Communicate Information Effectively through Illustration

Information Design is everywhere. It is the stop sign you see on your corner, the evacuation directions in case of emergency on an airplane, or the CPR guide at the pool. It is a visual representation of information or a set of directions for the sole purpose of the viewer's understanding.

 In this class, we are going to look at examples of information design and how it can be communicated effectively through illustration. I am going to walk you through what works and what doesn't, and you are going to learn how to communicate information in new and interesting ways—engaging, effective, and beautiful.

What You'll Learn

You will learn what it means to communicate information effectively — from your perspective while injecting your own creativity and style. We'll cover:

• Introduction. We will look at examples of information and process design in public spaces, and identify what works and what doesn't.
• Identifying your Topic & Collecting Inspiration. I prepared a brief for you to work on. You will collect information to organize and design, and I will share with you resources.
• Generating Ideas & Making Ugly Sketches. Getting ideas from your head on paper.
• Refining Your Sketches. You will be creating tighter drawings of your ugly sketches. At this stage, the flow and the elements of your illustrations should be clearly defined.
• Creating the Final Illustration. Digitizing your illustrations into a fully understandable, visually appealing piece of information design. I will share some tips on how I use Illustrator and Photoshop. 

What You'll Do

Airline companies have different airplane safety cards. For this class, we will make our own version. The task is to make your piece more effective in communication and more beautiful through illustration.

Through this process you will understand how to combine form with function, and you will begin to look at communication & information design in your day to day life with a critical eye. This skill is a necessary design skill, and one that will greatly improve your visual communication.

• Trailer
• Hello
• Identifying the Topic and Collecting Information
• Choosing information & gathering inspiration
• Ideas and Ugly Sketches
• Adding Flow to your Ugly Sketches
• Refining your Sketch
• Creating the Base Vectors
• Adding Textures & Color Effect Part 1
• Adding Textures & Color Effect Part 2
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