Visual storytelling with dynamic digital illustrations: The legend of Shahmeran

Since ancient times, stories have served as an effective means of communication, conveying lived or fictional events and experiences that touch the emotional and mental worlds of people. Stories play a significant role in the formation of culture, reinforcing the values and beliefs of societies, enhancing their sense of identity, and greatly contributing to cultural development. With such a powerful impact on communication, storytelling has evolved beyond mere verbal expressions in today's technology-driven world, now heavily incorporating visual elements. In new media platforms, stories that combine images, sound, and text into video content have become a diverse and original means of communication, thanks to the contributions of various artists. The visualization and vocalization of stories into video content not only enhance the impact and retention of the stories but also make the narrative engaging and enjoyable by bringing together different disciplines such as digital illustration and animation. In this study, the concepts of story and storytelling have been examined culturally, and an extensive literature review on the visualization and digitalization process of stories has been conducted. Based on the gathered information, an animated video application has been developed, analysing the drawing, editing, and production stages of the story "The Legend of Shahmeran" created with two-dimensional drawings and animated scenes in the digital environment.