Functional Art, The: An introduction to information graphics and visualization, 1st edition

Published by Pearson (August 22, 2012) © 2013

  • Alberto Cairo
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Unlike any time before in our lives, we have access to vast amounts of free information. With the right tools, we can start to make sense of all this data to see patterns and trends that would otherwise be invisible to us. By transforming numbers into graphical shapes, we allow readers to understand the stories those numbers hide. In this practical introduction to understanding and using information graphics, you’ll learn how to use data visualisations as tools to see beyond lists of numbers and variables and achieve new insights into the complex world around us. Regardless of the kind of data you’re working with–business, science, politics, sports, or even your own personal finances–this book will show you how to use statistical charts, maps, and explanation diagrams to spot the stories in the data and learn new things from it.

You’ll also get to peek into the creative process of some of the world’s most talented designers and visual journalists, including Condé Nast Traveler’s John Grimwade, National Geographic Magazine’s Fernando Baptista, The New York Times’ Steve Duenes, The Washington Post’s Hannah Fairfield, Hans Rosling of the Gapminder Foundation, Stanford’s Geoff McGhee, and European superstars Moritz Stefaner, Jan Willem Tulp, Stefanie Posavec, and Gregor Aisch. .

The Functional Art reveals:

  • Why data visualisation should be thought of as “functional art” rather than fine art
  • How to use colour, type, and other graphic tools to make your information graphics more effective, not just better looking
  • The science of how our brains perceive and remember information
  • Best practices for creating interactive information graphics
  • A comprehensive look at the creative process behind successful information graphics
  • An extensive gallery of inspirational work from the world’s top designers and visual artists

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Table of contents

  • Introduction - What Infographics and Visualizations Are
  • PART 1 - Foundations
  • Chapter 1 - Why Visualization - From Data to Wisdom
  • Chapter 2 - Form and Function - Visualization as a Technology
  • Chapter 3 - The Beauty Paradox - Art and Communication Efficacy
  • Chapter 4 - Exposition, Exploration, And the Complexity Challenge
  • PART 2 - History
  • Chapter 5 - Here Be Dragons - On the Origins of Maps
  • Chapter 6 - Lights of Reason - the Dawn of Scientific Illustration
  • Chapter 7 - A Scottish Engineer And a Century of Revolutions - the History of Charts
  • PART 3 - Cognition
  • Chapter 8 - The Eye and the Visual Brain
  • Chapter 9 - Non-sensed Perception
  • Chapter 10 - Images in the Brain
  • PART 4 - Practice
  • Chapter 11 - The Creation Process in Infographics and Visualization
  • Chapter 12 - Interactive Graphics and Visualization
  • APPENDIX - Projects from leading practitioners in the field, explained in detail

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