If all interpretation of visual communication is subjective, then what is the point of studying visual communication? In my opinion, the point of learning visual communication is to give us a direction of visual design.
People have some feelings in common. For example, when people listen the Beethoven's Ode to Joy, they will feel energetic and joyous, which is like an inborn ability. This is the same like the visual communication. We can't know everyone's idea but we can study the common sense of people. From there we can conclude the useful principles of design, including colors, compositions and lines. This is one of the reason we study visual communication.
Hume said: 'when the mind, therefore, passes from the idea or impression of one object to the idea or belief of another, it is not determined by reason, but by certain principles, which associate together the ideas of there objects, and unite them in the imagination.' So the people who study visual communication should learn to combine various factors, and most importantly our visual communication should be based on reasonable imagination, which is the people's common imagination and feelings. Then the creativity of visual communication designs can play their roles, and the communication can achieve the desired effect.
Tutorial question:Look at the image of Adam Lambert below. Explore the syntax, semantics and pragmatics of the fashion shoot:
Syntax and Semantics:
Jacket,skinny pants,bracelet boots:rock style,fashion,appealing to younger generation;
Eye shadow:Sexy,beautiful,attractive
Black background,flash brighten up people:make him stand out
Dark color:mysterious,special
Pragmatics:
Whole style of dress is like a rock singer
His manners fix the impression he give audience,sexy and attractive.
Body language and eye expression are tempting,beautiful but man.
Reference:
David Hume,A treatise of human nature.Penguin classics,1985-10-31
Gillian Rose.SAGE publications,Visual methodologies.2006
Wendell C.Crow,Communication Graphics,Prentice-Hall,Englewood Cliffs,New Jersey 07632
Your understanding of pragmatics is not very accurate and, again, you must negotiate with your readings and research. Also, I do not understand why this sentence " Jacket,skinny pants,bracelet boots:rock style,fashion,appealing to younger generation;" means syntax and semantics. What are you trying to say? Write it carefully next time.
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