visual thinking

1、 Visual Thinking1 Introduction①In spite of the ascendency① of written language, visual communication continues to be an essential part of the way we think. This is revealed in these phrases that liberally sprinkle our e

2、veryday conversation: “I see what you mean; take another look at the situation; put this all in perspective①.” Although research opinion varies, it seems generally accepted that 70 to 80 percent of what we learn is throu

3、gh sight. Sight seems to be the most rapid and comprehensive of our senses for receiving information. Through centuries of conditioning, we rely on vision for an early warning of danger. Not only have we come to depend o

4、n sight as a primary means of understanding the world, but we have also learned to translate information picked up by the senses into visual clues, so that, in many ways, sight is actually used as a substitute for the ot

5、her senses.The study of visual thinking has developed in major part from the study of creativity within the field of psychology. The work of Rudolph Arnheim① in the psychology of art has been particularly significant. In

6、 his book, Visual Thinking, he laid a basic framework for research by dissolving the artificial barrier between thinking and the action of the senses. Visual thinking is a form of thinking that utilizes the products of v

7、ision seeing, imagining, and drawing. Within the context of designing, the third product of vision, drawings or sketches always take more concern. When thinking becomes externalized in the form of a sketched image, it ca

8、n be said to have become graphic.Graphic thinking is a term I have adopted to describe thinking assisted by ① This text is from Paul Laseau. Graphic Thinking for Architects and Designers, 2nd Edition, New York: Van Nost

9、rand Reinhold, 1989.① ascendency n. the state of being in the ascendant ① perspective n. the way that objects appear smaller when they are further away and the way parallel lines appear to meet each other at a point in

10、 the distance① Rudolph Arnheim: a German-born author, a distinguished psychologist, philosopher and critic whose work explored the cognitive basis of art — how we interpret it and, by extension, the worldprocess. Inform

11、ation is simultaneously darting all over the network when graphic thinking is most active, it is similar to watching a fantastic fireworks display, looking for the one you really enjoy. Not only is it productive, it is f

12、un. Visual thinking and visual perception cannot be separated from other types of thinking or perception. Obviously, graphic thinking is not all you need to know in order to solve problems or think creatively but it can

13、be a basic tool. Graphic thinking can open up channels of communication with ourselves and those people with whom we work. The sketches generated are important because they show how we are thinking about a problem, not j

14、ust what we think about it.Graphic thinking takes advantage of the power of visual perception by making visual images external and explicit①. By putting them on paper, we give visual images an objectivity outside our bra

15、in, an existence of their own over time. Graphic thinking, as externalized thinking, has several advantages over internalized thought. First, direct sensory involvement with materials provides sensory nourishment—literal

16、ly “food for thought”. Second, thinking by manipulating① an actual structure permits serendipity①—the happy accident, the unexpected discovery. Third, thinking in the direct context of sight, touch, and motion engenders

17、a sense of immediacy, actuality and action. Finally, the externalized thought structure provides an object for critical contemplation① as well as a visible form that can be shared with a colleague①.To the person who must

18、 regularly seek new solutions to problems, who must think creatively, these qualities of immediacy, stimulation, accident, and contemplation are very important. To these qualities I would add one more special attribute o

19、f graphic thinking, simultaneity①. Sketches allow us to see a great amount of information at the same time, exposing relationships and describing a wide range of subtleties④, Sketches are direct and representative. Rudol

20、ph Arnheim said in his book, Gestalt Psychology and Artistic Form, “The power of visual language lies in its spontaneous evidence, its almost childlike simplicity...”ExercisesI. Fill in the blanks with the correct answer

21、.① explicit a. clearly developed or formulated ① manipulate vt. to manage or influence skillfully ① serendipity n. good fortune; luck ① contemplation n. thoughtful observation, full or deep consideration ① colleague