Visual Communication

Gently inspired by the acclaimed trilogy of books by information design educator Edward R. Tuft, Visual Communication launches students to consider how symbols, data, and pictures are utilized in art, design, and life.

Course Objectives:

In this course, the student will explore through an array of engaging activities, projects, and discussions, why good design is crucial for effective communication. Moreover, students will study how artists, designers, and others in a variety of fields use visuals to share information.

Learning Outcomes:

Through this course of study, you will gain a deeper understanding of and be able to:

1. Interpret information in the form of images.
2. Communicate effectively through pictures and a variety of visual elements.
3. Make meaningful connections and responses to visual information.
4. Develop visual literacy and comprehension.
5. Describe the elements and principles of visual communication.
6. Think graphically.
7. Critically evaluate and judge visual information.

Texts:

Selected sections from Edward R. Tuft's trilogy:

• Visual Explanations: Images and Quantities, Evidence and Narrative
• The Visual Display of Quantitative Information
• Envisioning Information
• Selected excerpts from a variety of books, journals, and articles.