Annotation is writing that explains your thinking, decisions, and development as you work. It allows examiners to understand why you made choices, not just what did.
EXAMPLE – TYPOGRAPHY
Basic: I like this font.
Better: I chose a bold, sans-serif typeface to improve readability and convey energy, inspired by Paul Scher’s experimental typography.
EXAMPLE – LAYOUT
Basic: I moved elements around.
Better: I experimented with the placement of text and images to create visual balance. This helped me understand how hierarchy affects audience attention.
“Good annotation is thinking on a page”
What Annotation Is Not
Annotation is not:
•Describing what can already be seen
•Copying information from websites
•Writing only single-word labels
•Saying “I like this” without explanation
•Only writing at the end of a project
INTENTION
(What you were aiming to achieve in your work)
•My intention was to…
•I wanted to explore…
•I wanted to communicate…
•The purpose of this piece was to…
•I wanted the viewer to notice…
•I wanted to create a sense of…
•I hoped to convey…
ANALYSIS
(Observations, what works, how visual elements are used, and why)
•This works well because…
•This is effective as it…
•The use of colour/shape/texture creates…
•The composition draws attention to…
•The contrast between… helps…
•The typography communicates…
•The imagery suggests…
•The hierarchy emphasises…
DECISIONS
(The steps you took, and why you made certain choices)
•I experimented with…
•I chose this technique because…
•I selected this colour/layout/type to…
•I combined these materials to…
•I decided to use… because…
•I arranged the elements to…
•I varied/adjusted/repeated /layered… to achieve…
•I refined my approach by…
•I adapted my process when…
REFLECTION
(Evaluating your work and suggesting next steps)
•This worked well because…
•This experiment helped me understand…
•If I developed this further, I would…
•I learned that…
•I was surprised by…
•I would improve… by…
•One strength of this work is…
MAKING LINKS
(Making connections between your work and other influences)
•This was inspired by…
•Similar to [artist/designer], I…
•This relates to… because…
•I adapted the techniques of…
•I referenced… in order to…
•I combined ideas from… to…
•This technique/style reflects the work of…
“So What?”
Always ask yourself: So what? Why does this matter? What does it show?
Good annotation always explains why or how it matters.