The Challenge
A brief of creating a poster displaying data relating to climate change was assigned. Data for GDP/capita, Human Development Index, Population, CO2 emissions, Child Mortality, Life Expectancy and Annual Freshwater Withdrawals for 8 countries were determined and researched in order to visually present and compare the effects of climate change between 1950 and 2018.
Different vector-based strategies were implemented in order to create visually compelling, minimal data sets that were easy for viewers to discern.
Project Summary
The poster title “Approaching Apocalypse?” was pinned as a question to the readers of the climate change article. It reflects how many people feel when they question the situation.
Inspiration
Globe-Like Map Design
I took inspiration from this image when creating my world map. This design allows viewers to draw the connection of “only one Earth” when examining the map on the infographic.
Radial Graphs
I was inspired to create data that followed the circular layout of the map. This carried through GDP/HDI and Annual Freshwater Withdrawals.
Orbital Information
I was inspired to create information with gravity that circled around the map. The challenging part was balancing aesthetic with information, and creating a poster that was more data-focused.
Sketches
Charts, Tables, and Maps
The initial graphing explored circular graphs and comparisons, as well as bar graphs and line graphs.
Different colours were assigned to the 8 countries, based on how high their emission rates were. These colours carried on throughout all of the data.
The initial layout of the main theme of the poster was explored in the first version. Initial forms of data were implemented in an orbital fashion, gravitating around the globe. The first version was cramped, and it soon became challenging to fit all of the required data.
The Human Development Index and GDP/capita were laid out in a way where the data sets could not be properly compared.
The size and orientation of the second version was adjusted to accommodate for all of the required information on the poster. Some orbital graphs were removed, and changed to bar graphs that radiated from the center of the globe. Annual Freshwater Withdrawal information was added, but the body text appeared lost in the main text.
CO2 emission data appeared small and difficult to discern when it was supposed to be one of the most vital pieces of data.
Solution
The final version of the poster followed the grid more firmly, and allowed for CO2 emissions to appear as a more integral component of the poster. The colour palette was adjusted so the information could become more digestible by the viewer.
Project Information
Project Type
School Project
School
MacEwan University
Date
November 2020
My Role
Data visualization
Typesetting
Vector illustration
Design Tools
Illustrator, InDesign