Pictorial Communication: Pictures and the Synthetic Universe

Principles for the design of dynamic spatial instruments for communicating quantitative information to viewers are considered through a brief review of pictorial communication. Pictorial communication is seen to have two directions: from the picture to the viewer and from the viewer to the picture. The design of interactive instruments using pictorial formats requires an understanding of the manipulative, perceptual and cognitive limitations of their viewers. This understanding can be used to compensate for systemic errors made when interpreting pictures.