Understanding the Electromagnetic Spectrum

• The electromagnetic spectrum includes the full range of electromagnetic waves.
• Electromagnetic waves are invisible energy waves traveling through space.
• Some waves are visible, like visible light, while others are invisible, like radio waves and X-rays.

Types of Electromagnetic Waves

• The electromagnetic spectrum is divided into different types of waves.
• Waves are arranged by frequency, from low (slow-moving) to high (fast-moving).
• Radio waves are the longest waves, used for radios, Wi-Fi, and TV.
• Microwaves are used in microwave ovens and mobile phones.
• Infrared waves are heat energy, used in night vision cameras.
• Visible light is the only part of the spectrum visible to the human eye and includes rainbow colors.
• Ultraviolet (UV) light comes from the sun and can cause sunburn.
• X-rays can be used in hospitals to see bones.
• Gamma rays are the most powerful waves, used in cancer treatment.

How Electromagnetic Waves Are Used

• Radio waves help transmit TV and radio signals.
• Microwaves heat food in microwave ovens.
• Infrared is used in remote controls.
• Visible light enables sight.
• UV rays can make skin tan but also cause damage.
• X-rays allow doctors to see inside the body.
• Gamma rays are applied in medicine and nuclear energy.

Discovery of Electromagnetic Waves

• Isaac Newton discovered that white light is composed of different colors.
• William Herschel discovered infrared light.
• Johann Ritter discovered ultraviolet light.
• James Clerk Maxwell discovered that light is an electromagnetic wave.

Fun Facts About Electromagnetic Waves

• The sun emits all types of electromagnetic waves, but the Earth's atmosphere blocks many harmful ones.
• The human eye can see only a tiny part of the electromagnetic spectrum, i.e., visible light.
• Infrared cameras help in seeing in the dark by sensing heat.
• Radio waves are long enough that they can travel around the Earth.

Cone Cells: How We See Colors

• Cone cells are special cells in the eyes that enable the perception of color.
• These cells reside inside the retina, the part of the eye that detects light.
• There are three types of cone cells, each sensitive to a different color of light.
• S-Cones detect blue light
• M-Cones detect green light
• L-Cones detect red light
• The combined work of these cone cells allows people to see millions of colors

How Cone Cells Work

• Light enters the eye, cone cells send signals to the brain, which mixes colors to create the full range of vision.
• Active L-Cones and M-Cones result in seeing yellow.
• Activation of all three cone types results in seeing white.
• Activation of S-Cones alone results in seeing a bluish color.

Location of Cone Cells

• Cone cells are mainly located in the fovea, the center of the retina.
• The fovea supports seeing sharp details, useful for activities like reading or watching TV.
• Cone cells function best in bright light.
• Reduced color vision in the dark occurs because rod cells take over; they only see in black, white, and gray.

Color Blindness

• Color blindness results from improperly functioning cone cell types.
• Poorly functioning red cones can cause difficulty in distinguishing between red and green
• Some individuals have four cone types instead of three, enabling them to see a broader range of colors (tetrachromacy).

Fun Facts About Cone Cells

• Humans have 6 to 7 million cone cells per eye.
• Dogs have fewer cone cells, leading to reduced color vision.
• Certain birds and insects can see ultraviolet light, which is invisible to humans.

Visual Communication - Color Palette Design

• Color palettes comprise colors that look good together.
• Designers use color theory to create harmony using colors based on their position on the color wheel.

Analogous Colors

• Colors are next to each other on the color wheel.
• The effect is soft, harmonious, and natural.
• An example is blue, teal, and green.
• Best use is for backgrounds, landscapes, and smooth or calming designs.

Complementary Colors

• Colors are directly opposite each other on the color wheel.
• Effect is high contrast, making elements stand out.
• An example is red and green (Christmas), blue and orange (sports teams).
• Best use is for logos, posters, and attention-grabbing designs.

Triadic Colors

• Colors are evenly spaced on the color wheel, forming a triangle.
• Effect is balanced and vibrant.
• An example is red, yellow, and blue (primary colors).
• Best use is for cartoons, branding, and lively designs.

Color Properties: Hue, Saturation, and Brightness

• Hue is the name of the color itself (e.g., red, blue, yellow).
• Saturation is the intensity of a color, i.e., how strong or faded it appears.
• Brightness (Luminosity) is how light or dark a color is.

Warm and Cool Colors

• Warm colors include red, orange, and yellow.

• Warm colors are associated with energy, passion, warmth, and excitement.

• Warm colors create a sense of movement and proximity.

• Warm colors are often used in advertising, food branding, and emotional storytelling.

• Cool colors include blue, green, and purple

• Cool colors evoke calmness, tranquility, and professionalism.

• Cool colors appear distant and soothing, used to create space and depth.

• Cool colors are common in corporate designs, technology, and healthcare branding.

Temperature Effects

• Warm colors appear to advance, making objects look closer.
• Cool colors appear to recede, creating a sense of depth.

Combinations & Balance

• Mixing warm and cool colors creates contrast and visual interest.

• Dominance of one color type affects mood and perception.

• Analogous color schemes create harmony

• Complementary color schemes create vibrancy

• Warm and cool colors guide emotions and attention in art, design, and branding.

Emotional Impact of Colors

• Red relates to danger, passion, and energy.
• Blue signifies calmness, trust, and stability.
• Yellow conveys happiness, optimism, and warning.
• Green represents nature, health, and growth.
• Black implies mystery, elegance, and power.

Visual and Tactile Textures

• Visual texture is a texture that looks real but feels smooth when touched.
• An example of visual texture is a drawing of rough bark.
• Tactile texture is a texture that can be physically felt.
• An example of tactile texture is a thick painting with raised brushstrokes.

Key Principles of Visual Design

• Contrast differentiates elements to stand out.
• Black text on a white background provides contrast.
• Visual hierarchy organizes elements by order of importance.
• Newspaper headlines are bigger and bolder to establish visual hierarchy.

Gestalt Principles

• Proximity refers to how close objects appear related.
• Similarity groups similar objects together.
• Continuity means the brain follows smooth patterns.
• Closure means the brain fills in missing information.
• Figure-ground means separating objects from the background.
• Common fate means objects moving together look related.
• Symmetry & order make balanced designs feel stable.

Figure-Ground Perception

• Allows separation of objects from backgrounds.
• The figure is the object of focus.
• An example of a figure is an apple.
• The ground is the background area.
• An example of ground is a lawn.

Simplicity in Visual Communication Design

• Simplicity matters for faster understanding, stronger impact, and better organization.
• Simplicity offers more aesthetic appeal.

How to Keep Designs Simple

• Use only essential elements
• Create a clear visual hierarchy
• Limit colors and fonts
• Use white space
• Use simple and recognizable icons

The Focal Point in Design

• The focal point is where the viewer's eyes go first.
• The focal point is created by:
  • Contrast (a bright color in a black-and-white image)
  • Size (a large element in a group of smaller ones)
  • Position (placing an element in the center)

Synecdoche and Metonymy as a Strategy for Abstract Ideas

• Synecdoche is a figure of speech where a part represents the whole, or the whole represents a part.
• An example of Synecdoche is when the part represents the whole: "All hands on deck" where "hands" means "people" and when the whole represents the part: "The White House issued a statement" the White House here means the government officials. -Synecdoche examples: "The pen is mightier than the sword" (pen = knowledge, sword = war).

Metonymy vs. Synecdoche

• Metonymy and synecdoche are figures of speech that substitute one term for another, but they differ in approach.
• Metonymy replaces a word with something closely associated with it.
• An example of metonymy is "The White House issued a statement" where “White House” represents the U.S. government.
• Synecdoche uses a part to represent the whole or vice versa
• An example of synecdoche from the resource is "All hands on deck" (where “hands” represent sailors).

Key Differences Between Metonymy and Synecdoche

• Metonymy is based on association
  • An example of metonymy could be thinking of a crown when you think of a monarchy.
• Synecdoche is based on part-whole relationship
  • An example of synecdoche might be wheels to represent a car.