What is rhetoric?

It’s the art of effective or persuasive speaking

or writing, especially the use of figures of
speech and other compositional techniques
(diction, style, tone).

Basically, rhetoric is language with a purpose.

 So what is visual
rhetoric?
Text, colors (and blank space), graphics, and
overall design on a page.

◦ Use of images as argument

◦ Arrangement of elements on a page
◦ Use of typography (fonts, etc.)
◦ Analysis of existing images and visuals
Visual Rhetoric matters because…

 We use visual thinking as a major

part of our cognition (thinking
process).
 We live in a visually dominated
world, so…
 We must be able to read, dissect,
and produce effective visuals.
Text elements
• How type functions and choosing fonts
• Headline versus body text
• Text and the Web
Color
Visuals and graphics
• Clip art
• Illustrations and diagrams
• Graphs
• Photographs and manipulated images
Overall design
Type has different “Personalities”:

• There are formal and

informal fonts
Font Personalities
Font choice can either build
or harm ethos (credibility)

The context and purpose

of the document is
important

The cultural and visual

associations of the fonts
should fit the purpose of the
document
Does font matter?
Fonts can create mood and atmosphere.
Fonts can give visual clues about the
order a document should be read in and
which parts are more important than
others.
Fonts can even be used to control how
long it takes someone to read a
document.
Serif Font

• Familiar fonts such as Times

New Roman and Garamond
• Have “feet”
• Easier to read in chunks of text
• Usually more classic and formal
Sans-Serif Font

•Round- no “feet”
•Less formal
•Great for titles and headings
•Familiar and casual feeling
 Decorative fonts
•Have deeper
cultural associations
•Can be difficult to
read, especially in
longer texts or
smaller sizes
•Help establish mood
and tone
Fonts should match the
rhetorical situation
Tips for choosing a font
•Readability should be the key factor.
•Italics and bolding can affect the character. Sans-
serif fonts often don't have an italicized version that
stands out.
•There is nothing wrong with using a very traditional
and well-known font. Professional designers use
these fonts all the time for their reliability and
timelessness.
How text functions:
• Type of text dictates font
choice:
• Emphasis and
attention
• Information
• Sustained readability
 Color and Contrast
Color is the most basic and most
critical choice you, as a designer, can
make:
• Black text on white background shows high
contrast and is the most common choice.
• White text on a black background , however, is
not ideal.
Font Contrast Example
At its core, color is light.
Light is composed of many
different colors and the various
mixtures of light compose the
colors that we can see.
Using the Wheel
Colors are arranged
on the wheel in such
a way that purposeful
color choices can be
made.

Choices of color
combination depend
on what you are
trying to accomplish.
Using the Wheel

Complementary
Colors are the colors
opposite from one
another on the wheel.

These colors provide the

most visual contrast.

Contrast is the
noticeable level of
difference between two
colors.
 Contrast with Text
The more a color contrasts with the colors
around it, the more easily visible that color will
appear.
This
Thisisiswhy
whyblack
blacktext on on
text a white background
a white is so popular
background is so
and effective.
popular There’s
and effective. a high
There’s degree
a high of contrast
degree of
contrast.

On the other hand, blue and black offer little contrast.

An extended read of this combination could be painful.
 Contrast with Text
But be careful, even though colors may contrast
they may not always work well for text and
background pairing.
“Simultaneous Contrast” occurs when a color like red is
fore grounded on blue. Note how the text appears to slightly
vibrate. This would get annoying really quickly.

But simultaneously be aware of extreme lack of

contrast in your text and background choices.

Honestly, this is just painful.

 Rhetorical Color
Contrast
Contrast draws attention to the item
that is most different among a number of
other design elements.

Therefore, you can use color contrast to

draw attention to an element of your
design that is more important, relevant, or
immediately pressing.
Neither of these flyers is
completely ineffective and
both provide shape contrast
with the text box.

But the orange box

above provides a nice
contrast with the blues
and grays of the clothes
rack.

The blue box here, however,

is too similar to the clothes’
color palette.
Analogous Colors are
colors positioned next to
each other on the color
wheel.

These colors have very

little contrast; therefore,
they will provide
harmonious blends.
Nature offers an
excellent
look at analogous colors
in action.

Question: what color of

flower could be added to
this photo to provide a
strong and attention
drawing contrast?
 Color and Cultural
Association
Color’s often come with feelings, moods, and
associations that you can draw on.
For example, the color Red
is largely associated with
danger, aggression,
stimulation, and
excitement.

Red stop signs signify

danger if you don’t stop,
and stimulate your senses
with excitement if you don’t
see one coming up!
It’s an important to remember that these color
associations do not come from the color itself.
Without us to interpret it, red is simply light without
any meaning laden characteristics.

Because these associations depend on us, they can

differ from culture to culture, and they can also
change over time.

For example, purple use to be associated with solely

belonging to royalty.
Visuals to inform:
• Convey specific information
• Relate to content in the document
• Are more than an accent

Striving for visual clarity:

• Avoid clutter
• Choose images carefully-
understandable & identifiable
• Break up large amounts of information
Why are visuals
important?
The impact of images on one's
ethos (credibility) cannot be
understated. The images you use
will have significant impact as to
whether an audience takes you
seriously.
When choosing visuals, think
about the kinds of extra
information that is conveyed. For
example, this piece of clipart
seems to be a nice touch for
advertising a pipe and cigar shop:
So many elements that surround the
main object of emphasis, which in this
case is the pipe. Besides the “cartoony”
look, there are ridiculous, outmoded
fashions (which may be OK if the design
is striving for an antique/nostalgic look),
plus there is an issue of colors that get
introduced by the clipart. And what’s
with the guy’s facial expression?
Objective
You will complete an assignment that uses both images
and language to convey a specific tone as well as evoke
a specific mood.

Tone- The writer’s attitude toward a subject or

audience

Mood- The way the audience feels when reading or

looking at something
The Task
 Work with your seat partner to design
a visual piece (bumper sticker, sign,
fl yer) that expresses a focused
message in a specifi c tone using
visual rhetoric and diction. The
general topic must be applicable
to Academics or Cary High School.

 YOU CANNOT USE MORE THAN 25 WORDS!

MAKE SURE IT IS CONCISE AND ORIGINAL.
Tips for Your Design
1. Choose Colors that are Easy to
See
The text color should stand out from
the background color so people will be
able to read the sticker quickly and
easily.
Tips for Your Design
2. Pick an Appropriate Visual
Choose an image that represents your
message, conveying a specific tone and
mood.
Choose an image that is clear and easy
to see.
Tips for Your Design
3. Make it Clever and Original
If you want a funny voice for your
message, add a joke or play-on-words
to the sticker.
If you want to make people think,
consider adding a relatable or thought-
provoking quote.
Tips for Your Design
4. Keep it Simple
Do not add too many words, images, or
colors
Simplicity is essential for something that
catches the reader’s attention and conveys
the intended mood and tone
Key Elements
elements to conveBe sure to use white
space, shapes, color, and design y mood.

Choose words carefully and precisely to

convey tone.

You will be assessed based on your

collaboration, effort, and creativity.
We are sIMPly
fantastic!
To evaluate your design, ask :
• Does it clarify your information?
• Is it unique enough to make it
stand out?
• Is it readable?
• Are there typos and errors?

• Does it convey the specific tone,

mood, and message you intend?
 Deadline- Thursday
8/30
Submit a draft AND a final product
Include a paragraph on the back of the draft
that explains the intended (1) message, (2)
mood, and (3) tone. Consider diction (word
choice) as well as any images or colors. What
was the purpose of each?
A portion of the assessment will be your ability
to collaborate and the amount of effort you put
into your project.