Visual Communication

We explain what visual communication is, its characteristics, types and the elements that make it up. Also, its importance, techniques and examples.

What is visual communication?

visual communication It is all that information that is perceived through the sense of sight. The visual message can be expressed through different elements, such as static or animated images, objects, symbols, colors, texts, signs and body expressions, among many others.

Visual messages are continually present in everyday life, from the clothes we choose to wear, the signs on public roads that indicate the names of the streets, the advertisements we receive while looking at social networks, the colors of traffic lights, the posters on the interior of a school institution that identifies each department, the products we buy in a store, even the cooking instructions printed on the packaging of a food.

The main importance of visual communication is that it is decoded quickly, even between people who use a different linguistic code or language, because many images are universal. In this sense, it differs from verbal communication, in which the message can only be understood if the interlocutors use the same code. Thus, it is a powerful way to communicate, since the visual message can use both verbal communication (texts or written words) and non-verbal communication (gestures, images, symbols, colors), and combine them in the most effective way.

Visual language has existed since the emergence of humanity, already since cave art, with its graphic representations of people, animals and hunting scenes. With the evolution and arrival of technological advances, particularly in recent centuries with photography, film and the Internet, the relationship between people and images, as well as forms of visual communication in general, have been radically transformed.

See also: Communication

Characteristics of visual communication

Visual communication is characterized by the following:

• Allows quick decoding of the message.
• Capture attention.
• It facilitates understanding, even between people who speak different languages.
• Promotes memorization of the message.
• Use various media or supports: posters, online ads, printed brochures, outfits, among others.
• Includes typographic representations (written verbal communication).

See also: Communication barriers

Elements of visual communication

The elements that make visual communication possible are very diverse. Among the main ones, the following stand out:

1. The point. It is the smallest unit within visual communication.
2. The line. It is a succession of points that maintains a certain direction.
3. The contour. It is the line that defines and gives shape to a figure.
4. The typography. It is the art of designing letters and characters in a uniform calligraphic style for the entire alphabet or for a particular name, as in creating a brand logo.
5. The dimension. It is the volume or space occupied by the elements, which can be in two or three dimensions.
6. The texture. It is the visual appearance, which can be real or simulated, and that gives tactile quality to a surface.
7. The color. It is the result of the perception of light bouncing off objects. The human eye detects light and the brain interprets it as a tone or color.

Types of visual communication

The types of visual communication can be categorized into three large groups, according to their intention:

• Objective visual communication. Its purpose is to communicate and describe in a precise and direct manner, without the intervention of subjectivity. For example: an instruction manual for an appliance.
• Persuasive visual communication. Its purpose is to generate impact and influence the behavior of the recipient by appealing to their emotions and interests. For example: an advertisement in a magazine.
• Artistic or expressive visual communication. Its purpose is to express the emotions or ideas of the author, through a personal or artistic aesthetic style. For example: an oil painting.

Examples of visual communication

Visual communication can take place in different media, areas and contexts. Among the most frequent examples are:

• A digital presentation. It is a way of communicating through slides, which can include a wide variety of graphic tools, such as infographics, text, photographs, graphs, and animated GIFs. For example: a presentation at a company that summarizes the main events of the year.

• The signage. It is a way to inform, guide or alert through posters with iconic content, such as those that appear on public roads indicating the names of the streets.

• Cartography. It is part of geography and is a way of communicating spatial information, such as the earth's surface, its characteristics, political and territorial limits, through graphic representations. For example: a map of a country, a continent or a planisphere.

• Digital design and programming. It is a way of communicating through systems that use programming languages ​​and graphic design, such as a website, an application, an advertisement or banner digital.

• Advertising on public roads. It is a way of communicating concisely and quickly, because the messages are received by the receivers while they are walking on public roads, as happens with a billboard on the façade of a building.

• graphic design. It is a way of communicating through graphic art, creativity and aesthetic criteria, such as drawings, illustrations and diagrams. For example: the design of a logo and the institutional image of a company or the creation of brochures, advertisements and posters in general.

• The editorial design. It is a branch of graphic design that communicates through printed or digital materials, dedicated in particular to all types of editorial publications, such as magazines, books and newspapers.

• The fine arts. It is a category that includes various artistic disciplines, considered superior for their aesthetic value and their ability to express ideas, emotions and beauty, such as architecture and painting, among others. For example: the painting about the consecration of Napoleon Bonaparte as Emperor of France, painted by the artist Jacques-Louis David in 1804.

• The fashion. It is a way of communicating various messages and emotions, such as identity or belonging to certain social groups. For example: a person wearing worn jeans and a t-shirt with the insignia of a rock band can transmit data about their generational affiliation, their musical preferences and their personality in general.

• The interior design. It is a way of communicating through the decoration of an environment, through the selection of objects and their distribution in space intentionally and according to certain aesthetic criteria. For example: decorating the living room of a house.

• The gesticulation. It is a way of communicating through hand movement or facial expressions, which can be done unconsciously or voluntarily. For example: two people bump into each other on the street and smile when they see each other, thus communicating their joy at the encounter.

Audiovisual communication: When auditory communication (that which is perceived through the ears, such as words and sounds) is combined with visual communication, it is called audiovisual communication. The most common audiovisual media are television, cinema, mobile phones and other electronic devices.

Visual communication techniques

Visual communication techniques They are procedures, standards and methods that allow a message to be elaborated on a two or three dimensional plane.. The set of techniques and their way of organizing them in space constitute the syntax of the image.

Various fields of study, such as visual semiotics, graphic design, photography and even audiovisual arts such as cinema, analyze the syntax of an image to understand its meaning in depth and how the elements influence the recipient's perception.

The main techniques of visual communication are:

Balance/Instability

• Balance is the technique that consists of distributing the elements in space in such a way that the visual weight is compensated, both between the elements and with respect to the empty areas, to maintain a harmonious order.
• Instability is the technique that seeks to break the balance of visual weight to generate a particular arrangement and attract attention.

Simplicity/Complexity

• Simplicity is the technique of synthesizing visual information with clear and easy-to-understand elements.
• Complexity is the technique that consists of including various elements and visual content that represent multiple meanings, forming a concept that requires care and attention for its correct interpretation.

Regularity/Irregularity

• Regularity is the technique of establishing a certain pattern or order for the elements.
• Irregularity is the technique that consists of breaking with the order of the elements, partially or generally, but maintaining logic and coherence with the rest of the content.

Symmetry/Asymmetry

• Symmetry is the technique that consists of arranging elements in a balanced manner with respect to a center or axis. A balance of visual weight and a certain regularity in the order of the elements is sought.
• Asymmetry is the technique that consists of disordering the elements in an unstable manner, that is, the visual balance is broken with some intention and the irregularity is evident.

Economy/Profusion

• Economy is the technique of eliminating all unnecessary content to optimize the number of elements to the maximum.
• Profusion is the technique that consists of using many elements and occupying most of the space with details, colors and shapes to generate a striking and complex composition.

Reticence/Exaggeration

• Reticence is the technique that consists of suggesting more than what the image shows, that is, it appeals to the meanings and interpretation that a certain recipient may give it.
• Exaggeration is the technique of amplifying or distorting certain elements to emphasize a particular concept or provoke a certain reaction in the recipient.

See also: Visual language

Visual communication media

Visual communication manifests itself in the form of two-dimensional or three-dimensional images, through communication media or supports that transmit messages between the sender and the receiver.

The main means of visual communication are:

• Print media: posters, magazines, newspapers, gigantographs, stands for an exhibition, books, cards, brochures.
• Digital media: applications, electronic devices, screens, websites.
• Interactive media: augmented reality, clothing fashion, gestures and postures, virtual reality, art and entertainment spaces with visual and sensory content.

Importance of visual communication

The importance of visual communication is that draws attention and makes the message easier to understand compared to other types of communication. It is particularly used in areas of education, marketing, graphic design and digital communication.

The human brain can interpret symbols or images more quickly and easily, even if they are accompanied by words expressed in a language different from that used by the recipient of the message. Additionally, images can appeal to the recipient's emotions and sensations more simply than a bunch of written or spoken words. For example, an advertisement that tries to convince a passer-by to buy a certain product.

However, it must be taken into account that the same visual element can have different meanings depending on each culture, such as certain gestures that are interpreted in different ways in different countries.

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References

• Baldwin, J., and Roberts, L. (2006). Visual Communication. From Theory to Practice. Bloomsbury.
• Branda, MJ and Cuenya, A. (2014). Visual communication. Reflection and teaching practice. Editorial of the National University of La Plata. https://libros.unlp.edu.ar/
• Colle, R. (1998). The content of iconic messages. Latin Magazine of Social Communication, 19.
• Dondis, D. A., (1976). The syntax of the image. Introduction to the visual alphabet. Gustavo Gili.
• Fayaz, O. (2022). Principles of Visual Communication. Indian Institute of Art & Design. https://www.iiad.edu.in/
• Gutiérrez, A. (2023). Do you know the different types of communication? We show them to you. Linkia FP. https://linkiafp.es/
• Linguistic Research Institute. (2016). What is Linguistics? University of Costa Rica. https://inil.ucr.ac.cr/linguistica/