Steven Heller, who in his introduction of Design Literacy states that even designers “who claim visual literacy are often ignorant when it comes to understanding and appreciating objects that are imprinted with the language of their own practice.” Heller suggests that designers often have seen things, which they use for inspiration or as source material, without truly appreciating the historical context and value of it—they “devour” their own design history as “eye candy found in scores of design books, magazines and annuals.”
Visual literacy is the ability to see, to under-stand, and ultimately to think, create, and communicate graphically. Generally speaking, the visually literate looks at an image carefully and critically, trying to decipher the intentions of the creator. These skills can be applied equally to any type of image: photographs, paintings and drawings, graphic art, films, maps, and various kinds of charts and graphs. All convey information and ideas, all are constructed, and all have an intent and purpose. Visual literacy allows the viewer to gather the information and ideas contained in an image, place them in context, and determine whether they are valid.
It is the job of the designer, the artist, the cartoonist, the cartographer, the illustrator,
the photographer, the multi-media maker, to create visual communications that offer a message that speaks directly to the viewer. Conversely, it is the job of the visually/media literate viewer to critically analyze, evaluate,
and deconstruct that message.
Designers, and artists, like everyone else in today's society, are barraged by the myriad of messages within the media. We not only construct messages, we are forced to deconstruct, analyze, and evaluate others on an ongoing basis. We try to create a delicate balance between the intake of media with that which we create. Rod Serling said: “It is difficult to produce a television documentary that is both incisive and probing when every twelve minutes one is interrupted by twelve dancing rabbits singing about toilet paper.” While media is peppered with dancing rabbits, singing cats, talking babies, and monkeys working in offices, it is also filled with public service announcements, newscasts, documentaries, and educational resources. While it offers entertainment, the media also delivers forces that educate, enlighten, and empower. The challenge is finding a way to use the media as an educational tool, a resource to empower students and reach them in a manner that other resources either don't or are simply unable to.
It is our responsibility as media makers of colleges and universities to ingest and digest the massive amount of media that we are bombarded with, to not allow it to jade us or exhaust us, but instead to allow it to inspire, motivate and propel us to work to create quality, honest messages filled with integrity
and dignity.
For more information on visual and media literacy visit www.voicesofhope.tv.
