The Strategic Visual Process: Hand-drawn Infographics
- Julia Bakay
- Aug 21
- 2 min read
Updated: Sep 11
What are Strategic Visuals?
Strategic Visuals are hand-drawn infographics that make complex ideas easier to understand, remember, and share - things like journey maps, strategy graphics, and process maps.
This is where I’m not just an illustrator; I’m your visual thinking partner. I step into the role of Visual Strategist, Graphic Facilitator, and Systems Thinker to help clarify your message and bring it to life in creative, engaging ways.
Building a Strategic Visual is a creative, collaborative process
Unlike Live Illustration, where - apart from the preparation - most of the illustration work and ideation happens by myself in real-time, a strategic visual is a closer collaboration.
You get to influence the development of the graphic every step along the way. My role is to help you untangle, organize, and visually communicate the essence.
We begin with a Creative Planning Call, where we align on the content, tone, and visual style. From there, the creation unfolds over three to four stages, with opportunities for feedback at each step:
Concept Draft – initial composition, layout, and rough sketches
Refined Linework – cleaning up and defining the illustration
Coloring – applying the full color palette
Shading & Final Touches – adding depth, texture, and polish
Rates for the Strategic Visuals process
I have standard rates for live illustration because the scope is clearly defined by time - whether it’s half an hour or several days. This makes pricing straightforward and predictable, as it directly reflects the amount of visual content I can create in that timeframe.
When it comes to pricing for infographics, there’s more flexibility. The beauty of it is we can tailor the scope of the project to fit your budget.
Pricing can vary a lot, depending on:
the length and source of information (e.g. conversations or written documents)
the number, size and format of the illustrated graphics
the type of artwork (e.g. fully vectorized or raster art)
your preferred art style
Building a Strategic Visual is a great experience
It’s so rewarding to see how much the teams I work with enjoy the process - often far more than they anticipated.
Turns out...
...it’s great to see that you’ve been heard.
...it’s fun to watch your ideas take a visual form.
...it’s thrilling to tap into your own creative thinking - with a graphic facilitator on board.
...and it’s such a relief to have a beautiful visual summary of something you’ve always found hard to explain!
Read on to learn more and to see more examples!
