Stories have been used as a powerful tool to entertain, educate, engage, and teach people any particular topic or important learning. Decades ago, when mass media was not invented, people make stories and passes them from person to person and also generation to generation. Stories were used to pass information, news, or moral values to people around us. After that, stories were written down on clay, leaves, and clothes and duplicated for spreading information. When mass media was invented people started writing stories and other information on paper. 

At present, advancement in technology has made it possible to spread data or information to people sitting miles away in seconds. Currently, things are changed and have turned the table around. Now it’s no longer about finding the medium to spread stories to most people worldwide. It’s all about creating interesting stories to get the most out of various mediums. 

An American author Jonathan Gottschall, declares that storytelling is an ultimate weapon. People can spend more time reading stories rather than scrolling long web pages or blogs. Stories are a great way to engage your target audience on your blog or web page. Now you must be thinking if it is right to put long fascinating stories on a webpage. Of course not. But you can use another interesting storytelling weapon i.e. graphics and images. 

Storytelling In Graphic Designing

You must have heard a famous quote ‘One picture is worth a thousand words.’ This is extremely true and now in this digital era, it is one of the most significant ways used by marketers to attract customers. Storytelling is the art of creating graphic designs in such as way that it connects with the audience emotionally. Storytelling in graphic designing is a persuasive strategy to build a place in the viewer’s mind, generate empathy, and convert them into customers. 

We can also say that storytelling is all about forming an emotional connection between the graphic design/image and the person interacting with it. The story in the picture makes an emotional bond and this is why a person chooses to spend more time on it. 

At the basic level, we can say that graphic designers are experts who make visual representations to communicate messages. With beautiful and captivating graphics they can inform, connect, and inspire people to take the intended action.

What Is Visual Storytelling And What Are Its Benefits?

Visuals are more powerful in evoking emotions in comparison to plain text. This is an influencing marketing tool as it leads people to take intentional actions. No think only for a minute. Would you prefer a radio commercial where you only get to hear about the product or a TV advertisement where you get to see the actual product? Certainly, the latter is more effective and is able to build trust in people. Let’s have a look at some real-time examples:

Do you know in 2019, an individual was spending an average of 27 minutes per day on Instagram? Moreover, research at 3M Corporation concluded that the human brain can process images 60,000 times faster than plain content.

These statistics indicate that graphic designs are important and a great way to attract the target audience. It also states that:

• Visual Storytelling helps people understand complex information easily and efficiently and thus more impactful.
• Compelling visuals provide a narrative that is more convincing and thus makes people take action. 
• Visual storytelling can do wonders when you use vibrant images along with influencing short texts

How Background Images Used In Graphic Designs Can Impact Storytelling?

Graphic designers spent a significant amount of time ensuring all the elements in the designs or images are used strategically. Elements of an image including background can make or break the resulting graph. They use to think deeply about the background to be used in an image as it can complement the subject and make it viral or take away its beauty. Therefore, background images in graphics are much more important than you think. 

The background used in graphics/images helps in understanding the story that the designer wants to convey. This helps in understanding and knowing a little bit about the designer. 

1. Glimpse into designer’s perspective: Storytelling is a form of art and doing this through visuals is a tough and inspiring job. Visual storytelling is not everyone’s cup of tea and to achieve success in this category, one has to be an imaginative, creative, and professional designer. A visual if created with full heart it lets customers know the purpose behind making the particular design/image. To achieve this, the effective use of background images can be beneficial. For example, if you want to showcase an image where a lion is running behind deer, you can use a spring background image and focus on your subject. The users will instantly make up their minds that the designer has given time and attention to each section.  
2. Helps to make the subject stand out: The core element of storytelling is differentiating the primary objects/characters/expressions from the secondary ones. Adding a relevant background image can help you achieve this. A background image helps in making the details of the subject prominent and this does not mean every image without a background will not outstand. Ensure that the background and the subject must be different in terms of color, contrast, and event. If you use the same type of images you’ll not be able to get a clear contrast between them. 
3. Movement and animation: Another crucial point of visual storytelling is letting viewers know the way things are proceeding. Placing characters or objects in subsequent sections and showing their movements through expressions or actions can act as a storytelling guide. You can frame the action and focus on points or moments using blurred background photos and help viewers understand the story that you want to convey. 
4. Adds a professional touch to the image: Blur background images act as an obligatory weapon when it comes to adding a professional touch to storytelling pictures. You can make attractive social media creatives, a website’s featured image, or a blog post by adding a professional background image to it. 

Endnote

Graphic designers must know the importance and accurate use of blur backgrounds. They can either make or break your creatives’ performance. One can only hone expertise in making effective use of blurred background images in storytelling if he/she begins practicing. If you’re thinking to pursue your career in designing, it is important for you to learn how to make professional images using backgrounds. So, get up and start practicing on your own from today itself.