By Jenna French
What did you learn?
Overall, this project brought together many different techniques that we have learned throughout the semester, but it also introduced me to some new ones as well. For example, I learned how to add a second stroke to an already existing stroke in Illustrator. Also, I learned how to make the second or first stroke a dotted or dashed line to enhance the overall appearance of my work. Additionally, I learned how to warp text in Illustrator, and I was able to practice this technique when I created my town banner.
What was easy?
When reflecting on this project, I thought that one of the easiest steps was adding the final finishing touches to the project. Throughout the project, I was able to be very creative, but I found that towards the end, I was really able to mess around with the overall appearance of the map. I ended up designing a flower, a house, and a church that I added to the map to bring it to life. I was able to create whatever I wanted that would fit with the map, and I decided on these three elements. After re-watching class tutorials, I realized that I could use the shape tool to create some of these objects, which made it easy and fun as well.
What was challenging?
The most challenging part of this project was placing all of my symbols, legend, town banner, and scale throughout the map because I wanted to ensure that it didn’t feel overcrowded and so on. Throughout the course of this project, I had to constantly change the size or the location of some of these elements, and it was hard to decide what to put where.
How could your submission be improved?
To improve my submission, I would have changed some of the colors included in my color scheme. At first, I thought all of these colors went well together, but after finishing the project, I have noticed that the orange is too harsh in comparison with all of the other colors. I think I should have toned this color down a bit.
How could the professor improve the assignment for next class?
After completing the project, I thought it would have been helpful if we also completed a lab that focused on symbol design. The skills gained from this lab could then be applied to our final infographic.
How might you apply your knowledge in future assignments or work scenarios?
Similar to other projects, this knowledge can be applied to my future career in journalism. As a journalist, you’re expected to have a wide range of skills, and the skills gained from this project can be applied to creating graphics to accompany stories. Many times journalists create infographics similar to these to showcase data, which makes it easier for the reader to review and understand the data.
How did a specific reading or video inspire or help you?
To get some inspiration, I looked through the PowerPoint with other student examples and also took a look at Behance. On this website, the map infographics were really detailed, and it made me inspired to also include extra details in my own infographic. For example, I decided to use the pen or shape tool to create the flower, house, and church to add to my infographic. Also, I found it helpful to review the class videos and took some inspiration from the tutorial on creating a compass rose.