Visual Communication

Visual communication is the first step towards creating a connection or a perception. Visual communication has always been and will always be a major part of our life. It may be an unconscious act, but it has been a part of our everyday life since the day that we first opened our eyes. 

Visuals have a lasting effect on us. Studies have been conducted proving that only 20% of what a person reads from a text actually sticks. However, if the information is gained through an image, there is 80% of information retention.

Studies also show that it takes a human brain more time to comprehend the written text than a visual. Whenever we see a poster the first instinct is to decipher or understand the visual, only then do we read the text.

 Signs and symbols are a major part of visual communication. Universal symbol language can be interpreted by anyone from any part of the world. It is a universal language through which people can communicate regardless of the language that they speak.

The meaning of the above symbols remains the same all over the world. It will not change its meaning even if something is written in a different language.

Similarly logos and apps are making it easy for the people to understand and adapt. For example if we see the yellow curved ‘M’ it will always represent McDonald. Visual communication also plays a major role in simplifying people’s lives. The apps and their logos have made our lives simpler and faster. We do not need to read to understand that a particular logo is of our contact book or messages. We see small kids these days that do not know how to read yet, playing games and listening to songs on phones and I Pads.

Even in films visuals are as important as the storyline. If the plot or story is good, and the visuals are not complimentary to it, it will not be called a good film. It is the visual effects that give the story its depth.

          “Playing with the world and our perception of it is the essence of visual life”

- Don Levy

In ‘Cinematic Journey Through Visual Effects’ Don Levy talks about movies and the visual effect as the ultimate medium of magic. It is the play of illusion and with people’s perception, the art of manipulating the visual to convey the emotion correctly. For example the visual effects in the harry potter series brought life to JK Rowling’s books. It was the visual effect that brought more emotion in the romantic movie titanic.

Visuals have been a part of our lives even before we could talk or read, even before we could say our own name. It was with us in the stories that were read to us and the cartoons that we saw. We see that the children’s books are majorly filled with visuals so that they can understand and remember the story or the objects.

Visuals and design are important elements in a newspaper. Thinking of a newspaper the first thought that comes to mind is knowledge and facts but if a newspaper contains all knowledge and no visual appeal it becomes tiresome to go through the whole newspaper. Therefore it is important to design the newspaper with the graphics and visuals that compliment the knowledge to make it more interesting.