Download - Pure design: Photography vs. illustration
mario garcia
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Photography vs. illustrationOne of the most difficult decisions to make is how to illustrate a
story. As always, the basic question should be: what is the best way
to tell the story? Many times, in news events, photographs are usual-
ly the answer. A photograph conveys emotion, information and
advances the story telling process in a direct way that impacts the
readers and draws them into the story.
However, illustrations can be the ideal visual image in stories that
are more abstract, or where a photograph may be risky to use.
Lifestyle articles, for example, can benefit from the impact of an
illustration that captures the spirit of the story. Illustrations are ideal
for subjects such as abortion, divorce, and the death penalty, to men-
tion a few. Visuals need to reflect the point of view and tone of sto-
ries they accompany. Photos for the stories above may be difficult to
find; illustrations can be made to order, conveying the necessary
mood. Illustrations can also be effective when one does a long
interview or reportage with a well known individual, whose photos
are overused; an illustration, caricature or sketch of the person
can help to create greater interest, while providing the visual sur-
prise of an image we have not seen dozens of times before.
Often, good designers mix photos and illustrations, with great
results. Pure design relies on the instinct of the designer, working in
close cooperation with the editor or reporter, to seek the best visual
to illustrate the story.
pure design
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Photo and illustration: The artists anddesigners of La Gaceta, of Tucuman,Argentina, excel in their ability to createa visual concept for a story and developit, in a relatively short period of time.Here we see how an entertainment sec-tion is illustrated with a photograph,making this page visually seductive andappealing. Sometimes, as in this case,using both a photograph and an illustration is most effective.