Visual Messages
The eyes have it.
Prior to January of 2020, if you'd seen the above illustration by Alessandro Gottardo (aka Shout) for the Washington Post, you might well wonder what sort of strange eclipse or nighttime shadow had engulfed a portion of the earth. Yet, after March of 2020 with the onset of the pandemic, we began to see SO MANY drawings, paintings, photographs, and versions of covid-19 (typically round-ish with horn-like protrusions) the general shape and image of covid-19 cells became nearly ubiquitous in mass- and social-media messages. (See several examples below.)
If a spherical shape with horns became the image of the coronavirus, was it a message like other visual messages that stand for, or remind us of, certain things or categories? Yes!
We would do well then, to briefly investigate how popular visual images operate or function, and decide on some different types of typical visual messages. First, let's dispense with the obvious: visual messages in mass- and social media are here to stay and they seem numberless. Estimates of the number of pictures or images you and I encounter range from 4 or 5 thousand to more than 15 thousand per day (remember that encountering and paying attention are two different things). So perhaps we should know something about all of those visual messages. Yes? Yes!
First of all are pictures or images that look just like what they are (as strange as that sounds to say). If you take a selfie, or a picture of your pet turtle, or a picture of a new motorcycle you just got, you have a visual recording of someone or something. Obviously, many pictures or images fall in this category including satellite weather images, pictures of fine art objects taken for insurance purposes, pictures taken of an arm injury to be shared with a tele-health physician, pictures of your vacation rental car license plate (so you can find it in the parking lot after a long day at Disney World), pictures of your grandparent's wedding. The list, obviously, can be very long. But, we don't stop with pictures that simply represent an item, or thing, or person that was in front of a camera lens.
We also, via social or cultural experience or knowledge, begin to associate certain things, ideas, or aspects of life with certain visual images. For instance, I'll bet you've seen this shape before:
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This shape largely unseen and unknown prior to 1970, is now, in many cultures of earth, well known and often seen. What do you associate with this shape? A slogan? A company? A brand? Athletic gear?
A key factor here is learning. You and I had to learn (if even unofficially) that this pointed and curved shape had meaning. Moreover, long repetition led to very strong associations of meaning. The same thing happens with alphabetic and pictographic letters: Can you read this character: 肘? (Perhaps this would be easier for some: elbow.) In both cases readers of Japanese or of English letters and words had to learn the symbol system that allows visual expression of ideas, descriptions, reports, and observations. So we know that some symbols (and symbol systems) have to be learned. But, visual messages certainly don't stop there.
What do you make of this image?
If you recognize two aspects of this image you may be able to put them together to make a combined visual meaning. The black mortar board and tassel are frequently associated with education (and more specifically with graduation). But, what of the many holes? Someone likely placed holes in the image design for a purpose, yes? So, what does it mean? Many people upon viewing this image almost immediately think of swiss cheese; but, if that's the case, what does cheese have to do with graduation, or education? Perhaps graduation from a degree program that emphasizes cheese research? This actual editorial illustration was used to accompany a serious article on college student loan debt, therefore the holes were intended (or used) to point out economic holes (or challenges) in the future for recent graduates. To visually grasp that sort of meaning a headline, or tagline, helps set the meaning context for a visual image. What of the words in the following image? Do they set, guide, or create the meaning of the image?
While the "We Can Do It!" words in this famous image undeniably add to the overall composition and meaning, the artwork element and color selections are equally important. Certain aspects of this poster point to a specific historical period: WWII in the USA. The hair bandana, the worker ID button, the notation of a "War Production C0-ordinating Committee," and clothing. When certain visual items and depicted actions (e.g., rolling up your sleeves) can signal gender, nationality, and purpose, we've moved well beyond simple visual recognition into more complex realms of offering visual meaning to audiences. This image (often identified as "Rosie the Riveter") is the single most requested image from the United States National Archives. You've likely seen it before, not just in the original poster, but on pins, mugs, shirts, and remix designs. What made this image so compelling?
Since we've only scratched the surface of visual messages here, make sure you can continue your exploration of visual persuasion. Follow up and do more reading and thinking about visual messages and persuasion, find below some important sources to choose from.
Explore Sources
Barry, Anne Marie. Visual Intelligence: Perception, Image, and Manipulation in Visual Communication. State Univ. of New York Press, 1997.
Gilbert, Christopher J. Caricature and National Character: The United States at War. Penn State U. Press, 2021.
Jordan, Larry. Techniques of Visual Persuasion. New Riders, 2020.
Josephson, Sheree, James Kelly, and Ken Smith. Handbook of Visual Communication: Theory, Methods, and Media. 2nd ed. Routledge, 2020.
Lester, Paul Martin. Visual Communication. PML, 2020.
Olson, Lester C., Cara A. Finnegan, and Diane S. Hope. Visual Rhetoric: A Reader in Communication and American Culture. Sage, 2008.
Pierce, Dann L. Introductory Rhetorical Visual Analysis, 2nd ed. River Kishon, 2019.
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