Visual Storytelling: The Power of Ideas in Images

When we think of stories and storytelling, we probably think of books and written words. However, a major method that has become more important with the prevalence of social media is visual storytelling. Visual storytelling involves using any visual medium like photos, videos, or infographics to convey a specific message to consumers. It can be used in marketing to gain interest in a brand or in art to express a relatable idea or feeling.

Two major techniques to understand are dramatic and non-dramatic storytelling. According to Bo Bergström’s book Essentials of Visual Communication, dramatic storytelling has a mostly straightforward plot. The story’s conflict is set up, exposition is established, then the conflict rises until it finally resolves. This technique is closed, “with little room for interpretation” (p.16). In contrast, non-dramatic storytelling is open. It presents viewers with key pieces and lets them put the story together themselves. As Bergström says, “personal reflections and values become building blocks” (p.16).

To demonstrate the idea of visual storytelling, I will be breaking down famous artworks and show how they use visual components, as well as dramatic and non-dramatic storytelling, to convey a bigger and deeper story than what appears at first glance.

Edward Hopper: Western Motel (1957)

This painting is called Western Motel and was created in 1957 by American realist Edward Hopper. The first thing you’ll probably notice is the woman and how she is staring directly at you. She is perched on the arm of the couch and turned as if she has been waiting. This impression makes the viewer feel like they are another character in the story and are in the entrance to the motel room. The woman is wearing a fancy red dress and black heels like she is going to or has just come from a fancy event like a date.

Other details lay in the corners of the painting. On the left are two suitcases, zipped up. On the right, a blue piece of fabric is loosely draped on an armchair, maybe having been casually tossed down. The large open window and golden lighting give the impression of evening time, with the sun starting to set. Through this window, we also see part of a green car. It faces to the right like it is ready to go somewhere.

All of these elements create curiosity and raise questions about the story behind the scene. Has the woman been waiting for you to arrive, or is she about to leave? Maybe she is a romantic partner and you have met at this lone motel to be with her for a short while - or maybe it is the end of your time together.

This visual makes use of Non-Dramatic Storytelling by providing various elements and letting viewers interpret the vague components on their own. The staying vs going question asks them to consider two opposing possibilities or even come up with another.

Edward Hopper: Nighthawks (1942)

Another painting by Hopper, probably his most famous, is Nighthawks from 1942. It shows a brightly lit diner on an empty city street with a bartender serving three late-night visitors. One well-dressed man with a suit and hat sits next to a woman with a red dress and lipstick. He holds a cigarette while she has a small snack. The fact that they are sitting next to each other and her left hand is close to him on the counter implies they might be there together. However, there is no further explanation of their relationship; they could be dating or married, she could be a mistress or even a prostitute.

Another man in a suit and hat sits separate from the pair. His back is to the window, so we cannot see his face, but his head appears tipped down like he is keeping to himself.

One prominent feature of the diner is the lack of any visible entrance or exit. This gives the feeling of the characters being trapped in a bubble of glass, held away from the cold dark of the outside in a case of artificial light.

It begs the question of why these people are here and how they ended up in this little diner in the middle of the night. Through non-dramatic storytelling, it asks viewers to consider the quiet, lonely feeling of being in this place and reflect on moments when they might have felt a similar sense of isolation.

Andrew Wyeth: Christina’s World (1948)

Image Source: Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)

Christina’s World is a 1948 painting by realist Andrew Wyeth.

Far away on a grassy hilltop are a farmhouse and shed. The grey buildings sit small against a similarly grey sky.

What catches attention, though, is the woman in the foreground. She is laying on the ground with her legs splayed next to her; maybe she was sitting there, maybe she has fallen, or maybe she cannot even walk. The woman’s left hand is forward on the grass, like she is reaching towards the house out of longing or in search of help.

The non-dramatic storytelling of this piece provides viewers with a vague scene open to many interpretations of what the woman wants and how she ended up in her position. The title Christina’s World implies looking through the woman’s perspective and prompts viewers to put themselves in her mind. They might ask questions such as, does she want to go to the house? Is it her house? Is something holding her back, like a physical disability or mental hesitation?

Consumers could always research more to find out about the painting’s background, but with just the image alone, they can emerge with a range of interpretations from its rich visual storytelling.

Norman Rockwell: Freedom from Want (1943)

Norman Rockwell was a painter famous for his depictions of American culture, capturing moments of life and humor with his expressive, yet extremely realistic characters. This painting is no exception.

Freedom from Want is a 1943 painting part of a collection of four works representing core American freedoms. It is the most famous one and is an iconic symbol of American prosperity.

A large turkey on a platter is being served, drawing viewer attention due to its central position, size, and the elderly people looking down at it. Both sides of a pristine white table have people of different ages smiling as they excitedly wait for the meal. The entire room is filled with a heavenly white light emerging from the glowing window behind the grandparents, highlighting the perfection of the scene.

A final detail is the man in the bottom right looking straight at the viewer. His cheerful glance might be inviting them to join in on this perfect moment and be a participant in the meal.

This painting uses dramatic storytelling because the actual events are straightforward. It is presumably Thanksgiving, and the family is gathered around ready to enjoy turkey and other dishes. The deeper message comes from it being an ideal representation of what an American family should be; not poor and hungry, but rather, free from want of food and other necessities. They should not have to worry about these resources and instead be thankful for the prosperity of living in America. It might not be a realistic depiction, but it serves as a visual icon of what was valued during this time.

Norman Rockwell: The Problem We All Live With (1963)

Rockwell also showed the dark side of American society with paintings such as 1963’s The Problem We All Live With. Here, he presents six-year-old Ruby Bridges on her way to desegregate a New Orleans elementary school in 1960.

She is surrounded by four men in suits wearing yellow bands declaring them as US marshals. Their heads are out of frame, allowing us to focus on the young girl herself. She holds school supplies like books, colored pencils, and a ruler clutched in her left hand, showing her innocent desire to get an education. Behind her, though, offensive graffiti is scrawled on the wall which also bears the red splatter of a thrown tomato. The girl and the men all have one foot and hand forward, representing their composed and structured march onward in spite of the hate.

This artwork uses dramatic storytelling because Ruby Bridges’ story is true and well-known. By applying his artistic touch to the famous scene, Rockwell draws the viewers’ attention to the young girl’s experience. It encapsulates the “problem” the title refers to by showing the jarring contrast between an innocent child and the hate directed at her for existing.

Conclusion

Visual storytelling, whether dramatic or non-dramatic, captures viewers’ attention and engages their mind in trying to understand, interpret, and relate to the story being shown.