Post on 17-Jan-2016
Visual Rhetoric Workshop
23 January 2007
Guiding questions
• What is visual rhetoric?
• What should we teach in a PWP course?
• Where does it fit?
What is visual rhetoric?
• Images as arguments
• Page design
• Rhetoric of whole documents
My take on visual rhetoric
Most concepts from traditional (verbal) rhetoric have visual analogs
Examples: visual rhetorical appeals
• Ethos– Full color printing on high gloss paper vs.
monochrome on cheap paper
• PathosPathos– Eye contact and subject distance in photographsEye contact and subject distance in photographs
• LogosLogos– The arguments of stock chartsThe arguments of stock charts– Visual rhetorical figuresVisual rhetorical figures
Examples: visual rhetorical appeals
• EthosEthos– Full color printing on high gloss paper vs. Full color printing on high gloss paper vs.
monochrome on cheap papermonochrome on cheap paper
• Pathos– Eye contact and subject distance in photographs
• LogosLogos– The arguments of stock chartsThe arguments of stock charts– Visual rhetorical figuresVisual rhetorical figures
Examples: visual rhetorical appeals
• EthosEthos– Full color printing on high gloss paper vs. Full color printing on high gloss paper vs.
monochrome on cheap papermonochrome on cheap paper
• PathosPathos– Photographs in which the subject makes eye Photographs in which the subject makes eye
contact can be more compellingcontact can be more compelling
• Logos– The arguments of stock charts– Visual rhetorical figures
Verbal Antithesis
"It has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues."
— Abraham Lincoln
Visual Antithesis
What should we teach in PWP courses?
What I try to teach…
• Visual arguments
• Documents as visual artifacts
Visual Arguments
• Types (photographs, diagrams, graphs, etc)
• Adapting for audiences (visual conventions, levels of abstraction, etc)
• Relationship between the visual and text
• Ethics (dishonest graphs, doctored images, etc)
Abstraction example: photographs vs. drawings vs. diagrams
Compressor
Combustor1
2 3
4
Turbine
Visual Arguments
• Types (photographs, diagrams, graphs, etc)Types (photographs, diagrams, graphs, etc)
• Adapting for audiences (visual conventions, Adapting for audiences (visual conventions, levels of abstraction, etc)levels of abstraction, etc)
• Relationship between the visual and text
• Ethics (dishonest graphs, doctored images, etc)
The Ethics of Representing Data
Numerical increase = 37.4%
Visual increase = 280%
Documents as visual artifacts
• Visually vs. non-visually informative texts
• Visual constraints
From Bernhardt’s “Seeing the Text”Rhetorical Control Visually Informative Non-visually Informative
Visual Gestalt Varied surface Homogenous surface
Development Localized Progressive
Partitioning Iconic Integrated
Emphasis Visual stress Intensifiers, sentence position
Subordinate Relations
Type-sized, headings, etc. Linear sequence of sentences and paragraphs
Coordinate Relations Listing structures and other graphic devices.
Juxtaposition, cohesive ties (especially additives)
Linking/Transitional Relations
Controlled visually Cohesive ties: conjunctives, deictics, etc
Sentence Patterns Variety. Use of Q/A, imperatives, fragments, etc
Complete. Little variation in mood. Mostly declaratives
Document Design
or
Which would you rather read?
Documents as visual artifacts
• Visually vs. non-visually informative textsVisually vs. non-visually informative texts
• Visual constraints– Typography– Color– Contrast– Etc
Readable slides
Typography – font size
Remember that your audience is far from the screen.
Arial
32 pt28 pt24 pt20 pt18 pt16 pt14 pt12 pt10 pt
TNR
32 pt28 pt24 pt20 pt18 pt16 pt14 pt12 pt10 pt
Courier
32 pt28 pt24 pt20 pt18 pt16 pt14 pt12 pt10 pt
Comic
32 pt28 pt24 pt20 pt18 pt16 pt14 pt12 pt10 pt
Lucida Sans
32 pt28 pt24 pt20 pt18 pt16 pt14 pt12 pt10 pt
Readable slidesColor
Use dark text on a light background
Or use light text on a dark background
Never use red text on a green background
Never use green text on a red background
Colors have emotional effects. This combination is known to cause agitation in audiences
Blue and green backgrounds are more soothing
Red backgrounds can have a similar effect
Where can it fit?
• Document design
• PowerPoint / posters
• Constructing and incorporating graphics
• Ethics discussions
Resources
• Visual rhetoric bibliography
• Electronic resources– IX Visual Exercises– ARHU Visual Literacy Site
• Me