Iconicity, diagrammatics, and aesthetic preferences

Abstract

I begin with a semiotic view on the evolution of the significatieon process, in order to initiate a discussion about the notion of iconicity as related to the notion of likeness. I then compare the paradigm of iconic representation to the paradigm of diagrammatic representation in the context of aesthetic preferences to analyze the structure of diagrammatic model as related to perception and the modes of learning. I refer to the results of the research on children's drawings from other cultures to support the discussion about the relationship between exposure, familiarity with a given representational convention, and the aesthetic expectations. Since familiarity with visual conventions plays a vital role in shifting boundaries of visual literacy, I argue that information design professionals are responsible for shifting the boundaries of visual literacy.