5 things to read and see
This week, read about the importance of the human aspect of data, understand how creativity can be used to connect people and cultures and see an excellent cover about the Hindu holiday Holi.
1. Data humanism: The revolutionary future of data visualization
This is an amazing article by Giorgia Lupi, design director of Accurat and co-author of the Dear Data series, on why we need to change the way we think about data and visualize it. Data is human-driven, complex and nuanced, and designers should spend time making sure that it is presented that way.
2. Nancy Skolos + Thomas Wedell: Connectivity through aesthetics
Skolos and Wedell have worked for years to help make conflict or tragedy more human through their poster designs. They stress the importance of understanding other people and “using aesthetics to motivate people’s thinking.” This article displays some of their best work and what they have aimed to achieve with them.
3. Create a busy city scene in Illustrator
The craziest and wildest Illustrator scenes often look super time consuming to create, but this article breaks down the process of creating vibrant, fun and busy scenes without going bonkers. One of my favorite tools to use when making these? Copy and paste. It’s a lifesaver.
4. Ideas and how to kill them — tools to help evaluate creative ideas
This is a cool article that explains what makes ideas creative and how you should judge creative ideas. If you think you have ideas like this, it also details how you should elicit critique and evaluate them.
5. When maps become art
Maps are informative, useful, colorful and incorporate numerous design elements. In the right hands, they can even become absolutely beautiful works of art. This article highlights some of the extraordinary graphic designers who have taken maps to the next level.
Page Designs
- Looking for answers | The Daily Orange, Syracuse University
Placing the beginning of the article on top of a simple environmental portrait really enhances the bold statement as the headline. It’s a great way to present a longform story on the front page in a way that really interests the reader.
2. A part of Appalachia | The Post, Ohio University
Simple, bold and effective. It uses a clean 2D design and a bright pop of eye-catching color that helps to emphasize the point of the story. Using the mountaintop as the “a” in “Appalachia” is a really clever touch.
3. SF Film Festival | The Daily Californian, University of California Berkeley
I love the illustration of the bridge and the thick puffy clouds. It gives the page more dimension and enhances the San Francisco theme. Using clean typography with the big pictures keeps the page informative without being overwhelming.
4. Fight of his life | Central Michigan Life, Central Michigan University
The composition of this photo is excellent. Your eye is immediately drawn to the student before glancing over and reading the headline and deck, which is nicely set against the white sheets in the image. The dark plum border holds the whole page together, and creates a nice, clean backdrop for the cover.
5. April Showers | The Daily Pennsylvanian, University of Pennsylvania
This cover is a beautiful way to highlight Holi, while still bringing attention to the numerous other pieces of news that are on the front page. I especially enjoy the way the headline has been integrated into the photo.
If you think you have a well-designed page or a good read to share for the next roundup, email me at shays2@elon.edu
Students, did you know you can join the Society for News Design for as little as $5 a month?
