Visual Communication/Art at its beginning...

It’s pretty hard to state facts at this stage and besides what is actually manifested by sculpture, scratching or drawings, pretty much the reasons of how and why are predominantly guesswork, of course with a great deal of research carried out by those learned in the field .

The term ‘Visual Communication’ is being used since it is thought that these early works had more of an informative or ritual function rather than just used as art for the entertainment of an audience.  Visual Communication to a designer would make even more sense since we are most of the times trying to pass on some sort of a message. 

When referring to the works carried out by prehistoric individuals and primitive people we need to throw back to the Neolithic period which spanned between 35,000 B.C. to 4,000 B.C. , where early Africans and Europeans left paintings in caves, including the famous Lascaux caves in southern France (15,000-10,000 B.C.) 

Lascaux Cave Art Painting

 Image: http://www.bradshawfoundation.com/lascaux/gallery/lascaux3b.jpg

Besides the early drawings found in caves in various parts of the world, including those of the previously mention ones in France, and some very clear depictions of Bison in Altamira, Spain. Early humans utilized Petroglyphs.  Such Petroglyphs where again found all over the world including distant islands in New Zealand to North America.  These were images usual carved, inscribed or abraded onto the rock face.  Some of these figures showed great memory in the inscriber as some depictions are pretty accurate. We also see that some other individuals who started to take on a simpler and more basic approach of producing signs or figures, which also made use of shapes such as squares, circles, dots and others.  It is believed that these had an informative function as in to outline trails and or traveled distance.

A petroglyph of a caravan of bighorn sheep near Moab, Utah, USA
image: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:MtnSheepPetroglyph.jpg

Petroglyphs – San Juan County – Utah, USA

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Newspaper_rock.jpg

In Lorthet in France we can find the engraved drawings of a fully depicted reindeer and salmon which attributed a high level of observation and recreation making them very clear and remarkably accurate (in their simplification).  What is also fascinating in these early engravings is the presence of two diamond shaped markings which also have marks within them.  This could indicate a very early primitive form of what might have evolved into writing. 

Reindeer and Salmon found at Lorthet in cave - southern France. Image from http://www.culture.gouv.fr/Wave/image/joconde/arc/0002/m500145_0019038_p.jpg

Cave art Petrograph - Lascaux - France
image from: http://www.timerime.com/user_files/151/151419/media/_2000x1320.jpg?t=1359655325

Another similar word to describe depictions of that era are called Petrograhps.  Petrograph is a word similar to Petroglyph and in most times are both confused between them. The Petrograph however is an image drawn onto the rock. It is made by using colours which are readily found in nature such as browns, yellows, reds and also black.  The more earthy tones were derived from different minerals and iron oxides which were in turn mixed with animal fat to give them more consistency and durability.  Black was in turn derived from charcoal.  Also tones of white where used from chalk.  Another format or type of Petrograph we are also used to seeing was an early type of stencilling method.  Paint was mixed in the mouth and with the use of pipes blown onto the hand which would be covering part of the wall face.  When the hand was removed it would leave a negative imprint onto the wall.  This is an early form of ‘air brushing’.  We can also notice in some other cave prints of the hand, thus making them the first forms of prints to be found.  The hand or foot would be coated in paint and stamped onto the rock leaving an imprint.

18/10/2014 Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_art#Pictographs

'The panel of Hands' - El Castillo Cave - Spain 
image: http://www.crystalinks.com/spainoldestcaveart612a.jpg

References:

web.18/10/2014 wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petroglyph  

book. A History of Graphic Design - by Philip B. Meggs 3rd edition pages 4-6

book. The Story of Art - by E.H. Gombrich - pages 39-43