Visual+Literacy

Visual Literacy Assignment

The title of this visual representation is “Overproteined.” By quickly glancing at the visual, the designer is trying to convey the message that Americans consume too much protein. S/he uses the term “over” in his title implying a negative connotation to Americans eating too much protein. You can also assume that s/he is referring to the consumption of fast food by looking at the creator’s choice of images of American icon’s of fast food restaurants and his reference to McDonald’s in the visual print.

The overall design does get the message across but it is not as effective as it could be. The meaning of the visual design is evident. It is a “representative visual” about American’s over consumption of protein. The statistics are visually apparent and the visual images catch the attention of the audience. But overall, it is not well organized and the designer generally fails to manipulate the tools effectively to help the audience understand the meaning of the visual quickly and efficiently. For instance, according ACE or the process of creating instructional visuals, the designer has failed in many respects. The purpose of the visual may be evident in h/her title but it’s overpowered by the images due to size and placement; they become more of a distraction than an aid. In addition, the creator has not taken full advantage of the “actions” of the PAT model to send a clear message of “overproteined.”

With this said, there are many improvements than can be made. First, the images should sized and placed appropriately. The title should also be emphasized more by using the “tools” element of PAT. More contrast and better alignment can be applied. Overall, the visual does not achieve the goal of enhancing the integration of information that the designer had hoped for. In this instance, it creates more confusion than clarity.      