Year 8: Visual Literacy Techniques

1. Background/Foreground
What is the correct definition of background/foreground?

• Foreground is where you keep losing your glasses, and background is where you left your keys!

• Background is where the light hits first, and foreground is where shadows fall.

• The element in the middle of the photo is the background, while the largest object is the foreground.

• The element closest to you makes up the foreground, and the furthest element away is the background.

2. Gaze
What is the definition of gaze?

• Gaze is when a character is staring blankly into space to indicate they are thinking deeply.

• Gaze refers to where a character looks, directing the viewer’s eyes.

• Gaze is when the camera focuses on an object to create a reflective moment for the audience.

• Gaze is what happens when your teacher catches you daydreaming about lunch!

3. Salience
What does salience mean in visual techniques?

• Salience is when a background object draws more attention than the main subject.

• Salience is the technique of making something shine bright like a disco ball!

• Salience is when an object is placed in the centre of the image for dramatic effect.

• Salience highlights what is most important in a visual text.

4. Reading Path
What is the reading path in a visual image?

• It’s the imaginary road your brain takes when it gets lost looking at art!

• It’s the line your eye follows when looking at text in an image.

• It’s how your eye is drawn to something in the image first.

• It’s the direction the character is walking within the image.

5. Vectors
What is a vector in visual images?

• A vector is a line that leads your eye from one element to another.

• A vector is the direction in which a character is running.

• A vector is the main space weapon in a battle between the Martian shapes and Venus lines!

• A vector is a mathematical diagram showing dimensions within an image.

6. Framing
What is framing in visual texts?

• Framing is the technique used to make characters appear taller or shorter.

• Framing is what happens when someone hangs a painting crooked on the wall

• Framing refers to how elements are arranged within the borders of an image.

• Framing is when a picture is placed inside a decorative border.

7. Point of View
What is point of view in visual texts?

• Point of view refers to the perspective of the character in an image.

• Point of view is the vantage point from which a story is told.

• Point of view is your excuse when your teacher disagrees with your answer
  
  Stand up and quickly sit down, after reading this.

• Point of view is the angle from which the camera captures a scene.

8. Colour
What does colour do in visual techniques?

• Colour is there to remind you which crayon you lost last time you drew

• Colour is primarily used to draw attention to the background of an image.

• Colour is used only to make things look more attractive in visuals.

• Colour influences mood and highlights important elements in an image.

9. Body Language
What does body language convey in an image?

• Body language shows the gestures and positioning that convey a character’s attitude and personality.

• Body language is the theft in the night that steals your socks.

• Body language is how characters move in relation to the size of objects in an image.

• Body language is the way a character moves to show they are the most important figure in the image.

10. Symbolism
What is symbolism in visual texts?

• Symbolism is the use of exaggerated features to emphasise a character’s traits.

• Symbolism is the ancient art of drawing cool hieroglyphs on the classroom whiteboard.

• Symbolism is using objects or images to represent abstract ideas.

• Symbolism is when a symbol represents something literal within an image.