Context of Practice: The Language of Design

Throughout this lecture we explored different forms of visual communication which is based on the principle of sending and receiving a message using image and type. This is based on the idea that there is a shared understanding of what certain symbols stand for such as the sign for male and female toilets or the sign for help/first aid. Visual literacy is the ability to understand and construct meaning from these symbols and images in order to be able to interest there meaning contributing to the idea that pictures can be read. This as a graphic designer is very important as it allows you to send out a message that is universally understandable and accepted. However the effectiveness of a design can also depend on the context the symbol is set in as certain symbols can have more than one meaning such as the + sign which can mean addition on its own but when the colour is changed it can mean both first aid or the sign from the British Red Cross when in reality its just a vertical and horizontal line. 

Visual literacy also relies on an understanding of visual syntax and visual semantics. Visual syntax is  an image that refers to an image/symbol and visual organisation of elements. It represents the basic building blocks of an image that affect the way we ‘read’ it such as font, framing, scale and weight. Visual semantics is how an image fits into the cultural process of communication such as social ideas, religious beliefs and iconic forms such as road traffic signs. Consequently this links into semiotics which is the study of signs and sign processors including non-linguistic forms of communication through sign systems, visual language and visual literacy. Semiotics can be seen in the Apple logo as the you recognise the apple as a symbol for the company as it signifies the brand as the logo is a symbol/sign for the brand. Visual synecdoche also links to semantics as it is a symbol used to represent something as a whole such as the statue of liberty which is used to represent New York. I a similar way a visual metonym is a symbol used to reference to something more liberal such as how a yellow taxi cab is used to reference New York.