for any designer wanting to have a career in design and work professionally. a big part of this is knowing and embracing computer and software proficiency.

Specifically, designers need to have advanced skills in several design softwares. The most commonly used design package is adobe creative Suite consisting of Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, acrobat Professional, Dreamweaver, Fireworks and Flash. There are other softwares available like corelDraw and corelPaintShopPhoto, Publisher and the out dated QuarkxPress.

These software have a depth of capabilities which take time and practice to learn. They are expensive however a necessity. you will not learn these software over night however over time you will master them.

Lastly, there are free graphic design softwares available online. I haven’t used them however they are worth a try if you have already used your 30-day adobe trial.• Gimp • Inkscape• Scribus • Dia• gPick

CheCkoUT: http://tjfree.com/best-free-graphic-design-software/

In this course we are going to teach from the adobe creative Suite Package and I recommend getting yourself access to the software. we will be learning Indesign in the next lecture.

adobe offers free 30 day trials for their software as well as a great student software option of $14.99/month.

TIps:GET THE SoFTwarE - Get the 30 day free trial or sign up for the student package for $14.99/month.

PLay - Trial and error is the best way to learn.although I did some basic subjects in Photoshop and InDesign during my degree, I categorise myself as self taught. 90% of my software skills were learnt by trial and error and via online tutorials.

oNLINE TUTorIaLS - our next lecture is a video tutorial for indesign. It is a great way to learn software. If you can’t work out how to do something, look for a tutorial on youtube or through sites like www.lynda.com

comPUTEr & SoFTwarE ProFIcIENcy


SUmmaryIn this lecture we have defined and established what visual communication is and identified the skills needed to achieve good visual communication in design outcomes. we have explored ways to improve our skills and how these can be applied in upcoming projects.

By applying design principles and the design elements we can organize graphics for quick perception and direct the eyes to essential information.

Designers must continually refine, develop and evaluate their own conceptual and technical skills. research, experimentation and collaboration are key factors in this process.

To be a good designer you must have passionate curiosity, be imaginative, be objective and self aware. our design outcomes must have crisp communication and make use of storytelling when appropriate.

Vdis10015 visual communication skills lecture 1

Education

virtu design

visual communication

critical thinking

visual communication

visual aids

creative thinking

graphic design

gestalt psychology