Project 2: Nothing but a Number

Over the next week you will create one poster every day.

Each day, find a single number from a different subject area that interests you and spend your time thinking about how the scale of that value could be communicated formally. Create a visual representation using one of the seven retinal variables defined by Jacques Bertin (position, size, shape, value, hue, orientation, texture) to encode its value—use a different retinal variable on each poster.

The poster must include a visual representation of the number and a reference to the data source. You can add additional text or formal elements (e.g., lines, shapes, gradients) if necessary, but refrain from using photography. The poster should be visually pleasing and should communicate well. Composition, form, typography, and color should fit with the subject matter. Each day, upload your design to our shared folder. Next week, bring your 7 posters to class and pin them up.

Be ready to discuss why you chose the number and subject area. For each graphic decision, think about why you are doing it. Is it the best way to display the number? Does it help the viewer understand the subject better than simply printing the number in 200 pt. type would?

Keep in mind that a number in isolation has no inherent meaning. Half of the task your posters need to accomplish is to communicate what the number represents (i.e., what it is). The second half is explaining how big or small or different that value is (i.e., compared to what?). So even if you’re only attempting to communicate a single number, you will likely need to represent additional ones to provide context for that latter question.

This is an iterative warm-up exercise that will ultimately be useful in exploring subject areas for your final project. Consider a broad range of topics but move quickly and step lightly—there will be plenty of time for overthinking things later on!

References

BBC×365
Interactive Type

Details

In-class Format: 7 × 7" (trimmed, full bleed).
Digital Format: 2,000 × 2,000 pixel PNG image.
Data: One number (and as many other values as are necessary to contextualize it) per poster plus a URL identifying your source.
Due: Online each day between 7–14 September. Presented in class on 14 September.

Open the “Nothing but a Number” folder in Google Drive and create a new folder inside it with the first part of your Pratt email address as its name (for instance, I would create a new folder and rename it to cswineha). Each day you will upload a new PNG file using the following names:

After you’ve uploaded your seventh image, create a Google Slides presentation in the same folder named week-1 and place each of your images on a separate page. For each slide, add some additional text fields so you have the following elements:

For our class meeting, print the posters out and trim off any margins so that each sheet is a 7" square. The poster itself doesn’t need to include the data source or hyperlink information (but if you find it helps the design, feel free to include them). Bring push-pins to class.