Visual Communication

Visual communication refers to the effective communication and presentation of design ideas using modelling and graphic design techniques.

Initially, students learn to communicate and present their design ideas and information by applying 2D and 3D visual communication techniques such as sketching, rendering, mock-ups, digital drawing and modelling, annotations, instrumental, templates, collage, and overlays.

After that, students progress to effectively and clearly applying complex and high quality visual techniques and knowledge that communicate a story – the intent of their design ideas – to an audience.

Level 6	Level 7	Level 8
Demonstrate understanding of and skills in fundamental visual communication techniques	Demonstrate understanding of and skills in drawing techniques to communicate complex and detailed visual information	Demonstrate understanding of and skills in complex visual communication techniques to visually communicate and promote the intent and details of design ideas
To support students to demonstrate understanding of, and skills in, fundamental visual communication techniques at level 6, teachers could do the following. Support students to develop competency in: 2D and 3D drawing techniques (for example, oblique, isometric, and planometric, which includes freehand sketching and instrumental drawing) 2D sketching and instrumental drawing techniques (such as multi-view orthographic drawings showing in-depth information such as hidden detail, surface development, and geometric construction). Help student to: apply drawing techniques: quick rendering, crating, line hierarchy use drawing instruments (including computer programmes) to create instrumental 2D and 3D drawings incorporating conventions such as line weights, dimensioning, scale, reference lines, and geometric construction. Support students to develop skills in rendering to communicate visual information of materials, how light falls on an object, how shadows are created. Provide students with an understanding about compositional principles of layout, visual impact and typography (as shown in different designers work) and how these can be applied to visually communicate designs. Guide students to understand how the use of media and drawing equipment are "key" for presenting visual information.	To support students to demonstrate understanding of, and skills in, drawing techniques to communicate complex and detailed visual information at level 7, teachers could do the following. Support students to develop: appreciation of aesthetic and functional qualities in a design, and techniques for effectively visually communicating these qualities visual communication techniques such as sketching, rendering, modelling, and using digital media advanced 2D freehand and instrumental drawing techniques (for example, auxiliary views, sectional views, and assembly), to communicate design features advanced 3D freehand and instrumental drawing techniques (such as one-point and two-point perspective projection and isometric projection). Support students to understand how: multiple drawings communicate details of shape and form media, drawing equipment and layout are "key" for effectively presenting visual information. Support students to develop skills: in using modes and media to highlight design ideas associated with applying compositional principles such as proximity, alignment, hierarchy, positive and negative space when presenting design ideas.	To support students to demonstrate understanding of, and skills in, complex visual communication techniques to communicate and promote the intent and details of design ideas at Level 8, teachers could do the following. Support students to understand: how to select and use visual communication techniques to best communicate the qualities and intent of design ideas the integration of different drawings/models for the effective communication of complex visual Information the selection and use of presentation techniques and formats the qualities of an exhibition space or setting and the needs of the viewer to best present a design outcome understand how a set of working drawings communicate production details of design ideas. Support students to develop: visual communication strategies (such as abstraction, re-combination, exaggeration, transformations and deconstruction) for re-generating design ideas a cohesive set of drawings and/or models. Guide students to use advanced media techniques and digital technologies.
Students can do the following. Create 2D and 3D freehand sketches that show in-depth design features in proportion relative to the context of the design brief to convey the intent of the design ideas. Produce accurate: instrumental 2d drawings that show in-depth information about technical features of a design paraline drawings that show in-depth information about design features. Skilfully: apply rendering techniques to convincingly communicate shape and surface qualities, enhancing the realistic representation of design qualities to an audience plan, select and apply presentation skills that are of a high quality showing accurate layout skills, and visual impact to tell a story. Use rendering techniques to communicate the form of design ideas.	Students can do the following: Communicate their design ideas using techniques that explore both identifiable aesthetic and functional details of a design. Apply techniques such as sketching, modelling, rendering, collage, overlays and digital media Produce: a set of instrumental or computer related 2D working drawings showing technical details that indicate shape and form. These working drawings show the important design features of the item being communicated such as parts and how they assemble, sizes or details of hidden parts (sections) perspective instrumental projection drawings (parallel and/or angular) that communicate design features and the associated details. (such as spatial drawings: window framing, door handles, and engineering: webs, holes, fasteners. Use appropriate engineering and architectural conventions correctly. Apply instrumental projection conventions: picture plane, station point, eye level lines, ground level lines, vanishing points, height lines. Select: a view point that enables the design features of an item to be shown graphic modes and media, and apply compositional principles (for example, proximity, alignment, hierarchy, positive and negative space) that best present the design features of an item being communicated. Appropriately present visual information that includes consideration of the design context (spatial design, product, landscape) and presentation context (location, audience).	Students can do the following Apply visual communication strategies that aid divergent design thinking to enable the creative and analytical interrogation and re-generation of design ideas. Produce: a visual presentation that demonstrates the understanding of compositional principles, modes and media, and the relationship between the presentation and its context (location, viewer, content) a set of related 2D and 3D working drawings and/or models that show details of components and information related to construction and assembly. Use specialist: spatial design visual communication techniques and approaches (such as architectural drawing and rendering, models, fly-through animation) to express spatial design ideas product design visual communication techniques and approaches (such as industrial design drawing and rendering, models, moving-part animation) to express product design ideas.
AS91063 Design and Visual Communication 1.30 Produce freehand sketches to communicate own design ideas AS91064 Design and Visual Communication 1.31 Produce instrumental, multi-view orthographic drawings that communicate technical features of design ideas AS91065 Design and Visual Communication 1.32 Produce instrumental paraline drawings to communicate design ideas AS91066 Design and Visual Communication 1.33 Use rendering techniques to communicate the form of design ideas AS91069 Design and Visual Communication 1.36 Promote an organised body of work to an audience using visual communication techniques Standards & Assessment	AS91337 Design and Visual Communication 2.30 Use visual communication techniques to generate design ideas AS91338 Design and Visual Communication 2.31 Produce working drawings to communicate technical details of a design AS91339 Design and Visual Communication 2.32 Produce instrumental perspective projection drawings to communicate design ideas AS91343 Design and Visual Communication 2.36 Use visual communication techniques to compose a presentation of a design Standards & Assessment	AS91627 Design and Visual Communication 3.30 Initiate design ideas through exploration AS91628 Design and Visual Communication 3.31 Develop a visual presentation that exhibits a design outcome to an audience AS91631 Design and Visual Communication 3.34 Produce working drawings to communicate production details for a complex design Standards & Assessment