1. differences between responses both quantatitively and qualitatively.
BASIC PRINCIPLES OF
basic principles
GRAPHIC DESIGN
of graphic design
PLAN601E VERBAL AND VISUAL: INFORMATION GRAPHICS (SESSION 2)
PLAN601E Verbal and visual: Information Graphics (session 2)

2. LAYERS help you think about what information want
LAYERS help you think about what information youyou want
to communicate and what graphic elements you need.
to communicate and what graphic elements you need.
ACTIVITY ICONS, WATER CONNECTIONS, GREEN CONNECTIONS, TRANSIT STATIONS, TREES, BUILDINGS, PAVEMENT EDGES, WATER WATER
ACTIVITY ICONS, WATER CONNECTIONS, GREEN CONNECTIONS, TRANSIT STATIONS, TREES, BUILDINGS, PAVEMENT EDGES,
EAST RIVER ESPLANADE PLAN
East River Esplanade Plan
NYC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION / SHOP ARCHITECTS
NYC Economic Development Corporation / SHoP Architects

3. HIERARCHY provides route for the eye to follow and
HIERARCHY provides aa route for the eye to follow and
assigns order of importance to each graphic element.
assigns an an order of importance to each graphic element.
JOURNALISTS USE THE MODEL OF AN “INVERTED PYRAMID” TO ORGANIZE INFORMATION IN NEWS STORIES.
JOURNALISTS USE THE MODEL OF AN “INVERTED PYRAMID” TO ORGANIZE INFORMATION IN NEWS STORIES.
THE INVERTED PYRAMID
the inverted pyramid

4. HIERARCHY provides a route for the eye to follow and
assigns an order of importance to each graphic element.
COLOR HUE
LINE WEIGHT
FONT SIZE
Very Important
Important
Less Important
Least Important
THERE ARE MANY GRAPHIC ELEMENTS THAT CREATE VISUAL HIERARCHY.
VISUAL HIERARCHY

5. HIERARCHY provides a route for the eye to follow and
HIERARCHY provides a route foreach eye to follow and
assigns an order of importance to the graphic element.
assigns an order of importance to each graphic element.
Where does your eye go first? GO FIRST?
WHERE DOES YOUR EYE
Where does it go from there? THERE?
WHERE DOES IT GO FROM
What do you noticeNOTICE LAST?
WHAT DO YOU last?
What graphic elements create visual
WHAT GRAPHIC ELEMENTS CREATE
hierarchy?
VISUAL HIERARCHY?
Does the hierarchy communicate a clear
DOES THE HIERARCHY COMMUNITY
idea?
A CLEAR IDEA?
FUTURE OF GREENWICH STREET SOUTH, DOWNTOWN ALLIANCE / ARO
Future of Greenwich Street South, Downtown Alliance / ARO

6. COLOR helps to create hierarchy by emphasizing graphic
elements and associating elements emphasizing graphic
COLOR helps to create hierarchy by with information.
elements and associating elements with information.
EQUIDISTANT COLORS
EQUIDISTANT COLORS
ADJACENT COLORS
ADJACENT COLORS
COMPLEMENTARY COLORS
COMPLEMENTARY COLORS
MONOCHROMATIC COLORS
MONOCHROMATIC COLORS
THERE ARE DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO SELECTING A COLOR PALETTE.
THERE ARE DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO SELECTING A COLOR PALETTE.
THE COLOR WHEEL
THE COLOR WHEEL

7. COLOR helps create hierarchy by emphasizing graphic
COLOR helps toto createhierarchyby emphasizing graphic
elements and associating elements with information.
elements and associating elementswith information.
MONOCHROMATIC BACKGROUND WITH HIGHLIGHT COLOR COLOR EMPHASIZING A SINGLE
MONOCHROMATIC BACKGROUND WITH HIGHLIGHT EMPHASIZING A SINGLE ELEMENT. ELEMENT.
“MILLION DOLLAR BLOCKS”, SPATIAL INFORMATION DESIGN LAB
“Million Dollar Blocks”, Spatial Information Design Lab

8. COLOR helps toto createhierarchyby emphasizing graphic
COLOR helps create hierarchy by emphasizing graphic
elements and associating elementswith information.
elements and associating elements with information.
EQUIDISTANT COLORS LEAD YOUR EYE LEFT TO RIGHT. RIGHT.
EQUIDISTANT COLORS LEAD YOUR EYE FROM FROM LEFT TO
PLANYC 2030, MAYOR’S OFFICE OF LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY / TWO TWELVE
PlaNYC 2030, Mayor’s Office of Long-term Sustainability / Two Twelve

9. COLOR helps toto createhierarchy by emphasizing graphic
COLOR helps create hierarchy by emphasizing graphic
elements and associating elementswith information.
elements and associating elements with information.
COMPLEMENTARY COLORS EMPHASIZE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TWO ELEMENTS.
COMPLEMENTARY COLORS EMPHASIZE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TWO ELEMENTS.
NYUPlans 2031, NYU Office of Strategic Assessment,
NYU PLANS 2031, NYU OFFICE OF STRATEGIC ASSESSMENT,
PLANNING, AND DEVELOPMENT / 2 X 4
Planning, and Development / 2 x 4

10. COLOR helps create hierarchy by emphasizing graphic
COLOR helps to to create hierarchy by emphasizing graphic
elements and associating elements with information.
elements and associating elementswith information.
COMPLEMENTARY COLORS MAKE SOME ELEMENTS “POP” MORE MORE THAN
COMPLEMENTARY COLORS MAKE SOME ELEMENTS “POP”THAN OTHERS. OTHERS.
PLANYC2030, Mayor’s Office of Long-term Sustainability / Two Twelve TWELVE
PlaNYC 2030, MAYOR’S OFFICE OF LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY / TWO

11. PANTONE helps choose a palette of colors that work together
PANTONE helps toto choose a palette of colors that work together
and makes printing more predictable.
and makes printing more predictable.
CHOOSE COLORS FROM PANTONE SOLID SOLID UNCOATED – AVOID RANDOMLY SELECTING THE COLOR PICKER. COLOR PICKER.
CHOOSE COLORS FROM PANTONE UNCOATED – AVOID RANDOMLY SELECTING COLORS WITH COLORS WITH THE
COLOR PICKING
COLOR PICKING

12. SCALE helps to create hierarchy using size
SCALE helps to create hierarchy using size
to distinguish one element from its surroundings.
to distinguish one element from its surroundings.
SCALE
SCALE

13. SCALE helps to create hierarchy using size
SCALE helps to create hierarchy using size
to distinguish one element from its surroundings.
to distinguish one element from its surroundings.
SCALE CAN LEAD YOUR ACROSS THE IMAGE AND HELP TO MAKE COMPARISONS.
SCALE CAN LEAD YOUR EYEEYE ACROSS THE IMAGE AND HELP TO MAKE COMPARISONS.
“MAPPINGIstanbul,” Project Projects
“Mapping ISTANBUL,” PROJECT PROJECTS

14. SCALE helps create hierarchy using size
SCALE helps toto create hierarchy using size
to distinguish one element from its surroundings.
to distinguish one element from its surroundings.
SCALING FONTS DRAWS ATTENTION TO THE MOST IMPORTANT NUMBER.
SCALING FONTS DRAWS ATTENTION TO THE MOST IMPORTANT NUMBER.
NYU PLANS NYU Office of Strategic Assessment,
NYU Plans 2031,2031, NYU OFFICE OF STRATEGIC ASSESSMENT,
PLANNING, AND DEVELOPMENT
Planning, and Development / 2 x 4 / 2 X 4

15. REPETITION holds together the composition
REPETITION holds togetherthe composition of of
a graphic and can help to communicate a narrative.
a graphic and can help to communicate a narrative.
REPETITION CAN BE USED TO MAKE COMPARISONS – EDWARDEDWARD TUFTE CALLS THESE “SMALL MULTIPLES”.
REPETITION CAN BE USED TO MAKE COMPARISONS – TUFTE CALLS THESE “SMALL MULTIPLES”.
“PUBLIC HOUSING: A NEW CONVERSATION”,
“Public Housing: A New Conversation”,
BUELL CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF THE AMERICAN LANDSCAPE,
Buell Center for the Study of the American Landscape, MTWTF MTWTF

16. REPETITION holds together the composition of of
REPETITION holds together the composition
a graphic and can help to communicate a narrative.
a graphic and can help to communicate a narrative.
HOLDING BACKGROUND ELEMENTS CONSTANT IS A GOOD WAY TO SHOW CHANGE OVER TIME.
HOLDING BACKGROUND ELEMENTS CONSTANT IS A GOOD WAY TO SHOW CHANGE OVER TIME.
EAST RIVER ESPLANADE PLAN
East River Esplanade Plan
NYC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION / SHOP ARCHITECTS
NYC Economic Development Corporation / SHoP Architects

17. REPETITION holds together the composition
REPETITION holds together the composition of of
a graphic and can help to communicate a narrative.
a graphic and can help to communicate a narrative.
IT DOESN’T HAVE TO TAKE MUCH REPETITION TO COMMUNICATE A COMPELLING IDEA...
IT DOESN’THAVE TO TAKE MUCH REPETITION TO COMMUNICATE A COMPELLING IDEA.
SPONGE Park, Dland Studio
Sponge PARK, DLAND STUDIO

18. BALANCE happens when there is hierarchy, but one
BALANCE happens when thereis aahierarchy, but no no one
graphic element has more “visual weight” than another.
graphic element has more “visual weight” than another.
IN A CAT’S CRADLE, EACH LINE SEGMENT IS HELD HELD IN TENSION WITH THE REST...
A CAT’S CRADLE, EACH LINE SEGMENT IS IN TENSION WITH THE REST...

19. GRIDS are important to establishing structure and consistency.
The rule of thirds says that the eye
likes to see images and layouts
broken into a grid 3 x 3 grid and its
natural focal point is off-center.
layout and grids

20. GRIDS are important to establishing structure and consistency.
2
1
1) PAGE MARGINS
2) VERTICAL COLUMNS
3) HORIZONTAL ROWS
4) SPACE BETWEEN TYPE
OR IMAGES (GUTTER)
3
4
layout and grids

21. GRIDS are important to establishing structure boards or
GRIDS are important for laying-out and consistency.
arranging elements in a supergraphic.
2
1) PAGE MARGINS
PAGE MARGINS
1
2) VERTICAL COLUMNS
2) VERTICAL COLUMNS
3) HORIZONTAL ROWS
3) HORIZONTAL ROWS
4) SPACE BETWEEN TYPE
4) SPACE BETWEEN TYPE
OR IMAGES (GUTTER)
OR IMAGES (GUTTER)
3
4
“VENDOR POWER”, CENTER FOR URBAN PEDAGOGY
“Vendor Power”, Center for Urban Pedagogy

22. GRIDS are important to establishing structure boards or
GRIDS are important for laying-out and consistency.
arranging elements in a supergraphic.
2
1) PAGE MARGINS
PAGE MARGINS
1
2) VERTICAL COLUMNS
2) VERTICAL COLUMNS
3) HORIZONTAL ROWS
3) HORIZONTAL ROWS
4) SPACE BETWEEN TYPE
4)SPACE BETWEEN TYPE
OR IMAGES (GUTTER)
OR IMAGES (GUTTER)
3
4
4
“VENDOR POWER”, CENTER FOR URBAN PEDAGOGY
“Vendor Power”, Center for Urban Pedagogy

23. TYPOGRAPHY is important for establishing hierarchy
and making presentations legible.
SERIF FONTS
SANS-SERIF FONTS
Clarendon
Helvetica
Century Schoolbook
News Gothic
Rockwell
Futura
typography

24. TYPOGRAPHY is important for establishing hierarchy
and making presentations legible.
HEADER AND TEXT
HELVETICA NEUE
Century Schoolbook luptat ra
qui numquo eari dolore etur
sandae nonsequo mint. Genit
ipsam fugitectem doluptam
es si id ut velicim aciur,
simusandis enet audae dessinc
tatiuntotat moluptur, solupis
LABELS
HELVETICA NEUE
Helvetica Neue
Helvetica Neue
HELVETICA NEW
CHOOSE ONE SERIF FONT FOR RUNNING TEXT AND ONE SANS-SERIF FONT FOR HEADERS AND LABELS;
A VARIETY OF SIZES, DISPLAY TYPES, AND TINTS ADDS VISUAL INTEREST TO THE PRESENTATION.
typography