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Introduction to Visual Literacy: Section Overview

This guide introduces visual literacy and why it is important. It discusses how to think about, use, and create images and visual media, and provides links to important resources.

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Creating with visual media – overview

Creating with Visual Media – Overview

This section includes the following topics.  To go to a topic, choose it from the dropdown menu under the Creating with Visual Media tab, or click on it in the Guide Contents box on the right side of the page.

Visual Design

Visual design is key to creating and communicating effectively.Design elements and principles are described in the first part of this section.

Digital Images and Photography

This part of Creating with Images discusses key concepts of digital photography.  

Digital Video and Storytelling

This part discusses digital video and storytelling, types of videos, a brief overview of creating and editing videos, and video editing tools. 

Tips for getting started

Look at Examples

An important part of becoming an effective communicator is to look at the work of others, both good and bad.  If you want to be a writer, read. If you want to do photography, look at photographs.  If you are embarking on a design project, look at successful graphic design products created by others. If you are doing documentary photography or video, look at documentaries. 

Practice

You have probably heard this before.  On a street in New York City, a tourist asks someone, "Can you tell me the way to get to Carnegie Hall?"  The answer, of course, is "Practice."