Visual Design: Not Just By Sight

            I read an article in Communication Arts Advertising Annual and Wendy Richmond explains how we see with our brains, not our eyes. It was really interesting as a designer to think about the question she brings up of, “how do our brains process the visual world around us?” With this understanding that our brains working in crazy different ways we are able to be aware of and understand the details and things that influence our beliefs and actions.

            She goes on to give examples of how when we feel or sense things we see and imagine them. We see the objects shape, size, contour, etc. We are able to subjectively perceive the layout.

            Simple observation is important as the brain processes an object. Richmond explains her exploration into the effect of using different senses such as touch, sight, sound, etc. to really see, imagine, and create designs. “The brain is not so single-minded…our senses work together processing incoming information.” We take all this information and interpret it in many ways in our minds.

            She emphasizes the use of sense and its importance in design. These factors greatly affect the overall effectiveness of your design. Things are not just marked by their appearances, but rather by the way people interpret and perceive them. So we must ask what makes this design resonate with us? Through observation, with an awareness of your senses, how does it make you feel? Instead of just designing by sight we need to consider how the design will spark imagination and what people might picture and feel. We must understand how to effectively design for our target audience by learning what senses will trigger visual perception of a design that will resonate with them.