10 Tips for Visual Storytelling

Making a drawing is not the same as telling a visual story. 

It's not because you bring beautiful drawings together, that your messages come across in the right way. Many things can 'go wrong'.

Our Drawifier Ben Crothers from Australia shares his 10 tips for visual storytelling:

1. Get your story straight. Know what message you want to bring across. And start with why. 
2. Connect with your audience. Know who you are talking to and translate your message into their language. Use words and drawings that appeal to them. 
3. Use less drawings, to tell more. We have very often the tendency to add a drawing to every word. That’s not necessary. A simple drawing, attracts more attention. 
4. Be consistent. Choose a specific style of drawings, a specific font, specific frames… Our brain is always looking for patterns so make it brainfriendly. 
5. Indicate emotions. People are attracted by people, and even more, by emotions. Use drawings that express emotions. 
6.  Lead the eye with lay-out: Respect the standard lay-out patterns we know. 

Work clockwise, or from left to right… 

7. Choose color consciuously: Being colorfull is beautiful. However, the use of many colors can increase the complexity of your drawing. Combine warm and cold colors to keep the balance. 
8. Create depth and meaning with backgrounds. 
9. Lead the eye with arrows: use elements to show the reader how to read your drawing. This can be done by arrows, numbers, lines,...
10. Separate ideas from each other by using frames. This brings structures and enables readers to see the different elements of your story. 

Good luck!