One of my background hobbies is web design. I enjoy trying to work out how people would navigate a site and what kind of information or entertainment they are likely to want to view. However that’s only part of the equation. The most important part of web design is creating a site that inspires people to stay rather than move on.
Many years ago my wife did some research on poverty in Auckland. It involved both data and presentation. To put the presentation together we decided to use slides (it was long before PowerPoint) with background music and narrative. We didn’t have the equipment required so we went to a friendly broadcasting company for some expert assistance. At the time one of New Zealand’s iconic broadcasters had a look through our script and made some helpful comments. The most memorable was, “People will not remember anything you say, but they will remember how they felt”.
It might sound slightly tragic, but I have discovered this to be true. Things that impact our feelings often stay with us for a lifetime. The details of the event might get a little sketchy, but the experience or emotion remains.
This is one of the reasons why evocative images seem to have more pulling power than text. That’s why I like using images when communicating because visual imagery evokes a deeper response than words alone.
Communication is the art of helping people understand what you want to say. Language and literature go a long way to that end, but image adds texture.
The problem with pictures or art or any kind of static image without words is that the interpretation is left to the observer. This may be the point, but artists usually want to evoke a certain response and to do so they use light to manipulate the image so it is seen in a certain way. Light a very powerful tool. In fact for most art, light is everything because it changes our perceptions.
Jesus made an interesting comment when he said, “the eye is the lamp of the body”. “If the eye is good, your body will be filled with light….if its bad, then your body will be filled with darkness”. We use our eyes to interpret what we see; how we see things usually determines our reactions. This is most clearly seen in the variety of different responses a group of people will have to a common event.
In the gospel of John Jesus is proclaimed as the light of the world that shines on all people. However people don’t like the light and would rather remain in darkness. It means we have the opportunity to see differently if we’re prepared to see. The light of Christ changes everything: hatred becomes respect and care. Justified anger results in both restitution and restoration. Revenge becomes reconciliation. Worry dissolves into hope and peace. Light changes everything – so long as we are prepared to see. You may not be a web designer, but you are designing your life. The kind of light used will make all the difference to the end result.
Digby Wilkinson 2009