Elements of Visual Language: the dot

1. BASIC
ELEMENTS
OF VISUAL
LANGUAGE

2. THE DOT

3. 1.Definition

4. •The dot is the smallest
and simplest element of
visual language.
•Its first target is to
indicate a position since
it doesn´t follow any
direction.

5. 2.Types of
dots

6. •Dots are normally round, but
they can have irregular
surface because they have
different qualities such as
size, shape and colour.
•A shape is a dot when it takes
a very small part of the
surface where we draw. If it
is bigger than other shapes
around, we consider it a plane.
Dots
Plane

7. 3.Expressive
capacity
of the dot

8. A dot on a surface
provides a focal point
that creates tension
that we focus on. It
can be central,
diagonal, vertical,
horizontal....These
tensions make us feel
sensations like order
and balance,
instability,
movement,etc..

9. Dots also have a
great attraction
power. It makes
them very efficient
as a composing
element and as an
indication sign.

10. We can create different
visual effects like :
•concentration
(gathering) = dots are
grouped
•dispersion (spreading) =
dots are at a distance

11. 4.Dot´s uses
We can use
dots for:

12. Shading:
To shade images to give
them a sense of volume.
Dots that are close
together make darker
areas; dots that are
farther apart make lighter
ones.

13. Colouring:
to colour the objects
and figures we
create. A colour is
uniform if the dots
are at an equal
distance from each
other. If the dots
are closer together,
the colour is more
intense than if they
are further apart.

14. Giving
images a
sense of
depth:
Smaller dots
seem further
away, larger
dots seem
closer.

18. Producing
and
creating
textures

19. 5.Optical Mix

20. It is when colours are
mixed with the help of
distance. Colours aren´t
mixed on the palette or on
the painting, our brain
interpret them as a group
and mix them. The optical
mix was used first by the
pointillists.
If we observe a picture in
detail, we’ll be able to see
the grid of pixels. Pixels
define the quality of a
digital picture. We call
them “map of bits”.

21. 7.Artists and
movements
that use dots

22. Ancient
Mosaic

23. Pointillism

24. Roy
Linchestein

25. Australian
Aboriginal
Art

26. Photo-Mosaic

29. Other artists

30. Exercises

31. WITH DOTS

56. WITH PIXEL
ART

57. Create different drawings on a grid paper. Cut them and paste them on your
drawing pad.

59. Instead of getting
different drawings you
also can create a big
composition on a grid
paper. When you
finish, cut it and paste
it on your drawing pad.