From Human to “Human” to Human.
Can you follow me?
Let’s imagine we have a tiny blue dot in the centre of a whiteboard.
This point could represent a ball, concealing a basketball player in perspective. This basketball player (let’s call him John) is the worst in the world: he almost always slips before entering the court; he bumps into teammates; he doesn’t know how to dribble correctly; when he passes the ball, he makes mistakes with his teammates — in short, a natural disaster!
However, John, despite being very bad at basketball, this player excels at chess. Surprisingly, he is excellent at creating game strategies. He approaches each basketball move as if playing chess, enabling his team to be one of the best in the world. Interesting.
Let’s return to the beginning of our story and the first image we imagine. We quickly form emotional bonds with a small blue dot in the centre of a white plane - we give a name and conceptualize one persona; we idealize a story and attribute additional value to a blue dot in the centre of a whiteboard. By imagining that the point is more than just a point, we create an emotional relationship and “humanize” it.
“Humanize” is the process of imbuing something with human-like qualities. Depending on the context, it can encompass various meanings but typically involves empathy and sympathy. In creativity, “humanize” also involves infusing emotions and values that resonate with human experiences.
Telling a story is creating a visual narrative (storyteller) through verbal, written, or visual means. Regardless of the medium, the goal is to evoke imagination and idealization, resulting in a cohesive visual narrative. To achieve this, directional elements ensure the narrative flows smoothly and is easily understood.
Touching the hearts of all the people involved in the creative process, particularly in design, is the same emotion as a sprinter when he reaches a goal. Regardless of the outcome, there’s a shared emotional experience in completing a stage or achieving a goal.
As a creative, I firmly believe that fostering strong emotional connections among all involved in a project enhances its chances of success and approval. Regardless of the project type, “humanizing” adds significant value to the idea/concept.
I recommend “storytelling” through visual narratives, guiding the idea/concept with illustrations or infographics. These narratives should flow smoothly and evoke empathy, establishing connections with the audience. Emotion can be effectively communicated through colours, typography, shapes, and images, resulting in visual styles that foster connections when targeted appropriately.
Mastering certain factors is crucial to “humanize” design to ensure the narrative accurately conveys the intended concept. Some factors to consider include basic principles, such as the emotional impact of geometric shapes and colour in attributing relationships, value, and emotion; gestalt principles; language and communication style, which involves effectively conveying thoughts, ideas, and emotions; cultural awareness, encompassing an understanding of prevalent cultural values, traditions, and customs, and respecting diversity and differences; and setting boundaries. Additionally, self-awareness is essential in understanding one’s emotions, values, and goals, and reflecting on personal experiences to gain insight into human behavior.
“Humanize” is one of the four pillars of my creativity, which involves evoking emotions through visual storytelling. To learn more about my creative essence — Shi, you can read my “Pillars of Creativity.”
Stay creative, and see you next time.
Thank you,
B.
p.s. all images created by anotherbrigida
