Visual literacy What is visual literacy? If you can read a map, draw a diagram or interpret symbols then you are visually literate. Visual literacy is.

visual literacy

What is visual literacy?•If you can read a map, draw a diagram or interpret symbols then you are visually literate.

•Visual literacy is the reading and writing of visual texts.

you you alreadyalready READ images... READ images...

★you pick out T-shirts based on your ability to read you pick out T-shirts based on your ability to read images...images...

★you recognise which toilet you should use - based on an you recognise which toilet you should use - based on an image...image...

★you “judge” people and musicians based on you “judge” people and musicians based on theirtheir image... image...

★You even choose clothes, music, cars, and mobile-phones You even choose clothes, music, cars, and mobile-phones based on the way they look - and the “based on the way they look - and the “imageimage” you’re going ” you’re going for!...for!...

★the thing is... that the thing is... that youyou read images “subconsciously” read images “subconsciously”

★because because youyou have grown up in the age of technology and have grown up in the age of technology and media where everything is shown by: media where everything is shown by: Visual Visual Images!!! Images!!!

images that you read all the time...

Images can“say a lot more” Images can“say a lot more” than words than words

… … in much faster time than in in much faster time than in takes to read words which takes to read words which describe the image or idea or describe the image or idea or object or person! object or person!

you read with visual you read with visual liTeracyliTeracy

everyday!!! everyday!!!

(and you didn’t even (and you didn’t even learnlearn the “visual the “visual

literacy” alphabet!!!)literacy” alphabet!!!)

In the 21st Century, a great deal of information is given to us through images.

Where? web pages, ads, posters, signs, tv, dvd and cd covers, emoticons, mobile phones

everywhere...

Objects - shapes and figures = people, animals, places or objects

Some objects are associated with certain emotions and feelings

An object can be a symbol e.g. a lion is an animal but can also be used to symbolise bravery.

How do you read images?

foreground, mid-ground and back-ground or - DEPTH OF FIELD

MIDGROUND

FOREGROUND

BACK-GROUND

FOREGROUNDILLUMINATED

SPACIOUSSOFT PASTEL COLOURS

SYMBOL = TOY

MID-GROUNDSALIENT (FOCAL) POINT

ILLUMINATEDBODY LANGUAGE

ROSY CHEEKSSYMBOL - THE SCREEN BACK GROUND

DARKGREY, BROWN COLOURS

BODY LANGUAGESIZE = SMALL GIRL

SYMBOL = DOLL

Size of the object of interest. Important objects are usually large and

located in the foreground

small objects that are in the background are considered less important.

Settings have symbolic significance and influence our response to a photograph

dry, country settings denote

ruggedness and hardship

soft, green, rural settings suggest tranquillity.

Colour -

White denotes innocence and black denotes death in some cultures.

Hindu people mourn in white and marry in red.

Colour often represents the stereotypes

soft, pastel colours = feminine stereotypes

dark primary or metallic colours = masculine by some groups

red = passion, love, danger

black = death, evil, the unknown

bright primary colours = joy, cheerful, happiness

muted, washed-out, colours = poverty, decay, illness, “invisible” or

unimportant

Position of objects, shapes and figures gives meaning

are objects or characters placed in the centre, left, right, bottom, top, foreground, mid-ground, background???

are the objects close together or far apart???

Direction? = In what direction are the objects, figures, people, animal etc facing?

Is it at the camera?

past the camera?

at the person or object in the photograph?

Angle - Where has the photographer placed us in the photo?

A high angleA high angle shows dominancedominance by the object

a low anglelow angle or us looking down on the object

shows submissionsubmission by the object being viewed

Equality Equality is shown through the representation of an eye level point of view.eye level point of view.

LightLight Different lighting effects or colours can Different lighting effects or colours can provide meaning provide meaning

soft, yellow lightsoft, yellow light or back lighting creates a halo effect and can suggest innocence

Over-exposed lightingOver-exposed lighting (illumination) suggests heat

underexposed lightunderexposed light (shadow / dim light) suggests coolness or an enclosed feeling

time of day clues are provided through the representation of light.

Body Language -

posture - slumped? upright?

gesture - offensive? flirting?

welcoming?

facial expression - angry? loving?

happy?

Clothing shows ideas about:

personality / style

time period

culture (and sub-culture = emo, goth, skater)

status = professional? tradie? check-out chick?

wealth = designer label? fabric?

context - workplace? sport? leisure? school?

“peer group”?

clothing... what “meaning” do

these images give you??

to be continued...stay tuned for the next exciting episode - coming soon to...