1. SESSION 3 DEMO:
session 3 demo:
FLOW CHARTS AND SMALL MULTIPLES
flow charts and small multiples
PLAN601E VERBAL AND VISUAL: INFORMATION GRAPHICS (SESSION 3)
PLAN601E Verbal and visual: Information Graphics (session 3)

2. TOOLS IN ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR
REVIEW OF TOOLS, PANELS AND FUNCTIONS

3. object
tools
color
layers
stroke
review of
adobe illustrator tools
Palettes organize tools, colors, layers, type,
and other settings.

4. zoom / pan
review of
adobe illustrator tools
Move around the artboard with zoom, pan, or scrolling; the mouse
wheel can also be used to scroll.

5. select
review of
adobe illustrator tools
Shapes and lines are made up of “paths” and “anchors”; paths and
polygans can be moved with the selection tool.

6. direct
select
review of
adobe illustrator tools
Anchors are the handles on paths and polygons; they can be
moved with the direct selection tool.

7. color
fill / stroke
review of
adobe illustrator tools
Paths have a “fill” and “stroke,” which can be
assigned colors.

8. stroke
stroke
review of
adobe illustrator tools

9. direct
select
review of
adobe illustrator tools
Direct selection can move several anchors at the same time.

10. edit
review of
adobe illustrator tools

11. select
review of
adobe illustrator tools
Another way to copy polygons is to move them with the selection
tool + option.

12. layers
review of
adobe illustrator tools
Another way to copy polygons is to move them with the selection
tool + option.

13. arrange
review of
adobe illustrator tools
Polygons can also be arranged within the same layer by selecting
then right clicking and utilizing “arrange” tools.

14. text
text
text
review of
adobe illustrator tools
Use the “text tool” to create text boxes; modify text in
the menu or character palette.

15. select
group
review of
adobe illustrator tools
Select, right click, and “group” polygons and text to
move them together

16. select
review of
adobe illustrator tools
Dragging the “pivot” on a group of polygons while holding shift
scales them propotionally.

17. select
scale
review of
adobe illustrator tools
Select the group, right click, and select “scale” to scale
by percentage.

18. rotate
review of
adobe illustrator tools
Hold shift while rotating to “rotate” the group at
45 degree increments.

19. ruler
review of
adobe illustrator tools
Create “guides” by clicking on the vertical and horizontal rulers
and dragging into the artboard.

20. guides /
grids
review of
adobe illustrator tools
Right click anywhere and select “show / hide grid” to
show a background grid.

21. align
review of
adobe illustrator tools
The “align” palette has tools for aligning polygons by their centers
and edges.

22. align
review of
adobe illustrator tools
The “align” palette has tools for aligning polygons by their centers
and edges.

23. pathfinder
review of
adobe illustrator tools
The “pathfinder” palette has tools for combining polygons in
various ways into “compound shapes.”

24. short
cut
review of
adobe illustrator tools
Hover the cursor over various tools
to see the “short-cut” command.

25. creating a flow chart with
adobe illustrator
Let’s make a chart that explains the process for reporting a
landlord complaint to 311.

26. CREATING A FLOW CHART
IN ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR

27. creating a flow chart with
adobe illustrator
1) Find some interesting data.

28. creating a flow chart with
adobe illustrator
2) Look at precedents.

29. creating a flow chart with
adobe illustrator
3) Sketch out your ideas for the diagam and graphic conventions.

30. 4
creating a pie chart
with adobe illustrator
4) Set up grapihc conventions in Illustrator.

31. text
5
creating a pie chart
with adobe illustrator
5
5) Make a layer for text, use text tool to write out steps, arrange
with selection tool.

32. ellipse
creating a pie chart
with adobe illustrator
6
6) Use rectangle / ellipse tools to make
polygons for text.

33. 7
eyedrop
7
creating a pie chart
with adobe illustrator
7) Use eyedropper to select and coordinate
boxes with graphic conventions.

34. PEN
8
creating a pie chart
with adobe illustrator
8) Draw connecting lines using the Pen tool. Add arrowheads
using the Stroke panel.

35. 10
10
creating a pie chart
with adobe illustrator
10) Adjust dash settings for lines.

36. 11
11
creating a pie chart
with adobe illustrator
11) Use the grid and align tools to clean up diagram shapes and
lines.

37. creating a flow chart with
adobe illustrator
Give your diagram a descriptive title.

38. creating small multiples
IN ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR

39. creating small multiples with
adobe illustrator
Let’s make a diagram displaying traffic accident data.

40. creating small multiples with
1) Find some interesting data that has a
temporal dimension.

41. 2
creating small multiples with
adobe illustrator
2) “place” a screenshot of the stats map
in the artboard.

42. 3
creating small multiples with
adobe illustrator
3) trace background elements for the diagram;
add annotation; create scaled elements.

43. 4
creating small multiples with
adobe illustrator
4) Group the background elements and drag holding shift + option
to copy.

44. 5
creating small multiples with
adobe illustrator
5) Make a layer for dots and place dots on background to
represent annual data.

45. 6
6
creating small multiples with
6) Use type tool to add annotation and clean up with align palette.

46. stroke
creating small multiples with
adobe illustrator
Let’s try out a different convention for representing data values,
such as line weight.

47. 7
creating small multiples with
adobe illustrator
7) Use eyedropper tool to apply new vgraphic conventions.

48. creating small multiples with
adobe illustrator
Be sure to create a label for the data source.