Media and Information

Literacy
Quarter 4 – Module 3:
Text and Visual Dimensions of
Information and Media

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 This lesson is the beginning of a series that would lead you to creating an appropriate multi-
media content. For this part, we will focus on visuals, which is a broad aspect in media. Remember
that conveying valid and effective content entails the use of the most suitable visual forms. These two
must work side by side to provide the correct informative experience to your audience.
It would really help if you would squeeze out your creative juices in this lesson, as this may look
like a refreshing course in arts. A phone camera may also come in handy, as well as good word
processing skills. Nevertheless, if you do not have the technology for such at present, I would also love
to see your handmade work. Enjoy!

MOST ESSENTIAL LEARNING COMPETENCY

1. Describe the different dimensions of:

a. text information and media
b. visual information and media

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
After going through this module, you are expected to:
a. Explain the principles in designing text and visual elements
b. Evaluate the impact of text and visual content and forms
c. Design a personal brand or logo using appropriate text and visuals
d. Spread positive and affirming information through visual media.

Multiple Choice. Write the letter corresponding to the correct answer.

1. the meaning of “.ttf”

a. tapered type font b. text type font c. true type font

2. typeface that carries a solid or heavy look to text

a. sans serif b. serif c. slab serif

3. the basic rule in emphasizing a subject in a composition

a. golden ratio b. rule of odds c. rule of thirds

4. a visual design principle that brings together a composition with similar units
a. balance b. contrast c. harmony

5. the visual flow of a composition

a. directional movement b. perspective c. rhythmic pattern

6. a shot where the subject is framed from shoulders up

a. close up b. extreme close up c. medium close up

7. a shot perfect to show the world where the story takes place
a. extreme wide shot b. full shot c. long shot
8. another term for Dutch angle
a. canted shot b. over the shoulder shot c. worm’s eye view
9. a camera angle that makes a subject look powerful and imposing
a. eye level b. high angle c. low angle
10. a shot taken from an elevated point
a. bird’s eye view b. Dutch angle c. eye level

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Activity 2: What Went Wrong?

Here are four samples of business

cards. Identify what is wrong with the
design of each card and suggest ways to
improve them.

How did the activity go? Were you able to identify some of the issues in each business card? If
we would evaluate the cards based on the message that they convey, it is easy to say that each card
gives precise information necessary for the business: medical services for children for Card A, eye care
for Card B, content creation for Card C, and interior decorating services for Card D. However,
communication does not rely only on establishing the correct message through content. What matters
also is using the right media to support the content. Consider the visual media presented in each of
the business card above. Would a child be comforted by a doctor whose name appears as if coming
from a horror movie? Would you visit an eye clinic if you can barely read the info about it? Would you
trust a writer and content creator who cannot even spell words correctly? And would you hire an
interior designer who presents more clutter than order?
Hence integration of the correct content with the correct form is a must to convey the right
information. Without such, you will not be able to capture your audience and convey the proper
message.

Text may be defined as a simple and flexible format of presenting information or conveying ideas
whether hand-written, printed or displayed on-screen. It is very powerful in disseminating information,
providing direction and giving suggestions.

Text is available in different sources, which may be categorized into two:

1. Formal Example of these are news articles, published books, newspapers, magazines,
advertisements, research works, etc. Formal text-based materials are created and
distributed by established institutions (such as publishing companies, news agencies,
etc.) and go through a rigorous process of editing or evaluation and are usually governed
by censorship of the state.
2. Informal Examples of these are blogs, personal e-mails, SMS or text messages, online
messengers, social media platforms, etc. They come from personal opinions or views on
different issues, processes, etc.

Text can be as short such as a single sentence or phrase, or they can be as lengthy as news
articles or investigative reporting. No matter how brief or lengthy, however, a text is always carefully
written with the intent of sending a very specific message to the target audience.

As consumers of text media and information, we need to ask questions regarding the text
content to ensure its reliability:

• Who or what institution is sending this message?

• What techniques are used to attract and hold attention?
• What is the language used by the writer?
• What views are represented? Are they balanced?
• How might the message be interpreted in different ways?
• What is omitted (removed), slurred (unclear) or added in the message?
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As producers of text media and information, we need to review the media and information design
framework:
• target audience,
• author or sender,
• key content,
• purpose,
• form/style, and
• format.
Text as Visual
Typeface font, font type, or type) is the representation or style of a text. A typeface is usually
composed of alphabets, numbers, punctuation marks, symbols and other special characters. Fonts in
digital format are installed in forms such as True Type Font (.ttf), Open Type Font (.otf), etc. Fonts
convey different emotions and meaning, and you must be very careful in choosing the right font for
your content. The table below presents the different types of fonts, their implications, uses, and
examples.

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Design Principles and Elements

The principles in designing text elements are emphasis, appropriateness, proximity, alignment,
organization, repetition and contrast. Observe how these elements are presented in each text frame.

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 Visual information and media are materials, programs, applications and the like that teachers
and students use to formulate new information to aid learning through the use, analysis, evaluation
and production of visual images. The following are types of visual media:

Photography

Mt. Makiling, shot

using phone camera

Video

A scene from the short

film “Kinamulatan

Screenshot

Screenshot from a typical

online class

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Infographic

This was created to

promote netiquette in
Mary Help of Christians
College, Laguna

Created by Johnrich Raymundo, Ash

Nabalona and Alexandra Ducay for
Camp Vicente Lim Integrated School

Comic strips/cartoons

Meme

Image: "Memes for NBA" by

randycline5049 is marked
with CC PDM 1.0

Graphs/Charts

Pie graph for DepEd

Tayo Camp Vicente Lim
Integrated School FB
Page

Visual Note Taking

Image: "Visual Notetaking

101" by jonnygoldstein is
licensed under CC BY 2.0

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 The primary purpose of visual information is to gain attention, create meaning, and facilitate
retention, but how can you create a striking visual? First, you must consider the visual elements, or
the basic units in the construction of a visual image. The Design Elements are:

1. Line
This describes a shape or outline. It can
create texture and can be thick or thin. Lines may be
actual, implied, vertical, horizontal, diagonal, or
contour.

Take note that lines provide meaning also.

Horizontal lines are more static and calm; vertical
lines command attention and stability; diagonal lines
may convey movement; and contoured lines may
evoke turbulence, playfulness, and the likes.

2. Shape
A geometric area that stands out from the space next to or around it, or because of differences
in value, color, or texture. Shape may also be organic.

Three implied geometric shapes can be

found in the picture above: diamond, octagon
and triangle.

Organic shapes, like the eggplant pictured above, are

irregular and asymmetrical in appearance and tends
to have curves, as in the case of shapes found in
nature.

3. Value
The degree of light and dark in a
design. It is the contrast between black
and white and all the tones in between.
Value can be used with color as well as
black and white. Contrast is the
extreme changes between values.

4. Texture
The way a surface feels or is perceived to feel. Texture
can be added to attract or repel interest to a visual element.
Two contrasting visual textures are presented in this picture
taken in Bolinao, Pangasinan: the smoothness of the sea
and the roughness of the contorted branches.

5. Color
Determined by its hue (name of color), intensity
(purity of the hue), and value (lightness or darkness of hue).
Color and color combination can play a large role in the
design. Color may be used for emphasis, or may elicit
emotions from viewers. Color may be warm, cool, or neutral.
It plays a major role in our visual perception, as it
influences our reactions about the world around us. It is
therefore important to create color palettes that evoke the
appropriate audience reactions.
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6. Form
A figure having volume and thickness. An illusion of a 3-dimensional object can be implied with
the use of light and shading

Through digital means, shadows are placed in

the drawing below in order to provide a three-
dimensional effect.

On the other hand, thick pen strokes are used to

achieve volume and thickness on the sketch in this
sketch.

Principles in Visual Design

The visual appeal of artworks depends on its adherence to principles of design. However, there
is no strict commandment in designing. The personal preferences of the artist remain a prime
contributing factor in designing visuals.
Let me share with you some of my work as we discuss the designing principles. Like what I have
previously said, these are my personal take on designing. There are many other styles that can also
influence you in your works.

1. Consistency of margins, typeface, typestyle, and colors is necessary, especially in slide

presentations or documents that are more than one page
When designing posters, I tend to be
minimalist. I highlight important points by
lessening the other accessorial designs, like
in the case of this poster for my school,
wherein I used slight geometrical gradient
in. I used only two dominant colors to go
with the white – blue and gold, our school’s
the school colors. I gave variation in the text
by using only two fonts, Impact and Arial,
and aside from the DepEd logo at the
bottom, I placed only a derivation of the
caring emoji, with the school’s logo replacing
the heart.

2. Center of interest – an area that first attracts attention in a composition. This area is more
important when compared to the other objects or elements in a composition. This can be by contrast of
values, more colors, and placement in the format.

In a picture, the center of interest should not actually be in the center. In fact, you must avoid
the “dead center in placing the portion that you wish to highlight. The basic rule in “The Rule of
Thirds.” Divide the frame into three portions horizontally and vertically using imaginary lines, and
place the point you wish to highlight at any of the four intersecting points. Putting the lines on the
picture above, the girl’s face, which is the center of interest, is right on an intersection point. Hence,
the picture has an interesting composition.
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 In portraiture, one tip in order to command the center of interest in close
ups (such as the picture of Liza Soberano) is to place the dominant eye at the
center of the frame. Doing so, the image would have the illusion of staring back
at you. (I did an exercise with my previous classes on assessing the impact of
visuals seen in magazines, and we all realized that many of Liza Soberano’s
photos in her printed product endorsement in magazines all had her dominant
eye at the center.

Photo: "Hope Elizabeth ''Liza'' Soberano DOB January 4, 1998 (age 20 years)" by aeroman3 is marked with CC PDM 1.0

3. Balance
a feeling of visual equality in
shape, form, value, color, etc.
Balance can be symmetrical and
evenly balanced, or asymmetrical and
unevenly balanced. Objects, values,
colors, textures, shapes, forms, etc.
can be used in creating balance in a
composition

4. Harmony
brings together a composition
with similar units. If for example your
composition was using wavy lines and
organic shapes, you would stay with
those types of lines and not put in just
one geometric shape. (Notice how
similar Harmony is to Unity - some
sources list both terms).
On the left is the cover design I
illustrated for an entry to the 2nd
National Competition on Children’s
Storybook Writing. I decided to change
the cover page on the published
version, since I want to put an element
of surprise on who the “friends” are. I
focused on circles, which is the shape
of the characters’ eyes. The result is a
playful harmony of common shapes
and colors fit for young learners.

4. Contrast
offers some change in value creating
a visual discord in a composition. Contrast
shows the difference between shapes and
can be used as a background to bring
objects out and forward in a design. It can
also be used to create an area of emphasis.

I love to play on the contrast provided by

light and darkness. It simplifies my
composition and allows the viewer to focus
on the subject of my shoot, as in the case
of this statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary
taken at night.

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5. Directional Movement
a visual flow through the
composition. It can be the
suggestion of motion in a design
as you move from object to object
by way of placement and position.
Directional movement can be
created with a value pattern.
It is with the placement of
dark and light areas that you can
move your attention through the
format

On the left, the lines

implied by the children’s arms provides a direction that leads to the element that unites them: a
trophy. On the right, the blurred image of children in frenzy during the Buhayani festival evokes a
sense of directionless motion

6. Rhythm
a movement in which some
elements recur regularly. Like a
dance, it will have a flow of objects
that will seem to be like the beat of
music.

You can find rhythmic patterns

everywhere, for a simple cup of
cappuccino prepared by a barista, to
a festive street dance.

7. Perspective
created through the
arrangement of objects in two-
dimensional space to look like they
appear in real life. Perspective is a
learned meaning of the relationship
between different objects seen in
space

Lines disappearing in the

horizon and objects getting smaller
conveys a perspective of distance. In
this still from the short film “Awit ng
Puso,” the child is seen moving far
beyond, and the viewer gets the hint
that he still has a long way to go
before him.

Types of Shots

How do we go about telling a story in visual form? Let’s take wisdom form children’s fairytales.
Normally, a fairy tale begins with “Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there lived a… and
so on and so forth.” That sounds too elementary, but that is the basics to start a story: tell the place
and time and introduce the characters, and the rest will follow. Now, it would be awkward to have
somebody narrate that for you, that is why visuals need to be properly executed to tell a story
effectively.
Sometimes, a single picture is more than enough to tell a story. However, a series of pictures
can be used also, as in the photo essay, which is a series of photos that tell a story, and in film, which
is practically a series of frames also. To achieve this, you must remember that capturing visuals is not
just a matter of point and shoot. Shots must be planned and well-framed to contribute well to the
story. A single frame may give so much meaning already, so if you add other frames, then you can get
much more. Here is a list of the types of shots (Contis, 2019).

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Extreme Wide Shot / Extreme Long Shot

This reveals to the viewer the world where

the story takes place. Through this shot, the
audience must have a feel of the time and place of
the story – whether it is morning or evening, hot
or cold, wet or dry, and so on.

The subject may be shown on a small scale

in order to picture his/her relation to the scene.

Wide Shot / Long Shot

This shot establishes the character and

how he/she is related to the scene. The
characters can be seen from head to toe. Because
of its wide coverage, the wide shot can also be
used as an establishing shot. This can also be
used as a master shot, which introduces a new
location or scene.

Full Shot
Like the wide shot, the full shot also shows
the character from head to toe, but this time
around, the character is already the focus.
Through this, you can clearly see what the
character looks like as a whole or what he/she is
doing.

Medium Shot

The character is seen waste up. This is

often used in dialogue scenes, because it is wide
enough to show two or more characters but close
enough to show details.

Medium Close-up

This shot rests between the medium shot

and the close-up, with the subject framed from
shoulders up. Through this shot, more body
language can complement the facial expressions
to show emotions.

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Close-up

This frames the character’s face and

provides emotional clues that cannot be
effectively shown with the medium shot. Other
things may be shown up close – shaking hands,
tapping feet, etc,
Tip: Cropping the crown of the head in a
close-up conveys a more intimate appeal.

Extreme Close-up

This is a tighter frame that highlights the

facial features or any subject more. It can be
highly detailed, much more intimate, emotionally
heightened, and even uncomfortable to view.

Camera Angles and Points of View

Establishing the angles of your shots will also help in providing the desirable meaning on
visuals. Through this, you can suggest a specific emotion, establish strength or weakness, or take the
story from the eyes of a character. Here is a list of shots based on angles and points of view (Ricart,
2018).

Bird’s-eye view

Bird’s-eye view is the name given to the type of shot

taken from an elevated point. As its own name indicates,
it offers a perspective similar to that which birds see while
flying.

Drones may be used to capture this type of shot,

such as the picture on the left. However, you can still do
this shot as long as you strategize your location, like
shooting a subject while you are standing on a bridge.

High angle

A high angle shot is taken pointing the camera

down on the subject. As a result, the subject is seen as
vulnerable and powerless.

Eye level

The eye level shot is considered the most natural

camera angle. Capturing the shot at eye-level offers a
neutral perception of the subject. Because it is the way in
which we usually see people, this camera angle can help
the audience connect with the subject.

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Low angle

A low angle shot is taken from below the subject’s

eye line, pointing upwards. This camera angle makes a
subject look powerful and imposing.

Worm’s-eye view

The worm’s-eye view camera angle looks at an

object or subject from below. It is commonly used to
capture tall elements in the scene, such as trees or
skyscrapers, and put them in perspective. This type of
camera shot is mostly taken from a subject’s point of view.

Over the Shoulder Shot

Also called OTS or third person shot, this is created

by placing the camera at the back of one character while
facing the other character. This is used to highlight the
relationship of characters in a dialogue

Dutch Angle

Also called Dutch tilt, canted angle, or oblique

angle, this shot is noticeably tilted or tipped. This is used
to signal to the viewer that something is wrong,
disorienting, or unsettling (Lannom, 2020)

DIY Brand
Do you dream of starting your own business? Perhaps you can introduce it as early as now!
Create your own trademark design to be used in posters, flyers or web pages of your dream business.
This may be an online clothing store, computer shop, hardware, garden shop, salon or spa, bakery,
restaurant, automotive shop, travel and tours, manpower services, security agency, architectural firm,
medical clinic, school, etc. Make sure to include the most appropriate visuals and text in your brand
design. Also, incorporate your name in your brand name for a more personal feel. Here is an example
for my dream café.

If I had my own café, I would want my clients to

experience coffee the way I want to: plain, simple and homey,
sipped while listening to soothing music. The visuals I used
speak of that dream. I offer nothing fancy but comfortable, with
music blending with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee.

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PERFORMANCE TASK

I believe you are very much aware of the posts in social media regarding the way learning is
taking place in the new normal – from rants about online classes, exaggerated teaching and learning
styles, erroneous textbooks, etc. Consequently, netizens have feasted so much on this, and sad to say,
some have brought more negativity to the challenging situation we are having right now.

This is the reason why for this next activity, you will do a “Positivity Challenge” and flood the
internet with encouraging posts for students and teachers alike. Here are the mechanics.

1. Create a simple poster with the right visual and text components.

2. To ensure originality, include visuals related to your school, barangay.

3. Make sure also that you or your classmates (or even teachers) are part of the poster. A decent
selfie, screenshot of your class, and the likes, may be used. Avoid outrageous pictures or you
might become an instant funny meme.

4. Incorporate an encouraging message in your post. We do not aim to criticize this time. Instead,
we aim to spread positive vibes about learning despite the difficult times we are experiencing.
You may use either English or Filipino, and make sure you follow the rules of grammar and
writing.

5. Post it on social media (FaceBook or Instagram), and make sure you share it also to your local
group pages.

6. Try to work on having as many Likes and Shares of your poster. Let me clear this first: you will
not be graded based on the number of likes. This is not a contest also, and I have nothing to
offer but sticker “hugs” and “congratulations.” Remember that our aim is to spread good vibes
through social media.

7. However, do take note that this serves as one of your performance tasks, and you will be graded
based on how you utilized the principles of text and visual media in your work.

8. For students who do not have the means to do digital arts and connect to the internet, you may
just create a poster using your art materials of your choice and submit it accordingly through
the way devised by your school.

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Here is an example. I posted this when Brgy. Canlubang reported its first COVID-19 case back in April
2020 as a simple reminder that we can overcome all challenges.

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 Let’s have a brief review of what we have learned so far. Match the items in Column A with
items in Column B.

GOODLUCK

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