Tracing The Shapes of Multimodal Rhetoric: Showing the Epistemic Powers of Visualization

Abstract

This visual essay seeks to substantiate and illustrate the tenet that formal–structural elements in graphic design carry rhetorical functions. Based on a National Geographic feature article, the authors demonstrate methods for ‘measuring’ layout, colour and typography, and show the results in infographic visualizations. At the same time, the study showcases the epistemic value of these visualizations. The perspective adopted puts the double-page centre-stage.