Illustration Style Guide

THE WIKIVISUAL GOAL

To create the most instructive visuals

for every step of every article
● Visually representing the text as complete as possible
 THE BASICS
Key requirements for a strong visual:
● Soft color palette
● Age appropriate characters for each topic
● Gender and ethnic diversity
● Realistic body proportions
● Engaging, realistic background
● Maximizing artboard space as efficiently as possible

Mobile Optimization:
● Over 50% of wikiHow traffic comes from mobile devices!
● Small details often get lost
● Text, only if needed, should be non-decorative and larger in size
 Optimizing Images For Mobile

Mobile Optimization:
● Over 50% of wikiHow traffic
comes from mobile devices!
● Small details often get lost
● Text, only if needed, should be
non-decorative and larger in size
EMBRACE DIVERSITY
 CHARACTER DIVERSITY
For all general articles that do not specifically state which
audience (age/gender/ethnicity) the subject matter is for,
we strongly encourage you to be mindful of using diversity
throughout your images: gender, age, sex, ethnicity,
sexual orientation, social status, abilities, cultural
differences, etc.

Please strive to achieve the following in your images:

● 50% male to female character ratio

● no more than 50% white/light colored skin
● a variety of body types
(and age ranges when applicable)
● Tip!
Increase diversity even in images that only show
parts of bodies: fingers, hands, legs, etc
TEMPLATES
 MATH/CHALKBOARD
● Downloadable
chalkboard and graph
paper templates can be
found here

● Suggested font:
○ Arial Rounded MT
Bold Regular

● Please use our provided

backgrounds only (when
appropriate)
INSTRUCTIVENESS
 REACHING OUR GOAL

Visually representing the text as complete as possible

● Imagine the reader only had the image for each step and no text to read -
could they understand the information/complete their attempted task?
● Attempt to answer as many “W-questions” (who, what, when, where, and
why) as possible for each step
● Minimal text; use where necessary for instructiveness
● Use arrows, circles, and other annotations where applicable to increase
instructiveness
● Pop-outs and split-screens are helpful tools when trying to show
multiple things in one step!
EXAMPLES
 Motion Annotations Good/Bad - Do/Don’t Measurements

Arrows/Annotations
 Time Specific Measurements Zoom View Information

Arrows/Annotations
 Thought Bubbles Multiple Parts Process Actions
• Best when used with symbols or other images (not • To show a change over time, or multiple actions
lines of text) • Should be illustrated to be read left-to-right, and
• Very useful tool for steps that include the terms top-to-bottom
“Consider…”, “Think about…”, etc. • Don’t use more than 4 panels

Arrows/Annotations
 Forms Screens

• Most forms found openly online • If a step mentions a specific website, use these inserts by default

• Often integrated with other annotations, such as arrows and circles • Show U.S. sites/URLs only unless specified otherwise in article

Real-world Inserts / Authoritative Design

SENSITIVE TOPICS
 Stay Positive Around Disabilities

● Remember that people with disabilities will

be reading these articles. The images may
affect how they feel about themselves.
● Disabilities are not inherently bad. We want
pictures of visibly disabled people being
happy and successful.
● Do not use "thumbs down" signs or other
negative imagery.

Sensitive Topics
 Bad Examples
Images like these will get
removed from wikiHow.
Avoid Triggers and Self-Harm

● Do not show self-harm in images.

● Do not put needles or drugs in images.
● In phobio articles, do not include images of
the thing that people are scared of.

Sensitive Topics
 Good Examples

Autism

● Blue puzzle pieces and lightbulb/"light it up blue"

imagery are associated with Autism Speaks, a
harmful group that tells autistic people they
shouldn't exist. Do NOT use any of this imagery.

● Rainbows, the color red, and the infinity sign are

associated with more positive messages. See the
images on the right for good examples.

Sensitive Topics
WRITING ARTICLES
 THE APPROPRIATE MEDIUM

Display the Writing on a Laptop

● Most people write their essays, speeches, letters, and other documents on a
word processor (e.g. Microsoft Word or Google Docs). Therefore, almost all
writing articles fall into this category.
● The writing should appear as if it typed on a laptop.

Display the Writing on Paper

● Individuals do still write some letters, cards, and other items by hand.
● For such articles, the writing should appear as if handwritten in the given
format.
 Provide Specific Examples

● Provide specific examples of the completed

steps.
○ Example: when a step says, “Write a
topic sentence,” you should show an
actual topic sentence.)

● Don’t just simply summarize steps.

● Take an example, if one already exists, from

the writing in the step OR make up an
example yourself.

● Don’t plagiarize from elsewhere on the

internet.

The Words
 Focus on the Words

● Be zoomed in on the writing.

● The laptop screen or paper (with the words)

should take up most of the image.
○ 50% of readers will be viewing this on
a mobile device

● Don’t use callouts. Instead, show the text

itself, directly on the laptop screen or page.

● Use a large, easily-readable font.

Remember that many people will be reading
via mobile devices. The text needs to be big
enough so that it’s visible on small screens.

The Words
 Keep It Simple

● For laptop articles:

○ Don’t include extraneous details like
hands, keyboards, etc. Just show the
words.

● For handwritten articles:

○ It’s okay to include a hand with a pen
or pencil, but don’t make it the focus of
the image.
○ Remember diversity! Different people’s
hands come in different shades.)
○ Also - feel free to just show the words
instead of including a hand.

The Words
 Annotations

● Use annotations to highlight important text.

● The annotations should either be red (hex

code #e03041) or wikiHow’s green (hex
code #b9d1a4).

● Don’t put too much text in a single image. If

the step is about a particular part of a longer
document, make sure to emphasize that
particular part.

Annotations
 United States Formatting

● Use United States formatting for phone

numbers and addresses.
● Phone numbers are 10 digits: 3 digits, a
dash, 3 digits, a dash, then 4 more digits.
###-###-####
● Addresses are 3 lines. The recipient’s first
and last names go on the first line. The
building number (often 3 or 4 digits) and
street name go on the second line. The city,
state, and (5-digit) ZIP code go on the third
line. The initial letter of each word should be
uppercase.
First Last
### Street
City, State #####

Other Information
 Placeholder Names and Addresses

● When steps require names, addresses,

street addresses, phone numbers, etc. use
generic ones. Don’t give out your (or anyone
else’s) personal information.
● Use United States locations and formatting.
See below for correct examples.
● Example names: John Doe, Jane Doe
● Example emails: johndoe@wikihow.com,
janedoe@wikihow.com
● Example phone number: 123-456-7890
● Example Address:
John Doe
530 Lytton Ave
Palo Alto, CA 94301

Other Information
 Proofread

● End sentences with periods.

● Check your spelling and grammar. For the
article to be authoritative, it’s important that
this is correct.
● Check your spelling and grammar again! :)

Quality Standards
Thank You!!