Page 13 - Plasticos-magazine-7

ontemporary visuals are going through a transition. They are here to shoulder more responsibility
C in unravelling the ever-increasing complexity in surgical literature.

All forms of illustrations are integral to a surgical narrative. They need to be engaging, interpretive and
emphatic in depicting the author’s mastery of topic and/or technique.

In recent publications, have you seen any author
using an illustration from an anatomy atlas in their
article to emphasize a point? Image selection has
to be more and more purpose-driven. Anatomy
visuals can no longer be generic, and do need to
be tailored for better understanding and greater
impact.

Time allocated for presentations is getting
shorter and shorter. Similarly, competition for
space in publications is immense. Textbook
and journals are not only limiting the number
of images to be submitted, but are also striving
to keep “wasted” white spaces to a minimum.
Every square inch of the illustration space needs
to be utilized wisely. So we have to condense

the visual information, and depict layers
upon layers of messages within this confined
space.

Not every thought bubble can lead to useful
analogies or metaphors. Once you find the
right balance though, humour sticks and
helps convey a message. Cruising through
the sub-SMAS level without a hitch is every
surgeon’s dream, and the touring cars
analogy may as well become an author’s
ideal tool.

Sometimes, “concepts” take care of the
storytelling. Building up your own visual
symbols can lead to a better understanding
of the complex set of messages.

13 VOL 7, 2021