Jessica Hagy is the acclaimed artist and writer behind the Webby award-winning blog, Indexed. With a talent for visually capturing complex ideas and a portfolio that spans books, magazines, and advertising campaigns, Jessica's work is celebrated worldwide.
Here’s her interview to get you inspired by her remarkable creativity and unique perspective.
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Tell us a little bit about yourself and your business. How did you get started, and what inspired you to use visuals to help grow your business?
I’m an artist and writer best known for my Webby award-winning blog, Indexed. I started drawing charts and graphs in 2006 on a whim and now it's my job.
My work has been described as:
“Deceptively simple”
“Undeniably brilliant”
“Our favorite reason for the Internet to exist.”
I’m the author of:
AETUI: Pentagram Poems (Inside the Castle Press, 2022),
How to be Fearless (Sasquatch, 2021),
How to Be Interesting (Workman, 2013),
The Art of War Visualized (Workman, 2015), and
Indexed (Penguin, 2008)
My works have been translated into more than a dozen languages.
I use a style of visual storytelling that allows readers to draw their own conclusions and to actively participate in each piece of my narratives. I see sentence structures as pliable objects and can turn any verbal concept into a visual depiction: a form of translation that adds layers of content to any statement. I believe that there is humor embedded into even the darkest topics, and that there is gravity built into even the silliest occurrences.
My commissioned work frequently appears in various web formats, galleries, books, magazines, newspapers, television outlets, and advertising campaigns.
I’ve been illustrating on a freelance basis for clients from around the world for a long time. I’ve created more than 6,000 diagrams that illustrate everything from business strategies to insidiously sneaky puns.
I'm often commissioned to take existing texts and augment them with visuals that help the material resonate. Call me if you have a manuscript that could use an illustrator!
Every image I share online functions as an advertisement for my strategic illustration business. People see what I do and reach out to see how I can apply my way of thinking to their brands.
How do you use visuals to communicate your ideas or products to your audience?
I see charts and graphs as sentence diagrams. Every sentence can be formatted as a chart. EVERY SINGLE ONE. Noodle with any statement long enough and it reveals its elegant and multi-faceted graphic format.
Social media platforms where you share your content.
Twitter, Linkedin, Instagram
Can you share some specific examples of how using visuals has helped you attract new customers or clients, or helped you stand out from competitors?
I noticed that THE ART OF WAR was really just 300 and some sentences. Those sentences were captions in need of cartoons. Once I articulated that classic and revered strategic text, it became a staple textbook for many business schools and I became an expert in strategic illustration.
The work you did will become the foundation for the work you'll next be hired to do.
Leverage what you've built!
What tools or software do you use to create and edit your visuals?
Sketch drawing, Others
Are there any tips you have for someone who is just starting out and doesn't have a lot of design experience?
Design programs are easier to learn that the insights behind the work you want to make. That wrinkly meat-sponge behind your eyes is ALWAYS the foundational technology.
Tech will always be changing, but it's the spark of inspiration that makes any piece gorgeous—not the software-meatgrinder you use to translate the idea from neurons to pixels.
How do you measure the success of your visual content? Do you track metrics like engagement, clicks, or conversions, and how do you use that data to inform future visual content?
Sometimes I draw a chart and millions see it. Sometimes only a few hundred eyeballs land on it. The internet is a slot-machine and pieces of content are the coins you throw into it.
It's the contact I get from people reaching back to me to connect, compliment, and commission that keep me charting onward.
Do you have any advice for other creators/ solopreneurs who are just starting out and want to use visuals to help grow their business?
Just because you can make something look pretty doesn't mean the image is smart. Take the time to invest in visuals that do more than just "power point" your ideas. The visuals should be gut punches—stunningly insightful. SPEND THE TIME AND MONEY TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN AND YOUR BRAND WILL BECOME ICONIC.
What are some common mistakes to avoid, or tips for creating visually engaging content on a budget?
One things about brands with no budgets: they don't keep consistent and that makes them look confused. Color, typeface, format, tone—consistency of elements is free but it makes your brand look expensive.
Pick a style and run with it. The more often you repeat your branding the more recognizable it becomes and the more respect it radiates.
Finally, where can we go to learn more about you and your business, and see some examples of your visual content in action?
You can check about me and my work here:
You can also subscribe to my newsletter:
Website/ Social media
My Twitter, Linkedin, & Instagram
Let's connect and build neat things!
Great interview -- LOVE Jessica Hagy's work!