complementillustrate

Complementillustrate is a neologism used in some design and information-visualization contexts to describe the practice of using illustrations to complement written content or data. The term combines complement and illustrate, signaling that images should extend or clarify the accompanying text rather than merely decorate it. It also can refer to illustrating complementary aspects—such as a concept and its inverse, a process and its outcome, or related ideas—in a single visual narrative.

Practitioners implement complementillustrate through diagrams, annotated illustrations, infographics, or narrative scenes placed near explanatory text. Techniques include showing a process with a sequence of panels, depicting relationships with diagrams, or using color and layout to highlight complementary elements. The goal is to improve understanding, retention, and accessibility by providing a visual referent that resonates with the prose.

The term is not widely standardized and is primarily used in design discourse, education materials, and some marketing contexts. It may appear in project briefs or blogs rather than in peer-reviewed literature. When used, it benefits from clear alignment between the illustration and the accompanying content and from ensuring accessibility for readers with visual impairments.

Related concepts include visual storytelling, information design, and infographics. Complementillustration emphasizes the pairing of text and image as a cohesive information unit rather than as separate media.