When creating a visual resume, being able to think visually is of vital importance. What do we mean by thinking visually? Visual thinking is defined as thinking in images or pictures. It is the process of using your imagination to translate verbal information into mental images.
While this isn't a difficult task for those with artistic training, it may pose a challenge for those of you who are used to thinking in words. Believe it or not, there are actually exercises you can do to improve your ability to think in pictures! Check out the Visual Thinking Art blog for ideas on how to improve your visual thinking skills.
As you work on your visual resume and begin to translate your professional and educational experience into images, consider ways to use visual metaphors to describe your experience. Some metaphors that have been used in visual resumes are the time line, the subway or bus station, a road map, or a movie. Some creative individuals have used presentations or slide shows to showcase their professional history. Remember, you don't necessarily have to have outstanding art making skills. You just need to know the elements of good design, page layout, and how to design with type. If you don't have the ability or time to create images yourself, consider using images from Flickr Creative Commons.
Malcolm Grear Designers specializes in the creation of graphic images for identity, information, branding, marketing, and education. Consider the two images below and the one for the Olympics at the top of the post (by Malcolm Grear). What verbal message is being communicated in each image. Are these effective graphic images? How could they be improved?
