Bringing it into focus: visual cues and their role in directing attention

Visual cues are powerful tools for directing the user's eyes to relevant information. When incorporated into the design of a medical/scientific illustration, important details are more quickly conveyed. This article discusses the use of line, color, contrast, light and shadow, spatial relationships, image size and location, rhythm, and graphic devices as attention-directing cues utilized in focusing the user's eyes to pertinent information.