Abstract
As society increasingly relies on images to convey information and messages, it is important to recognize the role and capabilities of visual communicators. The speed at which messages can be shared across the global network necessitates that makers are responsive, sensitive and timely. Clearly considering the audience and determining the intent must guide the visual decisions within a design process if denotation is to function as planned. For over 20 years, my creative research in graphic design has explored various visual communication strategies to inspire the viewer towards social and environmental progress. Methodologies have included humanistic appeals to reconnect with nature, disturbing statistics to instigate response, aesthetic presentation of biophilia, material visualization of concrete poetry, community green mapping with an ecological organization, creative workshops with at-risk youth, and a national poster campaign to empower the women’s vote. Presented through a series of case studies, this paper explores diverse projects that utilize various ways to connect with the audience, users, and stakeholders. The work ranges from local to global, individual to collaborative, short-term to long-term, and grassroots to institutionally supported.
Presenters
Kelly Salchow MacArthurProfessor of Graphic Design, Art, Art History, and Design, Michigan State University, Michigan, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Interpretation, Viewers, Visual Communication, Visualization, Text, Graphic Design, Social, Environmental
