An Introduction to Visual Communication: From Cave Art to Second Life (2nd edition)

by Susan B. Barnes

Overview

Technological changes have radically altered the ways in which people use visual images. Since the invention of photography, imagery has increasingly been used for entertainment, journalism, information, medical diagnostics, instruction, branding and communication. These functions move the image beyond aesthetic issues associated with art and into the realm of communication studies.

This introductory textbook introduces students to the terminology of visual literacy, methods for analyzing visual media, and theories on the relationship between visual communication and culture. Exploring the meanings associated with visual symbols and the relationship of visual communication to culture, this book provides students with a better understanding of the visually oriented world in which they live. From cave art to virtual reality, all visual media are discussed with methods for evaluation. Student-friendly features such as boxed topics, key terms, web resources, and suggestions for exercises are provided throughout.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781433142031
Publisher:	Peter Lang Inc., International Academic Publishers
Publication date:	07/07/2017
Series:	Visual Communication , #7
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	288
Product dimensions:	7.01(w) x 10.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Susan B. Barnes is the curator of the Spirit Art Gallery in Cassadaga, New York, where she teaches art classes. During her academic career, she received numerous grants for her research including a National Science Foundation grant to examine social media. Her publications include Visual Impact: The Power of Visual Persuasion; Social Networks; From Text to Video; and Branding as Communication.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments vii

Introduction ix

1 Digital Visual Communication Theory 1

Part I Developing Visual Literacy Skills

2 Elements of Visual Literacy 23

3 Perspective, Vision, and Culture 45

4 Language of Images: Signs, Symbols, and Semiotics 65

5 Written Symbols and Typography 84

6 Graphic Design 104

Part II Understanding Visual Media

7 Print Media 127

8 The Photographic Image 146

9 Motion Pictures and Film 166

10 Television 185

11 Digital Media 203

Part III Visual Communication in Cultural Contexts

12 Emerging Visual Contexts: Virtual Reality and Digital Culture 227

13 Cultural Codes and Conventions 244

14 Visual Imagery and Cultural Change 261

Index 279