Secret Still

I have spent the better part of a day pouring over the clever maps of Andrew DeGraff, and simultaneously reliving some pivotal moments of my childhood. DeGraff has created works of art that track the paths of characters through the Indiana Jones and Star Wars films. Beyond their cleverness and beauty, the real magic of these maps is that they follow something deeper and more meaningful than just actors in a film; they bounce around to all the emotions I felt as a kid watching those movies. I can feel my hands clench as something daring and exciting happens, and I’d say that speaks highly to both the movie and the artwork. Here’s a film saga that was so real to me as a child that it still resonates with me on an emotional level when I relive it. And here’s a map that’s so accurate and intuitive that I can’t help but relive each scene of my favorite films. Andrew DeGraff, I am high-fiving you so hard right now.

Andrew DeGraff

Design studio The Luxury of Protest caught me right good wallop upside the jaw this morning with their data visualizations. If you know me, and about 4 of my 6 readers do, then you’ll know that I do love me some good data visualization. It’s like porn, but the type of porn you only watch occasionally when you’re by yourself and you’re sure there’s no one around to judge you. Infographics are my secret design porn shame. And The Luxury of Protest is producing some sexy work. I just want to hold up those data visualizations and think all day about the actual impact of their data, as well as the visual hierarchy derived for the design to convey that data. Woo, it’s gettin’ hot in here.

The Luxury of Protest

In what may be on of the coolest forms of abstract expressionism I’ve ever seen, Megan Scheminske lets Google Maps do all the heavy lifting. She paints specific locations as viewed from Google Maps “map” mode. Without the frame of reference of the map itself, the images are revealed as near abstract constructs. She’s making me think about the efficiency of maps in their simplification, the relationship of the map to the real objects/locations it represents, and the abstract nature of all information when considered outside of its context. Also, like with all good maps, the simplistic images have a very soothing quality, as though the world really is just a few lines, the space small enough to traverse in seconds, and everything else is just background. It’s really an amazing project, all things considered, and definitely an instance of “damn I wish I’d thought of that.” I’m thinking about it anyway, and that’s good enough.

Megan Scheminske

I’ve been spending a lot of time recently looking at infographics for a project I’m working on, and, when you’re in the market for infographics, there’s nowhere better to turn than Good Magazine, and, when they’re in the market for infographics, they turn to Always With Honor. AWH has that simple shapes, Charley Harper-esque style that makes me salivate and seethe with jealousy at the same time. Like all good infographics, the style alone isn’t enough; the creative way in which the data is displayed has to be tops, too. And damn if they don’t have that locked down. I doff my hat to you, Always With Honor, but I’ll probably spit on your shoes as I’m bowing. Nobody should be that good.

Always With Honor