TEXT AND VISUAL DIMENSIONS OF

INFORMATION AND MEDIA

 TEXT AND VISUAL
DIMENSIONS OF INFORMATION AND MEDIA

• THIS LESSON IS THE BEGINNING OF A SERIES THAT WOULD LEAD YOU TO

CREATING AN APPROPRIATE MULTI-MEDIA CONTENT. FOR THIS PART, WE WILL
FOCUS ON VISUALS, WHICH IS A BROAD ASPECT IN MEDIA. REMEMBER THAT
CONVEYING VALID AND EFFECTIVE CONTENT ENTAILS THE USE OF THE MOST
SUITABLE VISUAL FORMS. THESE TWO MUST WORK SIDE BY SIDE TO PROVIDE
THE CORRECT INFORMATIVE EXPERIENCE TO YOUR AUDIENCE.
WHAT WENT WRONG?
 WHAT IS IT
•TEXT MAY BE DEFINED AS A SIMPLE AND FLEXIBLE FORMAT OF
PRESENTING INFORMATION OR CONVEYING IDEAS WHETHER
HAND-WRITTEN, PRINTED OR DISPLAYED ON-SCREEN. IT IS
VERY POWERFUL IN DISSEMINATING INFORMATION,
PROVIDING DIRECTION AND GIVING SUGGESTIONS.
• TEXT IS AVAILABLE IN DIFFERENT SOURCES, WHICH MAY BE CATEGORIZED INTO
TWO:
• 1. FORMAL EXAMPLE OF THESE ARE NEWS ARTICLES, PUBLISHED BOOKS,
NEWSPAPERS, MAGAZINES, ADVERTISEMENTS, RESEARCH WORKS, ETC. FORMAL
TEXT- BASED MATERIALS ARE CREATED AND DISTRIBUTED BY ESTABLISHED
INSTITUTIONS (SUCH AS PUBLISHING COMPANIES, NEWS AGENCIES, ETC.) AND
GO THROUGH A RIGOROUS PROCESS OF EDITING OR EVALUATION AND ARE
USUALLY GOVERNED BY CENSORSHIP OF THE STATE.
• 2. INFORMAL EXAMPLES OF THESE ARE BLOGS, PERSONAL E-MAILS, SMS OR
TEXT MESSAGES, ONLINE MESSENGERS, SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, ETC. THEY
COME FROM PERSONAL OPINIONS OR VIEWS ON DIFFERENT ISSUES,
PROCESSES, ETC.
•TEXT CAN BE AS SHORT SUCH AS A SINGLE SENTENCE OR
PHRASE, OR THEY CAN BE AS LENGTHY AS NEWS ARTICLES
OR INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING. NO MATTER HOW BRIEF
OR LENGTHY, HOWEVER, A TEXT IS ALWAYS CAREFULLY
WRITTEN WITH THE INTENT OF SENDING A VERY SPECIFIC
MESSAGE TO THE TARGET AUDIENCE.
•AS CONSUMERS OF TEXT MEDIA AND INFORMATION, WE NEED TO ASK
QUESTIONS REGARDING THE TEXT CONTENT TO ENSURE ITS RELIABILITY:
• WHO OR WHAT INSTITUTION IS SENDING THIS MESSAGE?
• WHAT TECHNIQUES ARE USED TO ATTRACT AND HOLD ATTENTION?
• WHAT IS THE LANGUAGE USED BY THE WRITER?
• WHAT VIEWS ARE REPRESENTED? ARE THEY BALANCED?
• HOW MIGHT THE MESSAGE BE INTERPRETED IN DIFFERENT WAYS?
• WHAT IS OMITTED (REMOVED), SLURRED (UNCLEAR) OR ADDED IN THE
MESSAGE?
•AS PRODUCERS OF TEXT MEDIA AND INFORMATION, WE NEED TO
REVIEW THE MEDIA AND INFORMATION DESIGN FRAMEWORK:
•• TARGET AUDIENCE,
•• AUTHOR OR SENDER,
•• KEY CONTENT,
•• PURPOSE,
•• FORM/STYLE, AND
•• FORMAT.
 TEXT AS VISUAL
• TYPEFACE FONT, FONT TYPE, OR TYPE) IS THE REPRESENTATION OR STYLE
OF A TEXT. A TYPEFACE IS USUALLY COMPOSED OF ALPHABETS, NUMBERS,
PUNCTUATION MARKS, SYMBOLS AND OTHER SPECIAL CHARACTERS.
FONTS IN DIGITAL FORMAT ARE INSTALLED IN FORMS SUCH AS TRUE
TYPE FONT (.TTF), OPEN TYPE FONT (.OTF), ETC. FONTS CONVEY DIFFERENT
EMOTIONS AND MEANING, AND YOU MUST BE VERY CAREFUL IN
CHOOSING THE RIGHT FONT FOR YOUR CONTENT. THE TABLE BELOW
PRESENTS THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FONTS, THEIR IMPLICATIONS, USES,
AND EXAMPLES.
DESIGN PRINCIPLES AND ELEMENTS
•THE PRINCIPLES IN DESIGNING TEXT ELEMENTS ARE
EMPHASIS, APPROPRIATENESS, PROXIMITY,
ALIGNMENT, ORGANIZATION, REPETITION AND
CONTRAST. OBSERVE HOW THESE ELEMENTS ARE
PRESENTED IN EACH TEXT FRAME.
 WHAT’S MORE

• VISUAL INFORMATION AND MEDIA ARE MATERIALS, PROGRAMS, APPLICATIONS

AND THE LIKE THAT TEACHERS AND STUDENTS USE TO FORMULATE NEW
INFORMATION TO AID LEARNING THROUGH THE USE, ANALYSIS, EVALUATION
AND PRODUCTION OF VISUAL IMAGES. THE FOLLOWING ARE TYPES OF VISUAL
MEDIA:
Photography

M t. M a k ilin g, sh o t u s in g phone
c am era

Video

A s c en e fro m th e s ho rt film
“K inam ulatan”
Screenshot

S c ree n sh o t from a typ ic a l o n lin e class

Infographic

T h is w a s crea te d to prom o te
n e tiqu e tte in M a ry H e lp o f Christians
C o lle g e , Lagun a
comic strips /
cartoons

Created by Johnrich Raym undo, Ash

Nabalona and A lexandra D ucay for
Cam p Vicente Lim Integrated School

Meme

Image: "Memes for NBA" by

randycline5049 is marked with CC
PDM 1.0
Graphs / Charts

P ie g ra p h fo r D e p E d T a yo C a m p
V ic e n te L im In te g ra te d S c h o o l FB
P age

Visual note taking

Image: "Visual Notetaking 101"

by jonnygoldstein is licensed
under CC BY 2.0
• THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF VISUAL INFORMATION IS TO GAIN ATTENTION, CREATE
MEANING, AND FACILITATE RETENTION, BUT HOW CAN YOU CREATE A STRIKING
VISUAL? FIRST, YOU MUST CONSIDER THE VISUAL ELEMENTS, OR THE BASIC UNITS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF A VISUAL IMAGE. THE DESIGN ELEMENTS ARE:
1. LINE
THIS DESCRIBES A SHAPE OR OUTLINE. IT CAN CREATE TEXTURE AND CAN BE THICK OR
THIN. LINES MAY BE ACTUAL, IMPLIED, VERTICAL, HORIZONTAL, DIAGONAL, OR CONTOUR.
TAKE NOTE THAT LINES PROVIDE MEANING ALSO. HORIZONTAL LINES ARE MORE STATIC
AND CALM; VERTICAL LINES COMMAND ATTENTION AND STABILITY; DIAGONAL LINES MAY
CONVEY MOVEMENT; AND CONTOURED LINES MAY EVOKE TURBULENCE, PLAYFULNESS,
AND THE LIKES.
2. Shape
A geometric area that stands out from the space next to or around it, or because
of differences in value, color, or texture. Shape may also be organic.

Three implied geometric shapes can be Organic shapes, like the eggplant
found in the picture above: diamond, pictured above, are irregular and
octagon and triangle. asymmetrical in appearance and tends to
have curves, as in the case of shapes
found in nature.
3. VALUE
THE DEGREE OF LIGHT AND DARK IN A DESIGN. IT IS THE CONTRAST BETWEEN
BLACK AND WHITE AND ALL THE TONES IN BETWEEN. VALUE CAN BE USED
WITH COLOR AS WELL AS BLACK AND WHITE. CONTRAST IS THE EXTREME
CHANGES BETWEEN VALUES.
4. Texture
The way a surface feels or is perceived to feel. Texture can be added to attract or
repel interest to a visual element. Two contrasting visual textures are presented in
this picture taken in Bolinao, Pangasinan: the smoothness of the sea and the
roughness of the contorted branches.
5. COLOR
DETERMINED BY ITS HUE (NAME OF COLOR), INTENSITY (PURITY OF THE HUE), AND VALUE
(LIGHTNESS OR DARKNESS OF HUE). COLOR AND COLOR COMBINATION CAN PLAY A LARGE
ROLE IN THE DESIGN. COLOR MAY BE USED FOR EMPHASIS, OR MAY ELICIT EMOTIONS
FROM VIEWERS. COLOR MAY BE WARM, COOL, OR NEUTRAL. IT PLAYS A MAJOR ROLE IN
OUR VISUAL PERCEPTION, AS IT INFLUENCES OUR REACTIONS ABOUT THE WORLD
AROUND US. IT IS THEREFORE IMPORTANT TO CREATE COLOR PALETTES THAT EVOKE THE
APPROPRIATE AUDIENCE REACTIONS.
6. Form
A figure having volume and thickness. An illusion of a 3-dimensional object can
be implied with the use of light and shading.

Through digital means, shadows are On the other hand, thick pen strokes are
placed in the drawing above in order used to achieve volume and thickness on
to provide a three-dimensional effect. the sketch in this sketch.
PRINCIPLES IN VISUAL DESIGN
•THE VISUAL APPEAL OF ARTWORKS DEPENDS ON ITS ADHERENCE
TO PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN. HOWEVER, THERE IS NO STRICT
COMMANDMENT IN DESIGNING. THE PERSONAL PREFERENCES OF
THE ARTIST REMAIN A PRIME CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN
DESIGNING VISUALS.
1. Consistency of margins, typeface, typestyle, and colors is necessary, especially
in slide presentations or documents that are more than one page.
2. Center of interest – an area that first attracts attention in a composition. This
area is more important when compared to the other objects or elements in a
composition. This can be by contrast of values, more colors, and placement in the
format.

In a picture, the center of interest should not actually be in the center. In fact, you
must avoid the “dead center in placing the portion that you wish to highlight. The
basic rule in “The Rule of Thirds.” Divide the frame into three portions horizontally
and vertically using imaginary lines, and place the point you wish to highlight at
any of the four intersecting points.

Putting the lines on the picture above, the girl’s face, which is the center of interest,
is right on an intersection point. Hence, the picture has an interesting composition.
• IN PORTRAITURE, ONE TIP IN ORDER TO COMMAND THE CENTER OF
INTEREST IN CLOSE UPS (SUCH AS THE PICTURE OF LIZA SOBERANO) IS TO
PLACE THE DOMINANT EYE AT THE CENTER OF THE FRAME. DOING SO, THE
IMAGE WOULD HAVE THE ILLUSION OF STARING BACK AT YOU.
3. Balance – a feeling of visual equality in shape, form, value, color, etc. Balance
can be symmetrical and evenly balanced, or asymmetrical and unevenly balanced.
Objects, values, colors, textures, shapes, forms, etc. can be used in creating
balance in a composition.
4. Harmony – brings together a composition
with similar units. If for example your
composition was using wavy lines and
organic shapes, you would stay with those
types of lines and not put in just one
geometric shape. (Notice how similar
Harmony is to Unity - some sources list both
terms).
• 4. CONTRAST – OFFERS SOME CHANGE IN VALUE
CREATING A VISUAL DISCORD IN A
COMPOSITION. CONTRAST SHOWS THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SHAPES AND CAN BE
USED AS A BACKGROUND TO BRING OBJECTS
OUT AND FORWARD IN A DESIGN. IT CAN ALSO
BE USED TO CREATE AN AREA OF EMPHASIS.
5. Directional Movement – a visual flow through
the composition. It can be the suggestion of
motion in a design as you move from object to
object by way of placement and position.
Directional movement can be created with a
value pattern.

It is with the placement of dark and light areas

that you can move your attention through the
format. On the left, the lines implied by the
children’s arms provides a direction that leads
to the element that unites them: a trophy. On the
right, the blurred image of children in frenzy
during the Buhayani festival evokes a sense of
directionless motion.
6. Rhythm – a movement in which some elements recur regularly. Like a dance, it
will have a flow of objects that will seem to be like the beat of music.

You can find rhythmic patterns everywhere, for a simple cup of cappuccino
prepared by a barista, to a festive street dance.
7. Perspective – created through the
arrangement of objects in two-dimensional
space to look like they appear in real life.
Perspective is a learned meaning of the
relationship between different objects
seen in space Lines disappearing in the
horizon and objects getting smaller
conveys a perspective of distance. In this
still from the short film “Awit ng Puso,” the
child is seen moving far beyond, and the
viewer gets the hint that he still has a long
way to go before
him.
 TYPES OF SHOTS

• SOMETIMES, A SINGLE PICTURE IS MORE THAN ENOUGH TO TELL A STORY.

HOWEVER, A SERIES OF PICTURES CAN BE USED ALSO, AS IN THE PHOTO ESSAY,
WHICH IS A SERIES OF PHOTOS THAT TELL A STORY, AND IN FILM, WHICH IS
PRACTICALLY A SERIES OF FRAMES ALSO. TO ACHIEVE THIS, YOU MUST REMEMBER
THAT CAPTURING VISUALS IS NOT JUST A MATTER OF POINT AND SHOOT. SHOTS
MUST BE PLANNED AND WELL-FRAMED TO CONTRIBUTE WELL TO THE STORY.
Extrem e Wide Shot / Extreme
Long Shot

This reveals to the viewer the

w orld w here the story takes
place. Through this shot, the
audience m ust have a feel of the
time and place of the story –
w hether it is m orning or
evening, hot or cold, wet or dry,
and so on.

The subject m ay be show n on a

sm all scale in order to picture
his/her relation to the scene.

Wide Shot / Long Shot

This shot establishes the

character and how he/she is
related to the scene. The
characters can be seen from
head to toe. Because of its w ide
coverage, the w ide shot can also
be used as an establishing shot.
This can also be used as a
m aster shot, w hich introduces
a new location or scene.
Full Shot

Like the w ide shot, the full shot

also show s the character from
head to toe, but this tim e
around, the character is already
the focus. Through this, you
can clearly see what the
character looks like as a whole
or what he/she is doing.
Medium Shot

The character is seen w aste up.

This is often used in dialogue
scenes, because it is w ide
enough to show tw o or m ore
characters but close enough to
show details.

Medium Close-up

This shot rests betw een the

m edium shot and the close-up,
w ith the subject fram ed from
shoulders up. Through this
shot, m ore body language can
com plem ent the facial
expressions to show em otions.

Close-up

This fram es the character’s face

and provides em otional clues
that cannot be effectively show n
w ith the m edium shot. Other
things m ay be show n up close –
shaking hands, tapping feet,
etc,

Tip: Cropping the crow n of the

head in a close-up conveys a
m ore intim ate appeal.
Extreme Close-up
This is a tighter frame that
highlights the facial features or
any subject more. It can be
highly detailed, much more
intimate, emotionally
heightened, and even
uncomfortable to view.

Camera Angles and Points of View

Establishing the angles of your shots will also help in providing the desirable
meaning on visuals. Through this, you can suggest a specific emotion, establish
strength or weakness, or take the story from the eyes of a character. Here is a
list of shots based on angles and points of view.
Bird’s-eye view

Bird’s-eye view is the name

given to the type of shot taken
from an elevated point. As its
own name indicates, it offers a
perspective similar to that
which birds see while flying.

Drones may be used to capture

this type of shot, such as the
picture on the left. However,
you can still do this shot as long
as you strategize your location,
like shooting a subject while
you are standing on a bridge.

High angle

A high angle shot is taken

pointing the camera down on
the subject. As a result, the
subject is seen as vulnerable
and powerless.
Eye level

The eye level shot is considered

the most natural camera angle.
Capturing the shot at eye-level
offers a neutral perception of
the subject. Because it is the
way in which we usually see
people, this camera angle can
help the audience connect with
the subject.

Low angle

A low angle shot is taken from

below the subject’s eye line,
pointing upw ards. This cam era
angle m akes a subject look
powerful and im posing.

Worm’s-eye view

The w orm ’s-eye view cam era

angle looks at an object or
subject from below . It is
com m only used to capture tall
elem ents in the scene, such as
trees or skyscrapers, and put
them in perspective. This type
of cam era shot is m ostly taken
from a subject’s point of view .

Over the Shoulder Shot

Also called OTS or third person

shot, this is created by placing
the camera at the back of one
character while facing the other
character. This is used to
highlight the relationship of
characters in a dialogue.
Dutch Angle

Also called Dutch tilt, canted

angle, or oblique angle, this
shot is noticeably tilted or
tipped. This is used to signal to
the viewer that something is
wrong, disorienting, or
unsettling (Lannom, 2020)