{"id":6664,"date":"2026-08-20T07:55:10","date_gmt":"2026-08-20T10:55:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/revistaabcd.org.br\/visual-abstract-step-by-step\/"},"modified":"2026-08-20T08:02:59","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T11:02:59","slug":"visual-abstract-step-by-step","status":"publish","type":"blog-posts","link":"https:\/\/revistaabcd.org.br\/pt-br\/visual-abstract-step-by-step\/","title":{"rendered":"Designing a visual abstract, step by step"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.abcd-guide .wrap{max-width:1180px;margin:0 auto;padding:0 24px}\n.abcd-guide .topbar .wrap{display:flex;justify-content:flex-end;align-items:center;gap:14px;height:36px;font-size:.9rem}\n.abcd-guide footer .wrap{display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:22px;justify-content:space-between;align-items:center}\n.abcd-guide .wh-step{display:flex;gap:16px;background:#fff;border:1px solid #E5DEDA;border-radius:12px;padding:18px;margin-bottom:12px;transition:transform .2s,box-shadow .2s}\n.abcd-guide .wh-step:hover{transform:translateX(6px);box-shadow:0 10px 22px rgba(47,72,88,.12)}\n.abcd-guide .wh-num{flex-shrink:0;width:34px;height:34px;border-radius:50%;background:#932C2C;color:#fff;font-family:Montserrat,sans-serif;font-weight:800;font-size:.95rem;display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:center}\n.abcd-guide .wh-step h4{font-size:.92rem;color:#2F4858;margin-bottom:4px}\n.abcd-guide .wh-step p{font-family:\"Lora\",Georgia,serif;font-size:.86rem;color:#555;line-height:1.65;margin:0}\n.abcd-guide .wh-flow{display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;align-items:stretch;gap:8px;margin:18px 0 6px}\n.abcd-guide .wh-fbox{flex:1;min-width:120px;background:#FFE4DE;border:1.5px solid #932C2C;border-radius:10px;padding:10px 12px;text-align:center;transition:transform .2s,background .2s}\n.abcd-guide .wh-fbox:hover{transform:translateY(-4px);background:#fff}\n.abcd-guide .wh-fbox b{display:block;font-family:Raleway,sans-serif;font-size:.72rem;font-weight:800;letter-spacing:.06em;text-transform:uppercase;color:#932C2C}\n.abcd-guide .wh-fbox span{font-family:\"Lora\",Georgia,serif;font-size:.72rem;color:#7C848C}\n.abcd-guide .wh-arrow{align-self:center;color:#932C2C;font-weight:800;font-size:1.1rem}\n.abcd-guide .wh-dont{display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat(auto-fit,minmax(240px,1fr));gap:12px;margin:14px 0}\n.abcd-guide .wh-dont>div{border-radius:10px;padding:14px 16px;font-family:\"Lora\",Georgia,serif;font-size:.85rem;line-height:1.6}\n.abcd-guide .wh-yes{background:#EFF6EF;border:1.5px solid #2F7A4D;color:#24462F}\n.abcd-guide .wh-no{background:#FBEDEB;border:1.5px solid #932C2C;color:#6B2020}\n.abcd-guide .wh-tip{background:#FAF7F5;border-left:4px solid #5E7998;border-radius:8px;padding:14px 18px;font-family:\"Lora\",Georgia,serif;font-size:.88rem;color:#3d4b57;line-height:1.65;margin:16px 0}\n.abcd-guide .wh-posts{display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat(auto-fit,minmax(230px,1fr));gap:14px;margin:16px 0 8px}\n.abcd-guide .wh-post{display:block;background:#fff;border:1px solid #E5DEDA;border-radius:12px;padding:16px;transition:transform .2s,box-shadow .2s}\n.abcd-guide .wh-post:hover{transform:translateY(-4px);box-shadow:0 12px 24px rgba(147,44,44,.13)}\n.abcd-guide .wh-post .cat{display:inline-block;background:#FFE4DE;color:#932C2C;font-family:Raleway,sans-serif;font-size:.6rem;font-weight:800;letter-spacing:.08em;text-transform:uppercase;padding:3px 10px;border-radius:99px;margin-bottom:8px}\n.abcd-guide .wh-post h4{font-size:.9rem;color:#2F4858;line-height:1.4;margin:0}\n.abcd-guide .wh-sec{font-size:1.25rem;font-weight:800;color:#932C2C;margin:44px 0 6px;padding-bottom:8px;border-bottom:2px solid #FFE4DE}\n.abcd-guide .wh-lead{font-family:\"Lora\",Georgia,serif;font-size:.95rem;color:#555;line-height:1.7;margin:12px 0 18px}\n.abcd-guide .wh-author{font-family:Raleway,sans-serif;font-size:.72rem;color:#7C848C;margin-top:10px}\n.abcd-guide .dgm{border:2px dashed #BFA5A2;border-radius:14px;padding:18px;margin:18px 0;background:#fff}\n.abcd-guide .dgm-cap{font-family:Raleway,sans-serif;font-size:.7rem;color:#BFA5A2;margin:-6px 0 16px}\n.abcd-guide .tl{display:flex;align-items:center;gap:8px;flex-wrap:wrap}\n.abcd-guide .tl .wh-fbox{min-width:110px;flex:1}<\/style>\n<div class=\"abcd-guide\"><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\", \"@type\": \"Article\", \"headline\": \"Designing a visual abstract, step by step\", \"description\": \"Step-by-step visual abstract guide: three-panel skeleton, free tools and social media export. Multiply your article's reach.\", \"author\": {\"@type\": \"Person\", \"name\": \"Francisco Tustumi\"}, \"publisher\": {\"@type\": \"Organization\", \"name\": \"ABCD - Arquivos Brasileiros de Cirurgia Digestiva\"}, \"inLanguage\": \"en\"}<\/script>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\", \"@type\": \"FAQPage\", \"mainEntity\": [{\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"Do I need a designer to make a visual abstract?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"No. PowerPoint, Canva or BioRender, with free icons from Noun Project or Flaticon, get it done in under an hour.\"}}, {\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"Does the visual abstract replace the abstract?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"No \u2014 it complements it. It is the visual gateway that leads readers to the abstract and the full paper.\"}}, {\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"Do visual abstracts really increase reach?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"Yes: randomized evaluations in surgical journals showed far more impressions and article visits when shared with a visual abstract.\"}}]}<\/script>\n<style>.abcd-guide .kt{background:#FFF7F4;border:1.5px solid #FFE4DE;border-radius:12px;padding:16px 20px;margin:6px 0 22px}\n.abcd-guide .kt b{display:block;font-family:Raleway,sans-serif;font-size:.64rem;font-weight:800;letter-spacing:.1em;text-transform:uppercase;color:#932C2C;margin-bottom:8px}\n.abcd-guide .kt ul{margin:0;padding-left:18px}\n.abcd-guide .kt li{font-family:\"Lora\",Georgia,serif;font-size:.86rem;color:#555;line-height:1.7}\n.abcd-guide .faq h3{font-size:1.1rem;font-weight:800;color:#932C2C;margin:34px 0 12px;padding-bottom:6px;border-bottom:2px solid #FFE4DE}\n.abcd-guide .faq details{background:#fff;border:1px solid #E5DEDA;border-radius:10px;margin-bottom:8px;overflow:hidden}\n.abcd-guide .faq summary{cursor:pointer;font-family:Raleway,sans-serif;font-weight:700;font-size:.88rem;color:#2F4858;padding:13px 16px;list-style:none;display:flex;justify-content:space-between;align-items:center;transition:background .2s}\n.abcd-guide .faq summary:hover{background:#FAF7F5}\n.abcd-guide .faq summary::after{content:'+';font-family:Montserrat,sans-serif;font-weight:800;color:#932C2C;font-size:1.1rem}\n.abcd-guide .faq details[open] summary::after{content:'\\2212'}\n.abcd-guide .faq details p{font-family:\"Lora\",Georgia,serif;font-size:.86rem;color:#555;line-height:1.7;padding:0 16px 14px;margin:0}<\/style>\n\n<div class=\"wrap\" style=\"max-width:860px;padding:30px 24px 50px\">\n<a href=\"https:\/\/revistaabcd.org.br\/pt-br\/writing-hub\/\" style=\"font-family:Raleway,sans-serif;font-size:.76rem;font-weight:700;color:#5E7998\">&larr; Writing Hub<\/a>\n\n<p class=\"wh-lead\">A visual abstract is a one-image summary of your study &mdash; design, population, intervention and main result &mdash; built to be understood in under a minute. Journals adopted them because they work: randomized evaluations show articles shared with a visual abstract reach substantially more readers on social media.<\/p>\n<div class=\"kt\"><b>30-second summary<\/b><ul><li>One image, one message: the primary outcome only.<\/li><li>Three panels: population, intervention and the result with the headline number.<\/li><li>Export at 1200\u00d7675 and post it with the DOI.<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"va-mock\">\n  <div class=\"va-title\">STUDY TITLE IN ONE LINE<\/div>\n  <div class=\"va-panels\"><div class=\"va-panel\"><div class=\"ico\">&#128101;<\/div><b>Population<\/b><span>240 patients<br>randomized trial<\/span><\/div><div class=\"va-panel\"><div class=\"ico\">&#9878;&#65039;<\/div><b>Intervention<\/b><span>Surgery A<br>vs Surgery B<\/span><\/div><div class=\"va-panel\"><div class=\"ico\">&#128200;<\/div><b>Result<\/b><span><span class=\"va-big\">HR 0.62<\/span>95%CI 0.48&ndash;0.80<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n  <div class=\"va-footer\"><span>ABCD: Arq Bras Cir Dig &middot; DOI<\/span><span>journal logo<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p style=\"font-family:Raleway,sans-serif;font-size:.7rem;color:#BFA5A2;margin-bottom:16px\">The three-panel skeleton: population and design on the left, intervention in the center, result with the headline number on the right.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wh-step\"><div class=\"wh-num\">1<\/div><div><h4>Choose one message<\/h4><p>A visual abstract communicates the primary outcome &mdash; nothing else. Write it as a single sentence first.<\/p><\/div><\/div><div class=\"wh-step\"><div class=\"wh-num\">2<\/div><div><h4>Use the three-panel skeleton<\/h4><p>Title on top; population, intervention and result in the panels; citation and logo at the bottom.<\/p><\/div><\/div><div class=\"wh-step\"><div class=\"wh-num\">3<\/div><div><h4>Let the numbers dominate<\/h4><p>Effect sizes, percentages and hazard ratios should be the biggest elements. Icons illustrate; they never replace the data.<\/p><\/div><\/div><div class=\"wh-step\"><div class=\"wh-num\">4<\/div><div><h4>Keep the visual language consistent<\/h4><p>Two or three colors (use the journal palette), one icon family, one typeface. Free tools cover everything: Noun Project or Flaticon icons; layout in PowerPoint, Canva or BioRender.<\/p><\/div><\/div><div class=\"wh-step\"><div class=\"wh-num\">5<\/div><div><h4>Export for sharing<\/h4><p>PNG at 1200&times;675, check phone-size legibility, and post it with the article link and DOI at publication.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"wh-tip\">ABCD encourages authors to submit a visual abstract with accepted manuscripts &mdash; it multiplies the reach of your work, and ours.<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"faq\"><h3>Frequently asked questions<\/h3><details><summary>Do I need a designer to make a visual abstract?<\/summary><p>No. PowerPoint, Canva or BioRender, with free icons from Noun Project or Flaticon, get it done in under an hour.<\/p><\/details><details><summary>Does the visual abstract replace the abstract?<\/summary><p>No \u2014 it complements it. It is the visual gateway that leads readers to the abstract and the full paper.<\/p><\/details><details><summary>Do visual abstracts really increase reach?<\/summary><p>Yes: randomized evaluations in surgical journals showed far more impressions and article visits when shared with a visual abstract.<\/p><\/details><\/div>\n<div class=\"au\"><span style=\"font-size:1.5rem\">&#9997;&#65039;<\/span><p>Written by <strong>Francisco Tustumi<\/strong>, digestive system surgeon (FMUSP), associate editor of ABCD.<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"trendmd-suggestions\"><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Step-by-step visual abstract guide: three-panel skeleton, free tools and social media export. 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