Graphic Design for Blog Journalism?
March 23, 2003 12:10 PM Subscribe
Sean-Paul Kelley and Nick Denton have some amateur infographics of the Iraq conflict online. [more inside]
A good "infographic" takes a lot of work. You have to do the research and then figure out how to represent the information in a manner that's both informative and accurate.
As someone who does infographics from time to time for a living, it seems like too much work for something as disposable as a blog entry. I was reading an interview the other day (sorry, I forget where) where the interviewer asked an illustrator why he didn't put more illustrations on his blog and the reply was, "It's just too much work."
posted by blamb at 12:35 PM on March 23, 2003
As someone who does infographics from time to time for a living, it seems like too much work for something as disposable as a blog entry. I was reading an interview the other day (sorry, I forget where) where the interviewer asked an illustrator why he didn't put more illustrations on his blog and the reply was, "It's just too much work."
posted by blamb at 12:35 PM on March 23, 2003
That was my initial thought, but then I thought of how much effort go into Fark and SA Photoshop contests :-)
posted by oissubke at 12:47 PM on March 23, 2003
posted by oissubke at 12:47 PM on March 23, 2003
While Nick Denton's MS Paint skills are above reproach... I'd like to point out that his map is... bad.
"Infographic" and "Map" creation are two different skills entirely. I studied Cartography at university, and while I don't share the prevailing academic notion that "Graphic Designers never make good maps," I do agree that they "rarely make good maps."
Neither of these maps are good... the second is more obviously bad than the first.
BUT... they are filling a niche! I'm unaware of a map produced by the news media that attempts the convey spatial information at the scope of the first link attempts. So... their hearts are in the right place.
posted by cadastral at 12:58 PM on March 23, 2003
"Infographic" and "Map" creation are two different skills entirely. I studied Cartography at university, and while I don't share the prevailing academic notion that "Graphic Designers never make good maps," I do agree that they "rarely make good maps."
Neither of these maps are good... the second is more obviously bad than the first.
BUT... they are filling a niche! I'm unaware of a map produced by the news media that attempts the convey spatial information at the scope of the first link attempts. So... their hearts are in the right place.
posted by cadastral at 12:58 PM on March 23, 2003
While I laud them for their effort, the Washington Post & CNN won't be quaking in their boots any time soon.
posted by owillis at 1:06 PM on March 23, 2003
posted by owillis at 1:06 PM on March 23, 2003
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posted by oissubke at 12:13 PM on March 23, 2003