A picture says a thousand words – An Introduction to Visual Communication

We all know the saying that “a picture says a thousand words” but what does it really mean?

Well nonverbal communication makes up more than 70% of our communication spectrum, leaving only a small part to verbal communication. Nonverbal communication in other words is all forms of communication without sound, including body language, text messages and pictures. When speaking to somebody it is the nonverbal signals that ensure that the message is correctly interpreted by giving the receiver of the message context and emphasis through movement of the hands for example that points to where the communicator wants to go.

Nonverbal communication is a language just as must as the spoken language, although it seems to be more universal it is still cultural specific in certain situations. For example, when you ask directions to a place hand signals pointing in the correct direction can transcend spoken language barriers but a symbol of a specific animal might have very different meanings in different context and cultures – a bull in South Africa can symbolize the rugby team but elsewhere be a religious icon.

It becomes even more complicated when one starts to put symbols together to form a message since the meaning of a single symbol may change when in juxtaposition with another symbol. To ensure that the message is clear nonverbal communicators must be very certain of the symbols meaning before using it in an advertisement or painting. Since the Middle Ages the use of pattern books gave strict rules and defined meanings to symbols that may be used in religious paintings, for example a white lily signified purity.

Example 1. Manuscript Illumination with the Birth of the Virgin, Don Silvestro de’ Gherarducci, Florence, ca. 1375 (Tempera, ink, and gold on parchment).

In this example the message of the picture is clearly the purity of the Virgin since her birth – being untouched by sin.

Next time…a deconstruction of a painting in order to examine the nonverbal codes that gives meaning to the message.

Author: krappi

Received my Fine Arts degree from the University of Pretoria in 2002. Taught Art at various High Schools from 2004 to 2007, before starting to teach Art classes privately. Avid reader that loves to research all things Art I continue to learn everyday. View all posts by krappi