In this visual age, we can set the scene for powerful worship by projecting images that attract the eyes. Use these techniques to brighten up the content that appears on your video screen. Work With a Primary Image for the EventRepresent the metaphor visually through a single title or headline graphic that may be used periodically to reinforce the theme. The title graphic should state the theme, either with imagery, text, or both. Make It Eye CandyKeep your graphics simple, bold, and fun to look at, but representative of television culture rather than computer culture. Television is our dominant cultural medium. There are more homes with television sets than with computers. Use the forms of broadcast television rather than PowerPoint presentation pie charts. Choose primary colors over subtle variations. Keep with the small-box colors of Crayolas and use light and shadows to provide depth. Establish a StylePick a style and use it consistently for the duration of the service or services. Choose a consistent color scheme and typography. Use it for Scripture, sermon points, and graphic images. Make it present throughout the event in some fashion. This is called establishing an identity. Color. Color has an impact on perception and retention, and therefore shouldn't be minimized. Cool colors like blue, green, and purple have a calming effect, while warm colors like red, yellow, and orange are more stirring. In fact, red has been shown in studies to increase pulse and breathing rates, and blue to calm them. Many colors, in fact, have connotations with subliminal effects. Red may be associated with desire, passion, or violence. Green may be money or materialism. Blue is often a spirit color, as is white. Red, white, and blue are good for patriotic themes. Further, for screen use, high contrast is important, usually light text on dark or deep background. Good color combination examples include yellow on blue, orange on purple, and white on almost anything dark. Again, for instruction, watch TV, especially local and national news programs, which make heavy use of graphics with bright matching colors. Fonts. There are two basic types of fonts; display or headline fonts, and copy, or body fonts. Display fonts are goofy and unusual, and copy fonts are normal, traditional fonts, and the two should never be combined. It's not much fun to read a Scripture on screen in Cookie Cutter or Dodge City font, although that might be appropriate for the reference. Lead the eye. Western culture tracks movement left to right, top to bottom. This means that graphic elements need to be positioned and balanced accordingly. Don't put an image in the bottom right corner, this will lead an eye out of the frame. For example, if the background image is a landscape with a mountain in the upper left corner, and a tree in the lower right corner, then text should be placed around the tree, middle and lower left, left justified, maintaining balance with the background. The "rule of thirds" uses a grid that divides the frame into nine parts, like a tic-tac-toe board, for the purpose of composing elements. Apply the rule of thirds and make sure that the elements are distributed in even fashion. Space. Use a lot of space within and between graphic elements. Elements are each of the objects in an image, including display headlines, images of any size, or blocks of text. Avoid visual clutter. Leave plenty of space for elements to have their being, and to insert additional elements and illustrations. Lines. Random elements may be brought together in a cohesive fashion through the use of lines and frames. For example, titles and points can rest on a semi-translucent bar. Or, absent a directional background image, a two-and-a-half-sided bar can corral the elements to the center third of the frame. A common example is the recurring trend in design to use thick black borders to create boxes for images and information. Crop images. Delete all the unnecessary data around a subject to focus the viewer's attention to the purpose of the image. This is particularly the case when using images for illustrations, such as a newspaper headline, or when picking one person from a crowd. Also, don't crop people at their joints—it is visually jarring. Leave headroom and space in front of profiled faces, to maintain continuity. Light and shadows. The primary technique that separates the amateur artist from the professional is the use of imaginary lights on the surface of the graphic, which creates corollary shadows. Light and shadows can give a solid color depth and direct the eye to the purpose of the image. Some programs have light-producing filters; blurring light and dark areas achieves similar results. —Len Wilson; Adapted from The Wired Church: Making Media Ministry (Abingdon Press, 1999). Used by permission Discuss1. What are the advantages of picking one style and maintaining it throughout the service? 2. What are the style guidelines we use to evaluate an image? 3. What specific examples from television shows can you think of that can help create slides that are "eye candy"?    What Church Leaders Need to Know About Copyright Law Using the Bible in WorshipResources for making Scripture a central part of your church's worship. How to Keep the Team Focused on God The impact of your creative presentation is only as meaningful as its foundation. Types of Song Leaders These four models are often used by the “up front” person to guide singing.
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