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