Visual_Thinking

Visual Thinking and Advertising Concepts Visual Literacy Visual literacy is the process of sending and receiving messages using images. We can define visual literacy as the ‘ability to construct meaning from visual images.’ The designer’s responsibility is about interpreting images of the present and past and producing images that effectively communicate the message to an audience. When talking about images: Common Terms Listed below are some of the more commonly used terms associated with graphic design. This quick glossary should be helpful for any clients or novice graphic designers wishing to learn a bit more about graphic design related terminology. Anti-Aliasing: the smoothing of jagged pixel edges in an image or graphic. Bevel: applying a beveled effect – giving a 3d appearance to an otherwise flat looking graphic. This is achieved by adding highlights and shadows to an object’s edges. Bleed (bleed edge): when creating a design for print, a “bleed edge” needs to be added to the document’s page size. For example, a brochure with the dimensions 8 x 10 needs to be created at something like 8.5 x 10.5. This leaves room for the design to extend past the cut area. DPI (dots per inch): represents the resolution of an output device such as a printer. The higher the DPI, the more pixels (dots) fit into each inch of the image. In other words, the higher the DPI, the better an image will look in print. 300 dpi is sufficient for many print jobs, but it’s all dependent on the detail required and the material being printed on. DPI is often confused with the term “PPI” (see “ppi” to learn more). Gradient: a gradual transition of colors. The way the sky fades from one color to another during a sunset is an example of a gradient. Pixelation: raster images (see “raster”) are comprised of tiny dots. The more dots that fit into a certain area (1×1mm for example), the higher the resolution. Often times images with low resolution appear “blocky” or pixelated because of their lack of pixels per inch (see “ppi”). This blocky appearance is referred to as pixelation. Vector (see “vector”) image are void of pixelation. PPI (pixels per inch): specifies the resolution of an input device (digital camera, scanner, monitor). Web pages run at a resolution of 72-96 PPI. PPI is often confused with the term “DPI” (see “dpi”). Raster: a raster image is an image that is made up of pixels (tiny dots). Raster graphics or images are resolution dependent, meaning they cannot scale to arbitrary size without apparent loss in quality. Photographs are raster images. Vector (see “vector”) images on the other hand, can be scaled to any size, with no worries of pixelation (see “pixelation”) or quality loss associated with raster imagery. Resolution: The detail of an image is based on how many pixels (dots) are included in 1 square inch of space. The more pixels included in that space, the higher the resolution. Computer monitors use no more than 72 pixels (dots) per inch, so going higher is pointless. However a minimum of 300 dots per inch is usually recommended for printing. RGB: the color mode that is read by computer screens and the web. The RGB mode consists of red, green, and blue color combinations. Anything created for web use should be created in RGB color mode, while anything for print should be created in CMYK color mode. Vector: a graphics format that uses shapes and paths (lines) to form graphic images. Vector graphics are resolution independent and regardless of how magnified, all edges will remain crisp, clear, and smooth. This ability to stay crisp at any size, means vector graphics are great for logos, line art, and other designs that don’t require complicated coloring or textures.