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.
Author(s): Yvonne Eriksson, Anette Göthlund
Publisher: Routledge
Year: 2023
Language: English
Pages: 141
City: New York
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
