A Primer of Digital Visual Literacy
Christa Herchek
As we have progressed in the technological age, our means of visual communication have evolved, but our visual language has not been responsive to this change. I have been interested specifically in the possibilities of visual language within contemporary commercial software. I aim to discover the visual potential and limitation of these mediums by removing all content and restricting the use of form to shape, color, tone, texture, dimension, and motion to develop a basis of digital visual literacy. First, I worked with an extension of Adobe InDesign called Mag+. After reading Donis A. Dondis’ book, A Primer of Visual Literacy, I explored visual binaries, such as, instability vs. balance, asymmetry vs. symmetry, irregularity vs. regularity, and complexity vs. simplicity in my design. Beginning with the simplest form of a line and then slowly adding color, shape, and opacity to the sequence. By removing all content from Mag +, I have attempted to exhaust the potential of the medium by focusing only on elemental form and touch-based interactivity. Next, I used a commercial 3D rendering and motion graphics software called Cinema 4D, along with the same principles, to visually deconstruct the complexity of 3D animation software and allow the viewer to explore an alternative user experience. I explored the limitations of the medium by once again removing all content and restricting the use of form; in an attempt to reveal the potential of visual language and form within Cinema 4D.