Introduction to Visual Communication

Prepared by MRA
 Key points

01 Defining and Understanding Visual Communication

02 Significance of Visual Communication

 Introduction to Visual Communication

Different kinds of communication

• Using words
• Music or sound
• Touch
• Visual

Communication is very much important in our daily life …

an individual cannot spend a single day without any communication…
 Introduction to Visual Communication

What is communication?

Communication Process
 A Picture is worth thousand words

What is your idea about this Chinese Proverb…

A picture is worth a thousand words. Or in other words that complex idea you are trying to explain to your reader in several detailed
sentences can actually be better clarified with one single picture.
 Visual Communication
What is Visual communication
Visual communication is a kind of non-verbal communication that uses the sense of sight…

Visual communication is the practice of using visual elements to convey a message,

inspire change, or evoke emotion.

Visual communication is the use of visual elements to convey ideas and information which
include but are not limited to, signs, symbols, typography, drawing, graphic design, 
illustration, industrial design, advertising, animation, and electronic resources.

Visual communication is the communication of ideas through the visual display of information.

https://venngage.com/blog/visual-communication/
 Introduction to Visual Communication

Why Visual Communication Is Important?

The use of visual communication is massively growing among business.

Over 84% of all marketing strategies use images, popular GIFs, graphics, animations, and signs
among others to pass information. Visual communication has more impact in passing information
to people.

Visual communication is becoming a favorite for all brands…. why

In the rise of YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook and Twitter , there has been a shift taken towards more
of visual approach in communication…
marketing strategies
Humans are visual creatures...
Visual improve by 400%
 Introduction to Visual Communication

Why Visual Communication Is Important?

• It saves time. Research shows that the brain processes images 60,000 times faster than texts
• More flexible than verbal communication
• More attention and more retention. People only tend to remember 10% of what they hear and
20% of what they read. However, they actually tend to remember 80% of what they see.
• “Seeing is believing”. Visual Communication increase the credibility of your message
• Ability to pick up information while in a passive state of listening
• The best thing about visual communication is that it can overcome the language barrier
Signages
Disadvantages of Visual Communication

Some of the main drawbacks of visual communication include:

• Most visual methods of communication are expensive when compared to other methods, such as
verbal communication
• poorly designed visual aids that are difficult to understand or see
• There are instances when visual aids may be sophisticated, and this makes it hard for the receivers to
understand
• When it comes to details it is difficult to present all the topics or the subject matters, All the
information can not be displayed through the visual communication,
• Developing visual communication often takes time; as such, the process is wastes time, which is a
valuable resource
Saying that visual communication is a form of art would not be wrong…
• How Visual communication is influencing Visual Culture of
Globalism that is being felt creating the Crisis of National
Identity…

• How much the media depends on visual communication in creating

“media reality”…
 Introduction to Visual Communication

Application of Visual Communication is a found every where…

• Film, TV and Digital and Print Media

• Social Media
• All Fields of Education
• Socio Political Fields
• Sports
• Advertising and promotion
• Corporate Communication
• Personal Purposes and Image Building
 Introduction to Visual Communication

Visual Communication is a multi-disciplinary field that involves Visual Arts including Fine
& Applied Arts, Performing Arts, and also studies in various fields i.e.

• Perception and Cognition Theories

• Aesthetics Theory
• Visual Semiotics Theory
• Visual Ethics Theory
• Visual Literacy Theory
• Cultural Studies Theory, Signs and Symbols
• Elements and Principles of Visual Design, Color Theory
 Introduction to Visual Communication
Various nodes of visual communication
Brief History of Visual Communication
 Prehistoric Cave Paintings

Pictograms of universally recognized objects in Ancient Civilizations

Medieval Age Printing with wood blocks provided wide ground for the developm
ent of visual communication through Symbols and Text

Industrial Revolution as a great force responsible for Evolving Cultural Perspe

ctive with the impact of increasing size of
Printing Industry and Advertising

Present day factor of Socio Economic Hegemony resulting in

Modern Global Visual Culture

Rise of Post modernism and the Rise Technology

Age of Digital Information
https://www.historyofvisualcommunication.com/
Artifacts of Mesopotamia
The shattered stele of Ur-Nammu

The oldest combination of a star in a crescent can be traced back

to the shattered stele of Ur-Nammu.
 Code of Hammurabi

The Louvre stele

Created 1755–1750 BC (middle chronology)

Location The Louvre (originally Sippar)

Replicas: Various

Author(s) King Hammurabi of Babylon

Media type Basalt stele

Subject Law, justice

Purpose Debated: legislation, law report, or jurisprudence

Cave Paintings

Altimra Cave Paintings . Spain 

Petro-glyphs

Crow Canyon Petro-glyphs New Mexico, US.

One of the American Southwest's most extensive collections of Navajo Rock art. 
Ideograms
Ideograms
Ideograms
Images and Script on Indus seals
The Alphabet
The Alphabet
The Alphabet
The Art of the Book
The Art of the Book
The Alphabet
The Alphabet
The Printing Press
The Printing Press. 5th century books
The Master of Type
The Master of Type
The Master of Type
Analysis of Form
Art Nouveau posters
Original Antique
Art Nouveau
Poster For A
Dutch East
Indies Indonesia
Exhibition
Bauhaus Posters
The punk phenomenon

The punk phenomen

on (London, c. 197
6) expressed a rejec
tion of prevailing val
ues in ways that ext
ended beyond the m
usic. British punk fas
hion deliberately out
raged propriety with
the highly theatrical
use of cosmetics an
d hairstyles, clothing
typically adapted or
mutilated existing ob
jects for artistic effec
t: pants and shirts w
ere cut, torn, or wra
pped with tape, and
written on with mark
er or defaced with p
aint; safety pins and
razor blades were u
sed as jewelry.
• Punk style still persi
sts on the street in 2
011.
Computer Age – Personal Access to Image Manipulation for
Expressive Means
The punk phenomenon

The punk phenomen

on (London, c. 197
6) expressed a rejec
tion of prevailing val
ues in ways that ext
ended beyond the m
usic. British punk fas
hion deliberately out
raged propriety with
the highly theatrical
use of cosmetics an
d hairstyles, clothing
typically adapted or
mutilated existing ob
jects for artistic effec
t: pants and shirts w
ere cut, torn, or wra
pped with tape, and
written on with mark
er or defaced with p
aint; safety pins and
razor blades were u
sed as jewelry.
• Punk style still persi
sts on the street in 2
011.
Computer Age and prolific production of Images – i.e Infographics
Computer Age – User Interface
Design

Smart Watches besides all can take different looks of its dial