Role of the pictorial in message design

Abstract

KARL SMITH'S provocative paper rather startled some designer friends of mine. The notion that design and illustration could be done by "scientific principles" seemed somehow to conflict with their artistic sensibilities. Many questions were raised that were not easily dealt with by the Smith principles. In consequence, I read the book he and his brother William had built according to the principles presented in the AVCR paper. I recommend the experience, especially to those who have read Dr. Smith's article. For me this experience suggested several ideas that may be of interest to AVCR readers. I found myself wondering as I read the book whether words and pictures do indeed belong together at all, and if they do, what might be some other conditions of their compatibility. These are fair questions in this context, I think, because very considerable effort was made by the Smiths to see that their words and pictures were in fact well mated.