What is the origin of the idiom "blow something out of proportion" and when to use it?

The idiom "blow something out of proportion" originates from the realm of visual metaphor. It conveys the idea of exaggerating or magnifying the significance or seriousness of an event, issue, or situation beyond its actual or reasonable scale. This idiom suggests that someone has made something seem much more important, alarming, or dramatic than it truly is, often resulting in unnecessary panic or overreaction.