Here’s another tip for your #Inktober challenge:  

Remove!  What if, instead of showing what you want to depict, you don’t show it?  

This is called 'drawing attention through absence'.  

It may sound strange, but when we omit something people expect to see, we actually draw more attention.  And here is another tip:

You can add an extra layer of meaning by replacing that absence with something else.

In this case, you’re introducing two levels of disruption: the removal of an expected element (like a violin), and its replacement with something unexpected (a tongue).

Try this removal-and-replacement approach in your next #Inktober2024 drawing!  

Thank you,

Dario PaniaguaVisual Thinkers Coach

Do you know what message I wanted to convey by drawing this scene?

None.

This drawing was not born with any specific message intention, only as an exercise to explore shapes and embrace the absurd.

But here's the interesting part: although there was no intention to create a message, if I ask each of you what it means, you will find a meaning.

By the way, think what keyword or short phrase would you associate with this image.

Remember, shapes are everywhere. Negative space can help us find recognizable shapes and build messages with them.

The metaphor here is in putting an object out of context. If the speech bubble were outside the figure, it probably wouldn't have the same meaning it has now, as, in this scene, it is placed in an unexpected and disruptive location.

Metaphors are lovers of the absurd.

Don't forget that advice because it will help you create much more symbolic images.

If you're interested in learning Visual Thinking through metaphors, leave me your details on my site,...

There are 2 tips when dealing with small spaces

1) Use constraints to your advantage:

No matter how small the space we have to include an element, we can always tell stories.

Often, a constraint can work in our favor. In this case, the lack of space helps to add drama to the scene.

As you can see, there are actually no restrictions.

We can have very few elements and very little space, yet we can always tell a story.

2) Don't get lost in details.

There are other elements that should be included on the back of a credit card, but they don't need to be incorporated.

Stay minimalist in the number of elements you draw.

Once the object is recognizable, there's no need to keep adding things.

If you're interested in learning Visual Thinking through metaphors without resorting to clichés, you can check my website.

Thank you,

Dario Paniagua
Visual Thinkers Coach

We don't need to complicate things to make a cliché interesting to observe.

While we often can transform the cliché, manipulate its shape, put things inside it, mix it with other elements, change its perspective, etc., we can also make it interesting with some minimalist actions.

I want you to note three things about this image.

1) The position:

The cliché isn't blended with the person; it's simply positioned in front of them. However, this positioning automatically groups them into one entity.

2) The interaction:

The person behind the cliché makes a movement, and the cliché is subtly modified as a result.

3) The association of shapes:

The oval cliché corresponds to the shape of the muscle. When we connect elements by color or shape, we also associate their meanings.

By the way, what is the person saying?

What is the muscle saying?

If you want to learn Visual Thinking through metaphors without...

A cliché is an image so recognizable that even if we show only a part of it and give it little visual hierarchy (for example, drawing it much smaller than the surrounding objects), it will still be recognizable.

Remember, we can have different variables to transform a cliché into an interesting element. In this image, we see these:

1) The cliché is in a context, a story around it.

2) We show only a part of it.

3) We hide or reduce it.

4) We duplicate it.

The four points above are hooks. Hooks to capture attention.

These are the types of concepts you learn every week in the Metaphor Membership. Remember that if Enrollment is closed, you can leave your details on the website, and I'll let you know when it reopens.

Thank you,

Dario Paniagua
Visual Thinkers Coach

Embrace absurdity.

How? By asking questions.

Questions are pathways that fuel our creativity.

What if our cliché became a food ingredient?

Could we consume it?

Could we use it to describe a specific dish?

Could it be how we talk about food or how food speaks to us?

Could it serve as an element for data visualization?

Every question we ask opens up a world of possibilities to explore.

Visual thinking isn't about clustering a bunch of icons together.

There needs to be intention, a message, and a context.

What keyword or short phrase could you associate with this image?

If you're interested in learning Visual Thinking through Metaphors without resorting to clichés, leave your details on my website, and I'll notify you as soon as enrollment opens.

Thank you,

Dario Paniagua
Visual Thinkers Coach

One of the many ways to create metaphors is through substitution. 

It involves replacing an element in a scene with something completely different from what people would expect to see. This disruption creates the metaphor.

To make the substitution more effective, it's helpful to provide context. 

This highlights the evidence that an object is out of place. 

Every time we create disruption, we're prompting people to stop and pay attention to our message.

But here's the key: disruption is created with intention. 

The handles on this subway were replaced with speech bubbles to convey a message. 

What message? 

That's where you can help me out. 

What are they trying to tell us? Why are people leaning on them?

Would you like to suggest a keyword or short phrase for this scene?

You can join the membership that teaches you Visual Thinking through Metaphors without resorting to clichés, using the limited-time code "MAYBIRDS".

If you have any doubts or...

The power of shadows.

Shadows serve as a powerful tool for crafting metaphors, adding an extra layer of meaning that enhances the intended message.

They often subtly convey what the image doesn't explicitly state, prompting a second look and capturing the audience's attention.

Did you know there are 7 different methods for manipulating shadows to convey symbolic messages?

If you're interested in learning more, simply leave your details on my website, and I'll notify you when enrollment for the metaphor membership reopens.

Thank you,

Dario Paniagua
Visual Thinkers Coach

Cliché icons often go unnoticed because they're predictable images we've seen countless times.

However, that doesn't mean we shouldn't use them.

I'll give you three tips so that every time you use clichés, you can still capture your audience's attention:

1) Integrate them into a story:

What prominent role can you assign to that cliché to make it a central part of your visual narrative?

2) Mix them or combine them with another element:

Can you blend them, join them, or even replace them with another element? Notice how, in this case, the speech bubble's shape is cleverly utilized to simultaneously serve as the classic airplane window.

3) Make a chromatic or tonal change compared to the surrounding elements.

A small change in color, value, or tone can be enough for a graphic element to stand out significantly, even if it's the smallest element in the scene.

These are the types of content you can learn in the first...

Every hole, every empty space can be a shape we can play with. 

Play what? We're playing with giving it a new shape and a new meaning. 

But what's going on in this image? Everything and nothing. 

This image could be full of meaning or have absolutely no meaning at all depending on who looks at it and how they interpret it. 

When we want to anchor what we want to say, we use keywords close to an image. 

On the other hand, when we want people to assign their own meaning to an image, we don't associate any phrase or word, and what people will interpret will depend on two things: Their personal past experiences and their culture of origin. 

By the way, what keyword or short sentence would you connect to this image?

These are the types of tips and knowledge we learn in the first Membership that teaches you Visual Thinking through non-cliché metaphors. 

You can enroll on this site for a limited time, and use the early bird code MAYBIRDS to access a...