Pictures or visuals should always tell a story

They say that a picture is worth a thousand words…
So what do you want yours to say?

I think pictures should be included in a layout for more reasons than simply because they are “pretty”. I include pictures that are relevant, interesting, beautiful and sometimes to connect emotionally with a reader.

It’s obvious that the first thing our eyes gravitate to are pictures. However — and I know I seem to be contradicting myself here — but pictures are not only there to be looked at.

On the one hand, they are there to add interest and add a bit of vitality and energy to a layout. However, on the other hand, we must use them strategically and not simply as a way of breaking up the text or because they look good. They must be there for a reason; they must be relevant.

Questions to take into consideration when choosing pictures:

1. What type of visuals do you want to use? Some of the choices are: illustrations, clip arts, photography, etc…
2. Will this be a focal point of the piece? Or a supporting element?
3. Where and how will you place these?
4. Can you crop them to only include what you need?
5. How big? Do the visuals have to be scaled?
6. Will it have a border around?
7. Will it be a different shape (circle, square, triangle, etc…)
8. Will you add a shadow to the box?
9. Do you plan on removing the background of the picture?
10. Will the picture be used behind the text (as a background)?
11. Do you need to use filters and effects?
12. Do you need to lighten the picture? Darken it?

C O N C L U S I O N

Unlike the other components we talked about before, images will rarely be left unmodified. You will undoubtedly have to crop, resize or apply a filter to it. How big the picture will be depends on how important an element it is. The more important, the bigger it should be. And remember: substance over style.

IMAGES IN ACTION

Check out this piece in my portfolio where you see how images are there to enhance your message, not distract from it.

Technorati Tags: Print Design, Web Design

Related posts:

1. Pictures should always be scaled properly
2. Adding visuals that communicate at a glance
3. ALWAYS establish a clear visual hierarchy
4. Quit centering your text! How to use alignment in your layouts
5. Create impact in your designs with emphasis