Creative image descriptions

Auden creates transcriptions and image descriptions for blind and low vision audiences. They specialize in comics, graphic novels, and other forms of media that integrate text and image, but are also available to create image descriptions for art and social media posts.

Their descriptions are works of creative writing that communicate visual elements of theme, emotionality, and artistic principles as well as the concrete elements in the image.

For examples of Auden’s description style for artistic works, see the “Art Portfolio” tab.

In Fall 2026, Auden judged a social media alt-text writing competition at David Byrne’s Theater of the Mind, and produced these guidelines and best practices.

Orange social media graphic reads "Alt-text contest! Write alt-text for our logo and be entered to win a pair of tickets!" It features the Theater of the Mind logo and a performer in costume.
A photo of an actor performing to a group of patrons accompanies text describing best practices for image description writing.
"Alternative (alt) text ensures images are accessible to blind and low vision audience members using screen-readers to provide descriptions. TOTM's Wardrobe Supervisor, Auden Granger, will be judging and choosing the winner!"
A photo of an actor in costume accompanies text describing what to include in image descriptions.

Theater of the Mind social media content by Anna Lee Ackermann

A short guide to writing image descriptions

Best practices:

  • Think about the purpose of the original image. Why did the artist make it? What are they trying to communicate? How do you think the creators want their audience to feel?

  • Stay focused and concise, and don’t get bogged down in extraneous details. You don’t need to list everything you can see. Instead, imagine that you’re describing this image to a busy friend over the phone.

What to include:

  • Format: Is it a painting, illustration, photograph? Is it replicating or adapting an existing image?

  • Content: What does this image show? What are the primary people, places, things, and actions shown in it?

  • Information: Any details about dates, instructions, or other information that is not also communicated in accompanying text?

  • Style and Tone: Is it bright, colorful, and fun; or dreary and sad? is it a carefully staged scene, or a quick and blurry shot from a cameraphone?

omics are not textbooks, so why do we describe them that way?

Comics are not textbooks, so they shouldn’t be described with the same dry style. Each panel of a comic is one frame of a larger story, not an isolated, static illustration.

As an avid comics reader, Auden applies their love of the medium and intuitive understanding of the visual language of comics and graphic novels to create more fluid and engaging text transcriptions.

They have been hired by the University of Chicago disability services center and by others to create accessible versions of popular comics, manga, and graphic novels, including Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home, Marvel’s Daredevil, Marvel’s Young Avengers, and Bisco Hatori’s Ouran High School Host Club.

I want to work with you!

Interested in hiring me for an image description project? Email me directly at audengranger@gmail.com or using this form. Please provide information about the quantity of images and type of material to be described (graphic novel, gallery descriptions, video, etc).