As the guest speaker at a DevFaction Meetup Group, I presented this talk on the power of visual storytelling. I also shared strategies for creating content that is meaningful and culturally relevant through embracing ancient archetypal patterns and universal human emotions. Inspired by the work of Joseph Campbell and Carl Jung.

1. T H E P O W E R O F V I S U A L
S T O RY T E L L I N G
M I C H E L L E C O U T I N H O

2. I N T H I S D A Y A N D A G E , A
P I C T U R E I S W O R T H M O R E T H A N
J U S T A T H O U S A N D W O R D S .
W H E N I T ’ S G E N U I N E , W H E N I T ’ S
R E L E VA N T Y E T E T E R N A L , W H E N
I T ’ S S O P O W E R F U L T H A T I T G O E S
B E Y O N D S I G H T A N D D E LV E S I N T O
Y O U R S E N S E S — T H A T ’ S T H E
K I N D O F I M A G E T H A T ’ S W O R T H A
M I L L I O N .
A N D I T O N LY TA K E S A N I N S TA N T
T O R E A D .
H O W W I L L Y O U R V I S U A L S C R E A T E
A N E P I C S T O RY ?
— G E T T Y I M A G E S

4. H A N D O U T L I N E S F O U N D O N A C A V E WA L L I N I N D O N E S I A 3 9 , 9 0 0

5. 8 P R I M A L D E S I R E S I N E V E RY O N E :
1. S U R V I VA L : L I V E A L O N G A N D H E A LT H Y L I F E
2. P R O T E C T I O N : S A F E T Y, C A R E A N D P R O T E C T I O N F O R Y O U R S E L F A N D
L O V E D O N E S
3. F R E E D O M : F R E E D O M F R O M D A N G E R , F E A R A N D PA I N
4. C O M F O R T: C O M F O R TA B L E L I V I N G C O N D I T I O N S
5. P L E A S U R E : E N J O Y F O O D , B E V E R A G E S A N D E X P E R I E N C E S
6. R E L AT I O N S H I P S : S E X U A L R E L AT I O N S , C O M PA N I O N S H I P A N D
C O M PAT I B I L I T Y
7. S U C C E S S : T O B E S U P E R I O R , W I N N I N G , K E E P I N G U P W I T H T H E J O N E S E S
8. L I K A B I L I T Y: S O C I A L A P P R O VA L , B E I N G PA R T O F T H E “ I N ” C R O W D
— D R E W E R I C W H I T M A N / E M I LY W O R D E N

6. S T O R I E S F U L F I L L O U R N E E D F O R
C O N N E C T I O N A N D M E A N I N G
W E A R E E M O T I O N A L C R E A T U R E S ,
D R I V E N T O F U L F I L L T H E N E E D S
E M B E D D E D I N O U R H U M A N P S Y C H E .
S I N C E T H E D A W N O F M A N W E H A V E
B E E N C R E A T I N G S T O R I E S T O E X P L A I N
T H E M A G I C A N D G R E A T M Y S T E RY O F
O U R U N I V E R S E I N A N A T T E M P T T O
U N D E R S TA N D T H E F O R C E S O F T H E
N A T U R A L W O R L D A N D W H A T O U R
R O L E I S W I T H I N I T.

7. J O S E P H C A M P B E L L
The Stories that Guide Us

8. A R T B Y W I L L I A M B L A K E
There are themes we endure
just by existing on the Earth.
The theme of polarity, light and
dark, masculine and feminine.
Birth and death, and then from
death, rebirth. These are primal
forces just as much the
elemental forces like wind,
water, and fire.
These forces are universally
relatable and can be
archetypically depicted in the
visual imagery that we use as
storytellers.

9. In modern society, we are the media. We are the storytellers and we are the
creators, directors and actors in our stories. We share on social media, bite-
sized micro-moments of expression of how we live our lives, from what we eat
to our identity of who we are, what we love and value, who we are in love with,
and where we are in the world.
A U T H E N T I C A L LY S O C I A L

10. – N E W S C R E D
“User-generated content (UGC) reveals real
people and places, meaning real moments
and emotions that establish a new kind of
heightened digital intimacy.”

11. T H E S E PA R AT I O N &
C O N N E C T I O N O F
S O C I A L M E D I A

13. T H E 4 P R I N C I P L E S O F
V I S U A L S T O RY T E L L I N G
• Authenticity
• Sensory
• Archetype
• Relevancy

14. S E N S O RY

15. A R C H E T Y P E - A R J U N , T H E H E R O
• What makes us all relatable?
Emotion. Passion.
• We connect when emotions
we have experienced are
evoked.
• Elephant Journal example
on social media
• Use Real people in your brand
to connect to your audience
• Perfection doesn’t sell
• Facebook live videos

16. A R C H E T Y P E
• The Hero’s
Journey
• Initiation Story
• Receive a call
• Go on a quest
• Fulfill our Destiny
There is a core universal story that is embedded within the
human psyche and in our collective unconscious.

17. A R C H E T Y P E
Birth and death, Sunrise and sunset,
and then Rebirth and Renewal.
Much like the seasons, day after day
we have the the opportunity to rise
again. These unified, but polar
opposites are ingrained in our
selves and our emotions.
But we all understand points of
initiation on our journey. We know
the archetype of The Dark Night of
the Soul, what it feels like to be
alone, abandoned. Religious
scripture and mythology is filled
with these stories and good
overcoming evil.

19. A R C H E T Y P E
There are also character archetypes and we can base our
brand’s identity on these archetypes like, The Sage and
The Jester, and then create themed imagery that revolves
around our brand archetype and gear ourselves toward
the archetype of our audience to draw them in.

21. U N I V E R S A L T H E M E S
• G O I N G O N A N A D V E N T U R E
• W I N N I N G , B E I N G T H E V I C T O R
• L O S I N G , H U M I L I A T I O N / FA I L U R E
• O V E R C O M I N G C H A L L E N G E S C O M I N G I N T O P O W E R
• F I N D I N G I N N E R P E A C E

23. R E L E VA N C Y
Connecting
through cultural
relevancy is also
connecting to
global global
human values.
We all believe as
humans in life, love,
liberty and the
pursuit of
happiness.

24. R E L E VA N C Y
Remember art introduces new
ideas and pushes the boundaries
of what is culturally accepted.
If you're creating a movement or
being an activist for a cause then
the visual imagery you choose
should push the boundaries of
what's culturally accepted and if
introduced into the collective
society it would then becomes
the norm.

25. R E L E VA N C Y
The collective consciousness of Boulder is a healthy and affluent lifestyle.

26. R E L E VA N C Y - A N C I E N T M E A N I N G
Another way we can evoke emotion or connect with
people through visual storytelling is to stir memories
from our ancient way of being.

27. R E L E VA N C Y - A N C I E N T M E A N I N G
True community

28. T H A N K Y O U
Michelle Coutinho
Instructor of Visual Art & Design
IECREATIVE.NET