It’s no secret that the world is becoming more attuned to and proficient in visual language by the day. We understand visual language at an earlier age with every generation and can interpret and apply the elements of visual language in ways that transcend cultures and spoken language.
So just what are the building blocks of visual language? Typically these are basic elements such as lines, forms, patterns, textures, and colors. While these can clearly be used in endless combinations to form whole ideas, concepts, and messages, they can also be applied to create other building blocks as well. These can take the form of images, visual metaphors, historical references, and contextual environments to communicate more complex ideas or emotions that designers incorporate in fashion, architecture, urban planning, package design, and other areas.
Leading researchers, educators, and artists believe that having greater command of visual language can be valuable in enhancing critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity, understanding of technology, and even capacity for empathy toward others. In fact, one’s graphicacy, or ability to process visual information, is fast becoming recognized in education circles as a skill that is as important as literacy and numeracy, the ability to read and count.
The next time you wonder about your visual language capacity, just take a look at your smartphone or the signs in any airport. You don’t have to be a design professional to instantly recognize what the icons or pictograms mean—and appreciate how much visual language is an integral part of your everyday life.