Visual+Literacy



The visual message that I got for this graphic ﻿was that Americans over-indulge in protein. Now, while that was a message I got loud and clear, I was unclear why this is a problem or even if it is one. One of the reasons that I am unsure of the intent is because of the colors used. The calming purple, green, blue and orange colors are not jarring and do not lend itself to the idea of a negative effect that this chart shows. I can infer, however, by the negative connotations of the word ‘overproteined,’ that this is a problem yet the lack of context for this lends itself to a confusing message.

In terms of PAT; the overall design is a positive one. First, the bold font for the numbers draws your eye as well as the white letters against the black background for the title. This contrast is one of the reasons that I focused on this word in the previous paragraph and might also be seen as a weak point for the visual. The repetition of the number qualifiers (like million or billion) is good, but the break between the section labeled “chickens eaten per year” and “hot dogs eaten per year” makes the alignment and message lose its focus a bit. The most prevalent information is on the top, which is good as is the alignment of the figures. However, I would have like more spacing between the graph and the picture.

What I would improve is the repetition of the number qualifiers and the color scheme. I would also find a way to determine whether this message is one of warning, information or encouragement. What I mean by that is; the intent of this graphic isn’t clear and if it was stated somewhere (although I don’t know where) what the message is, then the graphic would be clearer.

9/21/2010

// Visual literacy is an aspect of literacy that has just recently become a major issue for communication. The standards that are used were confusing for me, mainly because they are not familiar and require a different set of literacy skills. I would have liked a more in depth analysis in order to familiarize myself with these different standards. In general, however, the content was interesting and a new way to look at things. The insight into how people view and analyze visual presentations was a helpful lesson for me and a good guide in how to incorporate visuals into my lessons. //