Sources

In order to create good quality pictures, you should consider different source materials. The most obvious source is the application, which contains the interface elements most Help files document. However, magazines, illustrated encyclopaedias and catalogs are also good sources of visual material. Another source might be physical objects, which can be photographed, scanned (if they are fairly flat), measured, or drawn.

Professional designers continually use visual references for their work. For example, if producing a design that features airplanes, the designer will collect as many photographs and detailed drawings as possible. By referring to a collection of pictures, the designer can produce an original picture which is convincing and accurate.

When determining the style of a picture it may be worth studying the work of professional illustrators in magazines, advertisements, books, and so on. Care should be taken not to confuse simple with badly drawn images. Simple designs are often very successful since they focus the user’s attention on the key aspects of the picture. For instance, a silhouette of an object is often quite sufficient for it to be recognized.

If you use a picture that has been published without permission and without changing it in any way, then you may be infringing on someone’s copyright. In this case you should either seek permission from the publishers or adapt the picture for your own use. The original picture, when appropriate, should be acknowledged in your documentation.