Many people claim that they can’t draw. When people think of being an artist, they think of the predominant historical artists that defined history back when people were first beginning to learn about the concept of art; they don’t think of the historical and present-day figures that make history with stick figures and boxes and spheres. There have been many accounts, as illustrated and shown in Dan Roam’s Draw to Win, where people have found success in creating visuals—or art—to showcase an idea of theirs to help explain exactly what they are going for. Their professions are and were not centered around art.
Art can be utilized as a tool just as easily as art is used as a nice decorative piece, or used to make money when times get tough. One of the main examples of art being used as a tool comes from Dan Roam himself, where he talked about how him and his friend, Tony, illustrated a presentation showcasing how Obamacare worked and how it became the way it was, all while using stick figures and simple diagrams with single sentences attached to each drawing. That presentation has since been on the news, as well as been showcased at the White House. And it was all done with simple line work. No fancy details or brushes. No aesthetically pleasing color (unless you love red). It almost looks as though the presentation was made with a cocktail napkin for a last-minute idea to get a patent for a future invention, or even doodles on a whiteboard. Maybe calling it a doodle is disrespectful considering its success, but if you think about it this way, if a doodle can bring success to that kind of caliber, then maybe anything you call just a “doodle” can later bring you that same success—or any other type of success depending on what your goals are.
In the same way that doodles can land you a presentation at the White House, art, and your skill (or lack thereof), can be applied to the concepts of Digital Storytelling and the usage of infographics. Digital Storytelling is a storytelling media that utilizes things that make it easier to express an idea or concept, as well as aid in the visualization of the story that you are trying to tell; things such as digital art, or an open world that allows you to create things in a sandbox (such as Second Life). Anything that involves using the digital space to create art. I’ve been involved in Digital Storytelling throughout my college course, with Spring 2024 being my first time stepping into the world of Digital Storytelling.
Infographics follow the same idea of delivering and expressing a concept or idea, except it focuses more on data and information rather than creative storytelling. Infographics present data in a way that delivers information that is easy to digest, and gets the point across efficiently without using lengthy texts for people to read. I have not had much experience with creating infographics myself, though they look very intresting to create.
“scientist in the middle” by driek is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 
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