INFORMATION DESIGN: EXERCISES
WEEK 01 (04/01/2022 - 09/01/2022)
Alicia Teng Yi Ling (0345159) / Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative
Media
Information Design
Exercises
LECTURE
Week 01 (04/01/2021)
During our first lecture, Miss Anis briefed us on the Module Information
Booklet (MIB). Following this, Mr. Martin told us what we would be doing for the next few weeks. They mostly talked about our first exercise which is quantifying data and our group project: Animated Infographics.
Week 01 (06/01/2021)
Today, Miss Anis gave us an introduction to Information Visualisation.
Currently, we live in a visual information culture. It is responsible
with the rise of the statistical thinking and widespread data
collection for planning & commerce.
The goal of visualising information is to present the complex
information of the world in a simple way by using uncomplicated terms.
Information design aims to increase more knowledge by displaying
through spatial, quantitative, and chronological relationships.
Following this, Mr. Martin gave us a lecture on Motion Graphics.
What is Motion Graphics?
Basically means Graphics in Movement.
Composition + Animation = Motion Graphics
Graphics + Typography = Composition
Movement + Rhythm = Animation
Motion Graphics Design Process:
- Write a script which tells a story
- Storyboard while brainstorming the visual treatment
- Take your storyboards into design
- Animate the final designs
INSTRUCTIONS
Exercises
Exercise 01: Quantify and Visualize Data
Exercise 01: Quantify & Visualize Data
Idea Development
Choice of Data & Breakdown
To start off, I was in the class physically and was given the option to
choose between legos and buttons of which I chose the latter. These were
provided by Miss Anis. I decided on purple buttons because I thought hey
were pretty and looked like little variations of the stone ‘amethyst’
which is my birthstone (hence why I named them amethyst
buttons).
The first image is simply all of the chosen buttons in one large pile
unsorted.
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Fig 1.1 Chosen Buttons (04/01/2022) |
Following this, I began to sort them out by size, colour, the finish of the buttons (glossy or matte) and finally by number of holes.
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Fig 1.2 Arranged Buttons (04/01/2022) |
Layout Organization
This was a preliminary idea in which I tried out an aesthetic manner to president my button infographics however I decided to go with the second trial design as I preferred the outcome and it looked not only more clean in presentation but also illustrated the information and facts better.
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Fig 1.3 Testing Buttons Arrangement (04/01/2022) |
In my final design outcome for the buttons infographic, I added wavy lines to illustrated the natural waves in amethyst stones and to create a sort of barrier between the two-hole and four-hole buttons.
Final Quantify and Visualized Data
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Fig 2.1 Final Visualized Quantified Buttons (06/01/2022) |
Exercise 02: L.A.T.C.H
Idea Development
Data Research
I started off by thinking what kind of information I wanted my
infographic to have. I first chose the general topic: Pokémon. Then from
there, I thought about focusing on the Pokémon "Eevee" and all of the
different evolutions of Eevee. I decided to sort them by type, name,
generation and national dex number.
- Eevee (Normal) - Generation I - #133
- Vaporeon (Water) Generation I - #134
- Jolteon (Electric) Generation I - #135
- Flareon (Fire) Generation I - #136
- Espeon (Psychic) Generation II - #196
- Umbreon (Dark) Generation II - #197
- Leafeon (Grass) Generation IV - #470
- Glaceon (Ice) Generation IV - #471
- Sylveon (Fairy) Generation VI - #700
Eevee (イーブイ Iibui) is a Normal-type Pokemon introduced in
Generation I.
It's well known for being the Pokemon with the highest number of
evolution possibilities (8), due to its unstable genetic makeup.
Research reference:
- https://www.pokemon.com/us/pokedex/eevee
- https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Eevee_(Pok%C3%A9mon)#:~:text=Eevee%20(Japanese%3A%20%E3%82%A4%E3%83%BC%E3%83%96%E3%82%A4%20Eievui),exposed%20to%20a%20Thunder%20Stone
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Fig 3.1 Eevee & All Evolution Types |
Sketches
Moving on, I started creating sketches using Adobe Photoshop. I wanted to create platforms for the Pokémon to stand on for categorisation and I ended up deciding to do floating islands as I wanted the background to be a sky with clouds. For some flair, I added a text box at the bottom saying “Eevee is evolving!” Just like in game when a Pokémon evolves.
I placed the different types with their icons in a box for better organisation and put their generations, names and dex numbers next to the Pokémon to allow people to see which details match to the specific Eevee for ease of readability. For further clarification, I put the type once again next to the Pokémon.
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Fig 3.2 Sketch 1 |
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Fig 3.3 Sketch 2 |
Progression
To start off, I created the title using the standard Pokémon title
with a transparent background then I added the word Eeveelutions
underneath using a font I downloaded (Named "Pokémon Solid") to match
the above title.
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Fig 4.1 Title |
Following this, I begun sorting information into boxes to make it easier for viewers to read and for general organization and aesthetics. The first box containing information about the classification of the infographic. The second box showing the types of Pokémon and their symbols beside the type names. The third and final box having general information and facts about Eevee.
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Fig 4.2 Information Displayed |
Using a free pixel art creator on an online website, I begun making the
islands for the Pokémon's and decided to for a part of each island to
reflect the type of eevees that would be stood on it.
I started off with a basic green grass island as the base for each island
and modified it from there. I used this for the unevolved eevee who is a
normal type.
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Fig 4.3 Base: Basic Green Grass Island |
Next, I added patches of yellow and red grass for Jolteon and Flareon
then a pond for vaporeon.
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Fig 4.4 Island for Evolved Gen I |
For this island, I split it down the middle and one side was dark grey
and the other pastel purple for Umbreon and Espeon.
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Fig 4.5 Island for Evolved Gen II |
I left this islands base mostly untouched and instead added a glacier
and ice blocks on one side for Glaceon and increased the flowers +
falling petals and leaves for Leafeon.
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Fig 4.6 Island for Evolved Gen IV |
Lastly, for one of my favourite evolutions, I created a fully pink,
sakura inspired island with a heart at the side for Sylveon.
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Fig 4.7 Island for Evolved Gen VI |
Final L.A.T.C.H Infographic
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Fig 5.1 Final L.A.T.C.H Pokémon Infographic |
Feedback
Quantifying Data Exercise:
04/01/2022
- Make labels clearer
L.A.T.C.H Exercise:
17/01/2022
- Miss Anis said both the sketches look alright but between the two of them, the second one has more pep to it.
21/01/2022
- This is informative, good job.
Reflection
Experience
For exercise 2, it was my first time trying pixel art so I was super excited about that. It was fun looking at inspiration and attempting to do it on my own although I did struggle at first with pixel placement. Additionally, a lot of the games I love currently have a pixel art style (E.g. Stardew Valley and Terraria) so it was interesting to be able to learn about this and tap a little into the pixel art world.
Observations
I observed that the buttons in exercise one actually have different textures on each side so it was a bit difficult to sort them but eventually I realised that there is a slight curve on one side of them so I arranged them based on the texture of that side.
Findings
I found that when organising specific details with corresponding icons/symbols, the information tends to be easier to comprehend and sticks in the mind longer for them.
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