Lesson work Reflection:
I think the middle black picture is the best because of the following reasons:
1. Informative picture
2. background colour is special and attractive.
3. Size of the animal is large and funny.
4. Clear expression.
5. Quality of the picture is the best.
6. Sharp and bright information and discription.
7. Creative
8. Content is good and reasonable.
9. Very Impressive.
10. Beautiful graphics.
The picture shows that visuals are instruments that help people to reason about information. Visuals can also present data, information, reality, knowledge and ideas by pictures .
Reflection on Lesson two:
"Visuals can communicate complex ideas with clarity, precision, efficiency and convey the most knowledge in the shortest time in the small space.” Tufte (1983)
There are many visuals in our daily life. They include: photorealistic Images, paintings ,drawings, cartoons, abstract art, maps of territories, symbols, icons, diagrams, charts and 3-dimensional diagrams.
In lesson two, I have learnt how to use professional tools to organize our graphics and diagrams. For example, SmartDraw helps us to create, modify and style our mind maps (or concept maps) for our presentation and reporting. SmartDraw's innovative SmartTemplates™ technology is very productive. We can choose a template and customize to fit our needs and achieve our goals. Moreover, entree Workflow is another powerful application for organizing our graphics. It enables people to streamline and automate data processing, form routing and approval processes. Their tools can easily define workflow processes by point and click, drag and drop. Here is the link for the Graphic organizer tools: http://www.graphic.org/goindex.html
Furthermore, Professor introduces some excellent and powerful tools for us to develop visuals. The powerful tools include PowerPoint, Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash MX, Fireworks, FotoFx free software, Swish, Authorware and Cristal Xcelsius. 3D Studio Max and Swift 3d or PixAround for QTVR are used for developing 3-dimensional graphics.
Furthermore, Professor introduces some excellent and powerful tools for us to develop visuals. The powerful tools include PowerPoint, Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash MX, Fireworks, FotoFx free software, Swish, Authorware and Cristal Xcelsius. 3D Studio Max and Swift 3d or PixAround for QTVR are used for developing 3-dimensional graphics.
What I have learnt from lesson 2?
Major Points:
1. Visuals can present data, information and ideas lively.
2. Graphics are more effective than words.
3. Pictures invented to communicate complex thought.
4. Types of visuals: paintings, symbols, 3-dimensions, maps, charts and mind maps.
5. We can use Powerpoint, Authorware, Photoshop, Fireworks, Flash and other professional tools to produce powerful and excellent visuals.
Reflection on Semiotics:
The definition of semiotics is "the study of signs". There are many signs in our daily life. The kinds of signs include road signs, pub signs and star signs. The signs can also be drawings, paintings and photographs. According to the article “Semiotics for Beginners”, Gunther Kress and Theo van Leeuwen adapt a linguistic model. The semiotic system has the following three essential metafunctions:
The definition of semiotics is "the study of signs". There are many signs in our daily life. The kinds of signs include road signs, pub signs and star signs. The signs can also be drawings, paintings and photographs. According to the article “Semiotics for Beginners”, Gunther Kress and Theo van Leeuwen adapt a linguistic model. The semiotic system has the following three essential metafunctions:
1.Ideational metafunction - 'to represent, in a referential or pseudo-referential sense, aspects of the experiential world outside its particular system of signs';
2.Interpersonal metafunction - 'to project the relations between the producer of a sign... and the receiver/reproducer of that sign';
3.Textual metafunction - 'to form texts, complexes of signs which cohere both internally and within the context in and for which they were produced'. (Kress & van Leeuwen 1996, 40-41)
Reference:
Tufte, E. R. (1983). The visual display of quantitative information. Cheshire, Connecticut: Graphics Press.
Tufte, E. R. (1990). Envisioning information. Cheshire, Connecticut: Graphics Press.
Lester, P. M. (2000). Visual communication. Belmont, CA: Thomson Learning.
Reference:
Tufte, E. R. (1983). The visual display of quantitative information. Cheshire, Connecticut: Graphics Press.
Tufte, E. R. (1990). Envisioning information. Cheshire, Connecticut: Graphics Press.
Lester, P. M. (2000). Visual communication. Belmont, CA: Thomson Learning.
Semiotics for Beginnershttp://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/S4B/semiotic.html
