Visual literacy: "All that is necessary for any language to exist is an agreement amongst a group of people that one thing will stand for another."
Visual Literacy is universal and is translated throughout the world, in different countries and cultures. The example of a toilet sign is very easy to understand with this.
Universally people will understand this to mean toilets, for male and female however no one ever said that one means the other. Where did that come from? That is the visual literacy that people have come to understand.
The one below is a peculiar looking sign but is still understandable, I think because it's using the way men and women go to the toilet makes it very easy to understand.
Another example of how symbols are used and their meaning can be changed due to design are plus signs or crosses (+).
When it is two lines like, + it can mean and or plus. When you add colour to it, such as green it becomes a first aid helping place.
When its a red cross it represents a hospital.
The change in colour and format can change the meaning very quickly, the meaning is somehow decided by society and agreed upon.
Semiotics was briefly mentioned as well which WE already knew about because of Richard's seminar the day before. These terms were used throughout the lecture which are good terms to know and understand.
Visual Semantics - The relationship between form and meaning and the way it fits into the culture.
Visual Syntax - The visual organisation of elements, which is the foundation of an image and the way we read it
Visual Synecdoche - This is when a part of something represents the whole.
Visual Metaphor - Transfers the meaning from one image to another.
Visual Metonym - A symbolic image that makes reference to something more literal.
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