| Insight:
Visual literacy is the ability, through knowledge
of these basic visual elements, to understand the
meaning and components of the image. |
Understanding
visual elements
Once someone is able to manipulate, and
ultimately master, the basic components of written
language (letters, words, spelling, grammar,
syntax), the possibilities of verbal expression
are endless.
Just as there are components and common meaning
for the elements of verbal literacy, elements and
common meaning exist for the elements of visual
literacy. The fundamentals of all visual
communication are its basic elements; the dot,
the line,
shape,
direction,
value,
hue,
saturation,
texture,
scale,
dimension
and motion.
It is with the understanding of these visual
elements that a viewer can come to understand
visual syntax.
Text References:
The On-Line Visual Literacy Project (This
project is the result of Brian Stonehill's 1994
Spring Semester, Media 51 Principles of Visual
Literacy class at Pomona College, Claremont,
California.)
Dondis, Donis A. A Primer
of Visual Literacy, (c) 1973 The Massachusetts
Insititue of Technology.
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