Because Design Matters...

           

   

Visual Culture is what you call the holistic representation of our world in terms of visual displays.  Visual Culture is synonymous to how humans represent themselves visually.  Visual culture is as different as we are different. 

Visual culture is subconscious stimulation and how we unknowingly practice it in our daily lives.  It is a way of life; it is the about how we tie our shoelaces, what we eat, what we drink, what we do, what we wear, it is our lifestyle. This causes us to look, feel and act in a peculiar manner. 

Through experience and experimentation, we have increased our understanding of the visual world and how we are influenced by it. The concept of design is a specific relation between vision and understanding. A single picture is worth a thousand words. Our everyday experiences have become way more visual than ever. Our brain processes visuals faster. Design consists of objects of the everyday experience such as television, billboards, magazines, music videos and fashion that present ideas and stories that shape people’s lives.

Also, movies overtime have been a constant influence to men and women alike since the black and white era. For instance, if I talk about movies such as Umrao Jaan and Mughal-e-azam and the grandeur of those movies, everything from the sets, makeup, costumes etc. is designed in a certain way in order to create a huge impact on the minds of the audiences. Everything that is visual has a design to it, whether done deliberately or unconsciously. It is about more than just appearance. It can change people’s lives. It’s rooted in our everyday lives to help people live safely, efficiently and comfortably. Design has slipped into our subconscious in such a level, that we instantly interpret and recognize the signs and symbols on the roads. So unknowingly or knowingly design has become a daily part of their lives and is inevitable now. If someone looks at a product as a good design or enters a beautifully designed space, they simultaneously develop a feeling toward it and soon make a deeper connection with it subconsciously. 

A good design is able to make a close connection with the users and exerts an influence on their lives.  People get used to one design for example if one thinks of Mc’Donalds, the colors - red, yellow and white, instantly come to their mind, in not more than a fraction of a second. If suddenly Mc’Donalds thinks of changing their logo or their color scheme, it would really affect the brand in a negative way as people would feel cheated on. Design, thus, greatly influences our lives in more ways than most of us realize.