Date

12-19-2022

Department

School of Communication and the Arts

Degree

Master of Fine Arts in Graphic Design (MFA)

Chair

David Meyer

Keywords

world-building, graphic design, storytelling, visual storytelling, motion graphics, sticky ideas, visual communication

Disciplines

Art and Design

Abstract

Addressing the issue of artists often failing to visually communicate through world-building concepts, this paper seeks to inform a design piece demonstrating the potential effectiveness of a message communicated through visual world-building in a manner that minimises audience disengagement and maximises articulate artistic communication. Questions arise as to what dangers a future society may face that could be worth using as a framework to address this communication problem, whether techniques surrounding visual world-building can be successful in this task, and where artists go astray in their own attempts. Research conducted suggests that psychology, culture, and semiotics play an important role in effective visual communication, where harmony must be achieved between aesthetic engagement and message-bearing signifiers. Artists fail when the scales are tipped too far one way or the other, or when they either play it too safe within established stereotypes or venture too far into new conceptual ideas that audiences have no foundation to connect with. Focus on technical skill rather than visual communication in education hinders artistic success, but a visual solution is possible to demonstrate ways in which inter-disciplinary communication and awareness can address limitations.

Download

Share

COinS