In my previous article, The Visuality of Digital Rhetoric, I briefly talk about the significant role that visual media has when it comes to digital rhetoric. That was based on the findings within Douglas Eyman’s article Defining and Locating Digital Rhetoric. In that article Eyman acknowledges the importance of understanding the role of visual rhetoric in conjunction with digital rhetoric. He also provides examples of how visuality plays a role.
This article will go into more detail about those examples.
Hierarchy
Visual hierarchy is the arrangement of visual element in a way that conveys the level of importance of that element to the viewer. Visual hierarchy coincides with typographical hierarchy. Which also rely on the arrangement of the visual elements to convey importance but in regards to text.
Examples of the use of visual/typographical hierarchy are found in newspapers and books. When it comes to how these visual rhetorical devices manifest themselves digitally, it comes in the form of user interface. Every single visual element implement in a UI plays a role in conveying importance and function. Whether that be through the use of the aforementioned visual hierarchy or through color, size, shape, font, etc. all convey a message.
Imagery
Visual images are used as tools of communication in online and digital spaces. Reaction images, emojis, digital stickers which are exchanged between digital devices users in lieu of solely textual messages. Depending on the strengths and limitations of the platform in which users exchange messages some users even exchange gifs or even small video clips with each other.
Users do this simply because of the immediacy, greater emotional impact, and ease of sending a visual images.
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