The Role Of Illustration Style In Visual Storytelling<\/h1>\nThomas Bohm<\/address>\n 2025-01-14T08:00:00+00:00
\n 2025-01-14T23:35:12+00:00
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Illustration has been used for 10,000 years. One of the first ever recorded drawings was of a hand silhouette found in Spain<\/a>, that is more than 66,000 years old. Fast forward to the introduction of the internet, around 1997, illustration has gradually increased in use. Popular examples of this are Google\u2019s daily doodles<\/a> and the Red Bull energy drink<\/a>, both of which use funny cartoon illustrations and animations to great effect.<\/p>\nTypically, illustration was done using pencils, chalk, pens, etchings, and paints. But now everything is possible — you can do both analog and digital or mixed media styles.<\/p>\n
As an example, although photography might be the most popular method to communicate visuals, it is not automatically the best default solution. Illustration offers a wider range of styles that help companies engage and communicate with their audience. Good illustrations create a mood and bring to life ideas and concepts from the text. To put it another way, visualisation.<\/p>\n
Good illustrations can also help give life to information in a better way than just using text, numbers, or tables.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
How do we determine what kind of illustration or style would be best? How should illustration complement or echo your corporate identity? What will your main audience prefer? What about the content, what would suit and highlight the content best, and how would it work for the age range it is primarily for?<\/p>\n
Before we dive into the examples, let\u2019s discuss the qualities of good illustration and the importance of understanding your audience. The rubric below will help you make good choices for your audience\u2019s benefit.<\/p>\n
What Makes A Good Illustration<\/h2>\n\n- Visualises something from the content (something that does not exist or has been described but not visualised).<\/li>\n
- Must be aesthetically pleasing, interesting, and stimulating to look at (needs to have qualities and harmonies between colour, elements, proportions, and subject matter).<\/li>\n
- Must have a feel, mood, dramatic edge, or attitude (needs to create a feeling and describe or bring to life an environment).<\/li>\n
- The illustration should enhance and bring to life what is described in text and word form.<\/li>\n
- Explains or unpacks what is written in any surrounding text and makes it come to life in an unusual and useful way (the illustration should complement and illuminate the content so readers better understand the content).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Just look at what we are more often than not presented with.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/a>\n Image source: Freepik<\/a> by pikisuperstar<\/a>. (Large preview<\/a>)
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\n 2025-01-14T23:35:12+00:00
\n <\/header>\n
Typically, illustration was done using pencils, chalk, pens, etchings, and paints. But now everything is possible — you can do both analog and digital or mixed media styles.<\/p>\n
As an example, although photography might be the most popular method to communicate visuals, it is not automatically the best default solution. Illustration offers a wider range of styles that help companies engage and communicate with their audience. Good illustrations create a mood and bring to life ideas and concepts from the text. To put it another way, visualisation.<\/p>\n
Good illustrations can also help give life to information in a better way than just using text, numbers, or tables.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
How do we determine what kind of illustration or style would be best? How should illustration complement or echo your corporate identity? What will your main audience prefer? What about the content, what would suit and highlight the content best, and how would it work for the age range it is primarily for?<\/p>\n
Before we dive into the examples, let\u2019s discuss the qualities of good illustration and the importance of understanding your audience. The rubric below will help you make good choices for your audience\u2019s benefit.<\/p>\n
What Makes A Good Illustration<\/h2>\n
\n
- Visualises something from the content (something that does not exist or has been described but not visualised).<\/li>\n
- Must be aesthetically pleasing, interesting, and stimulating to look at (needs to have qualities and harmonies between colour, elements, proportions, and subject matter).<\/li>\n
- Must have a feel, mood, dramatic edge, or attitude (needs to create a feeling and describe or bring to life an environment).<\/li>\n
- The illustration should enhance and bring to life what is described in text and word form.<\/li>\n
- Explains or unpacks what is written in any surrounding text and makes it come to life in an unusual and useful way (the illustration should complement and illuminate the content so readers better understand the content).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Just look at what we are more often than not presented with.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/a>
\n Image source: Freepik<\/a> by pikisuperstar<\/a>. (Large preview<\/a>)
\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n