Use Illustrations

Illustrations — charts, graphs, tables, photographs and other images, animations, audio clips, and video clips — can expand on or demonstrate points made in the text of your document. They can also reduce the amount of text needed to make a point, help readers better understand your points, and increase the visual appeal of your document.

Photographs and other images. Photographs and other images, such as drawings, paintings, and sketches, are frequently used to set a mood, emphasize a point, or demonstrate a point more fully than is possible with text alone.

Charts and graphs. Charts and graphs represent information visually. They are used to make a point more succinctly than is possible with text alone or to present complex information in a compact and more accessible form. They frequently rely on numerical information.

Tables. Like charts and graphs, tables can present complex information, both textual and numerical, in a compact form.

Other digital illustrations. Digital publications allow you to include a wider range of illustrations, including audio, video, and animations, which bring sound and movement to your document.

As you work with illustrations, keep the following guidelines in mind: