Essentials of Visual Communication - Bo Bergström (2008)

Key Notes & Quotes:

• 'The linguistic metaphor suggests similarities between things from different areas in order to clarify, reinforce and shed new light on a message by means of comparison. Image metaphors are created in the same way by producing a comparative image.' - p.130
• But the sender doesn't make a clear comparison between the two images side by side, instead the picture of the event (in the paper) or the product (in the ad) is replaced by another image from a linked or distant context. This forces the receiver to make what is known as an associative leap from one area to another in order to better understand the newspaper article or the features of the product or service.' - p.130
• 'Metaphors make great demands of the receiver and if he or she fails to find the key to the comparison, a flop is on the cards. The risk lies, not as so many people think in drawing a metaphor from too distant an area. The risk instead lies in using common, tired metaphor, or bizarre ones.' - p.132
• 'Advanced abstract metaphors tend to miss their target.' - p.132
• In image rhetoric, non-representative shapes and colours, which tend to offer too many possible interpretations to the receiver, act as warning signs. 
• 'Metaphor can be over-extended sometimes, but when it really hits home, really makes the point it's aiming for, there's nothing to beat visual communication decorated with metaphors.' - p.133

Symbol

• In brief a symbol must be:
• Simple and graphically clear 
• Distinctive
• Able to be used in all contexts, irrespective of material and background.
• Clear whether small or large in size, and in colour as well as black and white. - p.213

Design

• 'When it comes down to it, well-organised design is easy to read, and muddle design is difficult.' - p.166
• 'First impressions are crucial, with the sender often getting only one chance.' - p.166
• 'Design + content = message.' - p.166 

Simple Design

• 'pure, simple design is a virtue.' - p.191
• Designers always ask themselves - 'is this element necessary or superfluous?' - p.191
• 'In the vast majority of cases, one can take out an image or part of a text without disturbing a message.' - p.161
• Refers to Mies van der Rohe - 'Less is more' - 'which means taking away everything surplus to requirements. This sentiment is particularly applicable to visual communication.' - p.161
• 'not everyone has the same opinion or taste, and too minimalist design is seen by many as cold and lifeless - 'less is a bore'.' - p.191 - FIND SOMEONE WITH THIS OPINION

Gestalt

• Gestalt laws - based on the knowledge that the human eye and brain find it easier to read pictures in which different elements or figures form wholes that can be interpreted. - p.156
• Gestalt laws applicable to visual communications:
• The law of proximity - Figures that belong together should be close to eachother
• The law of similarity - 'The viewer also easily reads an image in which different figures are similar to each other.' 
• The law of closedness - 'If some figures close off a composition from the outside, it is easy for viewers to identify and interpret elements delimited in this way' - p.156

The Graphics of Communication

• How we make sense of images - 'Some pictures will be recognised and understood faster than the word equivalent'  - e.g. picture of a cat will imprint faster than bold type 'C-A-T'. - p.9

Dealing with Visual Complications

• 'The mind does not appreciate complex or "noisey" visual material. It falters when content and design start to overwhelm.' - p.9
• 'without order and clarity, content is diminished.' - p.9
• 'Graphic-arts researchers have always been interested in how readers use visual information and in which ways these readers are slowed down or confused by the presentation of that information' - p.10

Contemporary Design

• 'Design can be simple and striking. Or, where a module is to be made up of very small parts, the overall result gives the impression of one large element.' - p.152

Image in Visual Communication 

• 'Artist, editor and computer must work in harmony to meet the apparent need for splashier, more colourful, more complicated information graphics- brought on by reader exposure to video and film graphics- without confusing rather than aiding communication.' - p.58

Balance and Simplicity

• 'In design, simplicity aids balance in achieving the order so necessary to communication.' - p.137
• 'We have long known from readability studies that simple verbal language is essential for efficient communication; the same is true for visual presentation.' - p.137
• 'Simple, straightforward visual syntax is vital to communicating the conceptual nature for most magazine content.' - p.137