The art of storytelling is essential to any culture. It’s not just a way to entertain but a way to easily remember and pass on information to each other, like our shared history or just what has happened in our lives. Graphic designers aim to tell stories through pictures and images to resonate with the audience. But to tell a story effectively through a design, you have to keep the story in mind every step of the way, from planning to the finished product. A picture is worth a thousand words, and the finished design should tell the story completely. These are the critical elements of telling a story through design.
Understand the story
Before you can tell a story, you need to hear and understand the story. Listen to what your client wants the finished product to convey and gather as much information as you can. Even if your client doesn’t understand storytelling or design, they know they want the most bang for their buck. Explain how your initial design ideas will tell their story and what emotions your fonts and palettes will instill in the audience. Let the client know that you understand their brand and the audience and can connect the two with your design’s story. The story always boils down to “You (the audience) have a need or want. Our company can satisfy that need or want.” That being said, every client and every story they tell will have its unique twists. Your job is to make a finished product that fits the client’s story.
Find what you need
One way to start a design is to look at your competitor’s products and the stories they tell and figure out ways to iterate and improve on them. Who do these stories appeal to? What are they trying to say to the audience? What elements do they use in their design? How can I do it better? From there, you can figure out what you need to create your design. What will it incorporate? Logo? Photograph? Illustration? It’s also worth noting where your design will be displayed, whether online or in the real world. After all, will the audience see it quickly pass by on a billboard, or will they take the time to interact with it online? These are all critical questions you need to ask yourself when creating the design.
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