The saying 'a picture paints a 1000 words' is one that almost everybody has heard at least once. It is believed that the saying stems back from 1921, when it was used in an advertising campaign. Here, we explore a bit more about the saying and the meaning behind it.
What does it Mean?
A picture paints a 1000 words suggests that even the most complex of documents can be surmised by just a few still images. The number is used to represent any high number rather than a 1000 specifically.
It is believed that the saying was originally drawn from the book Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turgenev in 1862. He stated in this book that a picture would often show him something that it would take dozens of pages to sum up.
Why it is True?
The saying has been used so many times that it is now considered a cliché, which is essentially proof that it is true. There are thousands of pictures, paintings or still works that many people have drafted whole books about, most of which actually manage to draw different meanings from a picture that was originally supposed to only have one.
The Benefits of Using an Image Instead of Words
There are several benefits to use an image instead of the written word, they are:
An image is open to interpretation - the written document is often only perceived in one way because the writer leads you down that path. However, an image that has had no detailing by the artist allows the mind to draw its own conclusion, none of which can be classed as incorrect because the only person who can tell you what they were thinking at the time of the painting is the artist.
Images connect to memories - a single image can bring back a flood of memories about any event from our past, and this is why the photograph will never be replaced. The oldest of images that have terrible quality are sometimes the ones that bring back the most memories. Even video's do not bring back the same feeling of nostalgia as photographs.
Words take time - if you need something to inspire people, using an image will always be the best option. A single image can inspire people on to great things. This is the main reason why images are often the focus point of motivational posters.
Visually appealing - if you were to present somebody with two pieces of paper, one that had several hundred words on it and the other that has a few images, there is only one that looks more aesthetically pleasing.
Some of the most famous images in the world will be written about over and over again. In fact, it is often the images with a lot of 'mystery' surrounding them that inspire people on to great things. This is why you will see the same image used to motivate people in different ways in office blocks and other working establishments all across the world.
Author Resource:-
Leigh Dorling is passionate about helping businesses succeed and created http://www.CreateYourMessage.com as a fun way to produce motivational posters for his clients and to aid them create powerful reminders of values, vision, beliefs and goals. He also runs Cognisi.co.uk a successful executive coaching company dedicated to helping others succeed.
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.articlehouse.net/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites
