Visual Literacy Terminology

Participant Who and what is represented

Gaze Demand – when the participant looks directly at the viewer, demanding a response. Can be engaging or confronting Offer – occurs when the participant looks away from the viewer, and is more impersonal

Offer Demand Offer Demand Demand

Salience The part of an image that first attracts the viewer’s attention is most salient The most notable feature in the text This could be due to size or colour

Centrality The placing of the central figure/object to focus attention

Social Distance The distance between the participant and the viewer, representing a type of relationship Close= intimate relationship Medium= social relationship Long/far= public relationship

Close/Intimate Long/Public Medium/Social Medium/Social Long/Public Close/Intimate

Power Relations (Angle) The angle of an image positions the viewer as: Having superior knowledge or power (taken from above) Having inferior knowledge or power (taken from below) Having equal standing with the participant (taken at eye-level)

Eye-Level Slight Low angle Eye-Level Slight High angle High Angle Low angle

Framing The border enclosing the main part of the text

Rough, black frame- Symbol of hate, evil spreading into their lives Framing – sparkling love heart- pretentious, conceited Framing around the image- looks like a photo

Vectors Lines that direct the viewer’s gaze through a visual text. This can be a solid line, or the gaze of the participant directing the viewer’s attention.

Composition Foreground=objects/participants at the front of the image Middleground= objects/participants in the middle of the image Background= objects/participants at the back of the image

B F B F M F M B B F M F

Information Value Where something is placed within a text to convey certain value In Western Society we read from left to right and top to bottom Left to right layout= given/new Top to bottom layout=ideal/real Centre to margin layout= important/peripheral

Given/New Left side signifies the Given – known or familiar information Right side signifies the New – innovative or newly introduced visual information

Given New Given New Given New Left=who he is-known Right=Who he will become-new Left=Who he is-known Right=Who he will become-new Left=who the participant is-known Right=the people she will become like- new

Ideal/Real Top signifies the Ideal – the optimal, something to be strived for Bottom signifies the Real – the facts, reality, the “fine print”

Ideal Top= the life to strive for Bottom= the life they have, who they really are Real Ideal Top= what the participants strive for Bottom= the reality Real

Important/Peripheral Centre signifies the Important Margin signifies the Peripheral- less emphasis/importance

Important Peripheral

Symbols/Motifs Symbol- used to represent an idea/concept Motif- a repeated idea/theme/symbol

Colour Different colours give different messages which are often symbolic, or create certain moods E.G. white=purity, red=passion, death, yellow=joy, pink=feminine, romantic, etc.

Orange=warmth, Strength of Personality Yellow=happiness Sepia=past/old Pink=feminine, sensuous Red=danger, death, Passion White= purity, innocence, mystical Black=death, rebellion Purple=intelligence Blue=power

Rule of thirds The rule of thirds states than an image is most pleasing when its subjects or regions are composed along imaginary lines which divide the image into thirds — both vertically and horizontally

Creating a VISUAL IMAGE (including a DVD cover) It is important to use these visual techniques to help convey a message to the audience. Think about what you want the image to say and then think about how you would set up the image. Consider the following; What characters are important? What is their relationship with each other? What is the mood of the film? How will we show this?

What characters are important What characters are important? What is their relationship with each other? What is the mood of the film? How will we show this?

What characters are important What characters are important? What is their relationship with each other? What is the mood of the film? How will we show this?

What characters are important What characters are important? What is their relationship with each other? What is the mood of the film? How will we show this?

What characters are important What characters are important? What is their relationship with each other? What is the mood of the film? How will we show this?

What characters are important What characters are important? What is their relationship with each other? What is the mood of the film? How will we show this?