Visual Communication

Starting your research

Starting your Research

Encyclopedias, handbooks and subject specific dictionaries will help provide useful background information, as well as terms to use when searching the databases. For example:

Ambrose, G., & Harris, P. (2006). The visual dictionary of graphic design. Lausanne: AVA Publishers.	Tresidder, J. (Ed.) (2005). The complete dictionary of symbols. San Francisco, Calif.: Chronicle Books.
Bergström, B. (2008). 000229690&find_code=SYS Essentials of visual communication.. London: Laurence King Pub.	Viction:ary. (Ed.). (2008). 000241194&find_code=SYS Stereographics: Graphics in new dimensions.. Hong Kong: Viction:ary.

A GOOGLE search can also help find background information and suggestions for more keywords.

Keywords & OPAC

Keywords & OPAC

Use OPAC (Online Public Access Catalogue) to find books, journal titles and audio-visual materials in the Library. When searching for information, you need to use keywords. See below for some suggestions.

Advertising layout	Colour advertising	Commercial art
Drawing	Digital media	Graphic arts
Graphic design	Industrial art	Information graphics
Painting	Photography	Printing
Typography	Visual communication	Visual culture
Web design	Web typography

Search OPAC now

Finding Articles Online

Finding Articles Online

The articles inside magazines, journals & periodicals are very useful sources of information. Articles are different from books because:

• they are much more up-to-date
• they are shorter (less to read!)
• they concentrate on topics or specific aspects of topics
• there are many articles being published all the time so you have more choice.

The library catalogue, OPAC, does NOT tell you what articles the Library has, only which journals or periodicals, so the easiest way to find articles is to use the online databases.

• Academic Search Premier

• Art Abstracts

• Business Source Premier

• Computer Source

• MAS Ultra: School Edition

Newspaper Articles

Newspaper articles are also very useful sources of information, and can be found in the LexisNexis Academic and the Factiva databases.

• Factiva (Dow Jones)

• LexisNexis Academic

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Click here for a list of all the databases subscribed to by TP Library.

Recommended Websites

Recommended Websites

adflip: the world's largest archive of classical print ads - searchable database of classical print advertisements. You can search and browse by category, decade, or even by year from the 1940's onwards. Categories include automobiles, celebrities, audio equipment, magazines, fashion and more.

Color, contrast & dimension in news design - find out more about colour theory with a range of interactive exercises and examples. Based on the book by Pegie Stark Adam, and from the Poynteronline website.

Mikesart: home, decor, art - resources for home decorating, furniture and crafts. The Designer Sketchbook allows users to visualize, estimate, calculate, and save home decorating and improvement projects online. Metamagazines allow searching of multiple databases and websites from a single source.

Photography.com - if photography is your passion, this is the place to share photos and information with other like-minded people.

Planet typography - a portal dedicated to all things to do with typography, type faces and printing.

Strobist - this site features everything you need to know about off-camera flash, with frequent updates on new tips and tricks, as well as book reviews on flash and/or photography related books.

Web style guide - everything you need to know about the design of websites and web pages by Patrick Lynch and Sarah Horton.

Webmonkey: the web developer's resource - provides 3 different 'front doors'; for Beginners, Builders and Masters. Find out all you need to know about building a website.

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