# Visual Metaphor Dictionary

<!-- Aligned to OurDigital_Visual_Style_Guide_v2.1 (2026-06-05) -->

Quick reference for translating abstract concepts into visual elements.  
Default direction: **bright editorial minimalism with conceptual depth** — light/warm-neutral backgrounds, 30%+ negative space, one clear focal metaphor, one human-scale anchor.

## Technology & Digital

| Concept | Preferred Metaphor | Alternatives | Avoid |
|---------|-------------------|--------------|-------|
| AI | Co-writing desk, translucent companion shape, mirror | Soft geometric overlay, window reflection | Robot face, glowing brain, Terminator mood, crystalline growth |
| Algorithm | Path map, constellation over paper, sorting trays | Gentle maze, flow chart as art | Black-box cube, surveillance grid |
| Data | Flowing dots, paper charts, seed-like particles | Water stream, gentle scatter | Neon matrix, endless binary code |
| SEO/Search | Compass, map, signpost, light through shelves | Library index, folded path | Magnifying glass cliché alone |
| Automation | Clockwork garden, conveyor of paper, small helpful mechanism | Self-assembling organic structure | Industrial robot arm, factory dystopia |
| Network | Roots, threads, bridges, neurons, community table | Constellation, river delta | Spider web trap, dark cables |
| Privacy | Curtain, frosted glass, closed notebook, soft boundary | One-way window | Lock icon alone, heavy shadow |
| Content | Notebook, seeds, layered paper, archive boxes, small lamp | Open shelves | Generic document icons |
| Code | Musical notation, blueprint detail | DNA strands | Heavy terminal/green-code imagery |

## Social & Cultural

| Concept | Preferred Metaphor | Alternatives | Avoid |
|---------|-------------------|--------------|-------|
| Identity | Layered paper portrait, reflection in window, fingerprint as landscape | Translucent profile | Faceless mask overload |
| Community | Shared table, overlapping circles, lighted windows | Small bridges, woven threads | Crowd silhouettes in darkness |
| Isolation | Single lit desk, island of paper, window distance | Empty chair in warm light | Lonely person in black void |
| Communication | Threads, folded letters, bridge, echo rings | Light beams | Speech bubble clutter |
| Trust | Clear water, open notebook, steady lamp | Transparent materials | Handshake stock image |
| Reputation | Ripples, layered traces, visible footprints | Soft badges | Star-rating cliché |
| Change | Folded paper becoming path, seed from circuit, gentle transition | Phase shift, seasonal cycle | Dramatic explosion, shattered pattern |

## Philosophical & Abstract

| Concept | Preferred Metaphor | Alternatives | Avoid |
|---------|-------------------|--------------|-------|
| Time | Calendar pages, soft spiral, sediment-like paper layers | Loops, tide marks | Melting clock cliché |
| Knowledge | Lamp, window light, open book, growing plant | Expanding shelves | Glowing brain |
| Uncertainty | Foggy path, half-open door, incomplete map | Soft blur at edges | Storm clouds only |
| Balance | Asymmetrical stones, mobile, table edge, quiet scale | Tensegrity | Literal scale icon only |
| Paradox | Möbius paper strip, two paths meeting, shadow/light on same object | Nested frames | Escher-like complexity overload |
| Wisdom | Window overlooking depth, layered book spines | Ancient stone in light | Heavy mystical imagery |
| Choice | Diverging paths, open doors, fork in paper map | Branching thread | Dramatic split/explosion |

## Emotional States

| Emotion | Visual Translation | Color Guidance |
|---------|-------------------|----------------|
| Anxiety | Fragmented grids, incomplete maps | Desaturated warm neutrals; avoid pure glitch |
| Hope | Light breaking through window, seedling | Warm gradients on light background |
| Melancholy | Single lit desk, soft dissolution | Muted blues on ivory; avoid black void |
| Joy | Expansion patterns, open space | Bright, ascending on warm white |
| Peace | Still water, open notebook | Soft neutrals, generous negative space |
| Clarity | Clean geometry, clear window | Pure, minimal with one accent |

## Signature Motifs (Brand Consistency)

| Motif | Description |
|-------|-------------|
| **Threshold Spaces** | Doorways, bridges, windows, paths, liminal rooms — transition |
| **Network Organic** | Roots, threads, neurons, constellations as soft digital networks |
| **Fragment Philosophy** | Folded paper, layered cards, gentle fragmentation and reassembly |
| **Light Studies** | Knowledge/uncertainty via window light, lamps, soft gradients |
| **Human Traces** | Hands, desks, notebooks, chairs, small figures within conceptual scenes |

## Recommended Color Palettes

| Palette | Background | Accent | Mood |
|---------|-----------|--------|------|
| Morning Desk | `#F7F3EA` warm ivory | `#4A90A4` muted teal | calm, thoughtful |
| Soft Technology | `#F6F8FA` cloud white | `#F2A65A` warm amber | clear, quietly optimistic |
| Warm Data | `#FFF8EF` soft cream | `#5EAAA8` soft turquoise | human, analytical |
| Clear Critique | `#F4F6F8` light gray | `#E07A5F` soft coral | critical but not aggressive |
| Human Network | `#FAF9F6` off-white | `#8AB17D` muted green | organic, connected |

**Dark color limit:** max 15% of canvas; never full dark background by default.

## Korean Design Elements

| Korean Element | Western Parallel | Application |
|----------------|-----------------|-------------|
| 여백 (Empty space) | Negative space | Active emptiness — 30%+ default |
| 달항아리 (Moon jar) | Minimalism | Roundness, asymmetry, soft white |
| 한지 texture | Paper grain | Subtle background texture only |
| 산수화 (Landscape) | Editorial landscape | Atmospheric depth without ornament |

**Avoid:** decorative oriental motifs, calligraphy clichés, 오방색 as obvious symbols — express Korean sensibility through spacing and restraint, not surface pattern.

## Usage Notes

1. **Layer metaphors**: Combine 2–3 elements; one clear focal object + one human-scale anchor
2. **Avoid clichés**: No obvious tech icons (robot, glowing brain, magnifying glass alone)
3. **Match essay tone**: bright → practical guides; balanced → analysis; warmer → personal reflections
4. **30%+ negative space**: default; minimum 20% only when composition needs density
5. **Human trace required**: include hand, desk, figure, window, or everyday object unless topic demands pure abstraction

## Quick Selection Guide

For **technology essays**: organic-digital hybrid forms in a light, human-scale environment  
For **social commentary**: network patterns with small human traces  
For **philosophy pieces**: calm symbolic scenes with Zen-like spacing  
For **practical guides**: clean editorial diagrams with warm accents  
For **personal reflections**: soft everyday scenes with metaphorical detail
