Assignment for October 28th! (Homework at bottom of post)

Project 7: Infographics and Time Management!

Our next project will be one that merges artwork creation and technique with practical application!  As freshmen, your first semester is full of moments where we succumb to the pressures of juggling our lives and maintaing a keen sense of time management.  We have trouble meeting deadlines, and sometimes arrive to school with next to know energy.  As our first Illustrator-only project, we will create infographics that document the way we spend our time each week!  As we work on this project, you will become more aware of the true amount of time each of us have, and come up with ways you can better allocate your time!  Phase one of the project is indicated below.

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Infographics are defined as:

in·fo·graph·ic

ˌinfōˈgrafik/

noun

plural noun: infographics

1. 1.
   a visual image such as a chart or diagram used to represent information or data.
   
   "a good infographic is worth a thousand words"

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Their use has risen in prominence over the years, and now you are able to find info graphics just about anywhere on the internet! As a point of reference here are some websites with tons of info graphics for examples! You can find more with a quick google search.

• http://blog.visual.ly/20-great-infographics-of-2012/
• http://www.creativebloq.com/graphic-design-tips/information-graphics-1232836
• http://trendland.com/10-great-infographics-for-graphic-designers/
• http://readwrite.com/2013/06/10/5-tools-for-creating-your-own-infographics#awesm=~ol6spFPC6tpvUQ
• http://www.good.is/infographics

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For homework:

Part 1:  Research

A.  Find 3 info graphics that are indicative of the level of polish and quality you want to achieve in your work in illustrator. Look for these things when selecting your image:

• Clarity of the message and information presented.
• Cleanliness and Craftsmanship.
• Visual hierarchy of information.
• Overall alignment and spacing of elements of the image.

B.  After you select each image, save a copy to bring with you to class. Write on your blog why you selected each image.  What about the information presented appeals to you?  What were you first attracted to when viewing the graphic-- the way the information was presented, or the information itself.

Part 2: Documentation and information gathering.

A.  Open up microsoft excel.  Create a table that documents your life on a weekly basis. I will review creating things in microsoft excel on Monday, but for those of you that missed class today, remember these things:

1. You can click on a square to type into it.  You can navigate around each cel with the arrow keys on the keyboard.
2. You can change the alignment of the type, and the font the same way you can in Microsoft Word.

B. Your table should be divided by each day of the week, and divided along the edges by 30 minute increments, similar to the example below.

(edit: noticed my image was not uploaded until 5:53, Thursday.  So sorry!)

C. Fill in the chart with Details on how you spend each block of time during your week. More detail is better!  We will use this information to create your infographic!

Part 3: Creation of your infographic

Start work on your infographic project!  Come up with an idea for how you want to convey the information presented, draw up some sketches, and begin work on your project in Adobe Illustrator!