Analyzing Illustrations: Goldsmith's Model for Visual Evaluation

1. The Analytical Model Goldsmith

2. The Analytical Model • A model for the analysis of illustration identifying 12 elements which provide a structure within which an illustration can be evaluated in terms of information accessibility. • Useful for classifying research relevant to the perception and comprehension of illustration.

3. Semiotic levels • Syntactic – a response to graphic signals as a discriminable image or set of images • Semantic – a response to images in terms of the meanings the artist intended to set down • Pragmatic – a response to the artist’s meaning in terms of all the relevant previous experience and present judgment of the viewer

4. Visual Factors • Unity – “oneness”, an area of the illustration which might be recognized as having a separate identity • Location – the spatial relationship between the images (e.g. devices indicating depths such as size, overlap, etc.; Gibsonian gradients of tone, texture, etc.)

5. Visual Factors • Emphasis – hierarchical relationship between images, indicating successive levels of importance • Text Parallels – the strength of the relationship between picture and text, it is the factor the promotes verbalization of the translation of what the illustration means (which textual elements can be portrayed directly, indirectly, and not at all?)

6. Visualization Goals • Reach Pragmatic level of visual factors. • Use Goldsmith test to check for understanding and meaningful visualizations. Involve design decisions such as stroke weight, fill color, complexity vs. clarity issues Unity Location Emphasis Text Parallels Involve choice of data and order of presentation Involve the appropriate choice of visualization technique