Visual Language, The Hidden Medium of Communication by Peter Bonnici. A Summary.

Visual Language, The Hidden Medium of Communication by Peter Bonnici

The main purpose of Bonnici’s book is to provide an understanding of the Visual Language within communication, looking at how the appearance and feel of an item of design can communicate independently of the descriptive content of text and images. He states, ‘‘All communication takes place through language, however language does not necessarily have words… Body Language, sound and visual language all have the power to evoke an emotional response’’ Bonnici looks at how these elements should be used by the designer to fully communicate and represent their clients needs.

Bonnici addresses how elements of visual language, such as colour, type, shape, proportion, texture and imagery be used to create a powerful hidden medium of non verbal communication within an item of design to provide work that communicates more effectively.

Bonnici gives us in depth analyst of a unique method he uses for working with clients, which he has developed while working as a corporate brand specialist. The method is for identifying a client’s visual voice within their brand and is conducted with the client using scraps of visual imagery combined with 3-4 words which represent the company’s key qualities spread out on a large table, slowly the imagery that does not evoke the desired qualities is removed until they are left with only 15-20 images that represent what the company ‘feels’ like. Bonnici includes practical exercises and examples to help the reader further their understanding of the method. Bonnici cites “The Enquirey” process from “The Three Steps of Modern Calligraphy” by Gu Gan to back up these claims.

Throughout the book Bonnici gives visual and written examples of his theories, he provides the reader with exercises, and frequently questions their opinions. For example on p86 Bonnici wants the reader to understand how judgements are made based on simply reading the visual language of a logo, for this exercise he shows a number of University logos without their name and asks the reader to ‘‘imagine they are searching for a joint-venture academic partner for a piece of ground breaking research’’ based on their logo alone the reader has to shortlist three they’d feel most comfortable working with. There are no right and wrong answers, Bonnici encourages the reader to note their emotional effect. This technique ultimately lets the reader make informed decisions regarding how the principles of visual language works, allowing the reader to gain a better understanding of the principles.

There are key concepts we need to understand in Bonnici’s book, he states ‘‘ Visual Language speaks to­- and can be read by- the emotional message. Effective communication, therefore requires consistency between content and mood’’ and ‘‘Visual language is the look and feel of an item of design- created by such elements as colour, proportion, letterform, shape and texture… It communicates on a level independent of the descriptive elements- literal or symbolic- of the imagery. It conveys emotional messages to its audiences and they feel something about the client, service or product.’’ I feel these quotes sum up his main idea that design goes further than simply making something look nice, as a designer you should be asking yourself if your design is communicating the right things about the client.

Bonnici wants us to understand the true power of visual language in design. He wants us to understand that design has the power to evoke emotion, to disorientate, to stimulate and provoke or to depress and bore us. Bonnici states that, ‘No person on the planet is unaffected by it’, he stresses how important the power of design is over our emotions. However if the visual language of the design conflicts with the core values it strives to convey then the design will fail, both have to work together.

By understanding Bonnici’s theory we, as designers can create more effective design, have a better understanding of how to inform the viewer and create work which instantly represents and is coherent with our client’s visual voice and values. Visual language is an invisible tool which if we take seriously can have a huge impact on the quality of our work.

By ignoring Bonnici’s theory of the importance of visual language, a designer may subconsciously communicate a message opposite to what was intended or the message can become inconsistent. If this happens the design is less likely to connect with the targeted audience and therefore is unlikely to be successful in generating a response or action as a result.

Signs, lettering in the Environment by Phill Baines and Catherine Dixon. A Summary.

Signs, lettering in the Environment by Phill Baines and Catherine Dixon

The main purpose of Baines and Dixon’s book is to discuss the function and execution of the signage we encounter in our environment every day. They look at examples of signage, both contemporary and historical and explain how these pieces of design work we take for granted help shape our lives.

The authors have divided the subject of environmental type into two main categories, informatory, signs which give directions. And regulatory, signs which give instruction or warnings. They go on to address how different elements including, readability, scale, contrast, letterform and placement are considered throughout the design process to create successful signage that is easily understood, and helps “determine the visual texture of our public environment and gives us our sense of place.”

Baines and Dixon look at these fundamental elements in more depth throughout the book, including the important role of typography plays, this includes aspects such as the white space between letters, the clarity of numerals and choice of colour for optimum legibility from long distances, these elements all are strategically planed and well research.The authors use the “Anderson Report” to provide evidence and to back up their solutions and theories on designing for informatory signs. The Anderson report was the results of an advisory committee set up by the government in 1957 to look at how to design signage for motorways. The report concluded, among other things, that junctions were to be signed three times with map-type representations and information was to be legible from 600 feet, colours for background and text were also specified, all of which we still use today.

Throughout the book Baines and Dixon use hundreds of photographs to back up and expand on their theories, each set of pictures is accompanied with a descriptive summery.

The authors highlight that, “Designers need to be aware of the functional needs of signage as well as the possibilities it can have for reflecting the identity of their client.” This is a key concept that designers should be mindful of throughout the design process, thinking of both the end user (e.g. the public) and their clients needs. While road signs are designed to be neutral for maximum readability other transport networks, such as the train network, use signing as an extension of their identity. Baines and Dixon give an example of the first company to do this, which was The Underground Electric Railways of London in 1916, who commissioned their own typeface to be used consistently throughout their brand.

Baines and Dixon’s main objective in this book is to stress the importance of sign design and environmental type has in our environment, from road signs to inscriptions or names on public spaces, all the typographic material that surrounds us contributes not only to how our surroundings look but also how it works.