Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
Other specialist tools
Not all visualizations are interactive, of course, and some of the finest visualization
works we see are static pieces. Infographics in particular are typically manually
crafted designs, comprising a blend of different visual design elements (such as
charts, illustrations, and diagrams). As we have already mentioned, often the chart
elements we use for our static work originate from tools such as Excel, Tableau, or R
with images imported to help construct a final work.
The vast majority of statics are produced using
Adobe Illustrator
(
http://
www.adobe.com/uk/products/illustrator.html
), the long-established and
all-powerful creative package that has been
the
graphic and illustration tool for
many years. There is now an open source alternative called
Inkscape
(
http://
inkscape.org/
) ,which offers an impressive array of features that offer a viable
alternative for many peoples' needs.
For many people (perhaps those with limited access to varied resources)
PowerPoint
(
http://office.microsoft.com/en-gb/powerpoint/
) or
Keynote
(
http://www.
apple.com/uk/iwork/keynote/
) provide a perfectly adequate platform for their
data presentation needs. Another Adobe package,
InDesign
(
http://www.adobe.
com/uk/products/indesign.html
) provides a further means for creating and
publishing final static works.
Elsewhere, for network visualizations, exploratory graphs, and analysis of complex
systems check out
KeyLines
(
http://key-lines.com/
) and
Gephi
(
https://
gephi.org/
).
If you're looking to create advanced motion graphics, modeling, simulation, and
visual effects then
Maya 3D
(
http://usa.autodesk.com/maya/
) and
Adobe After
Effects
(
http://www.adobe.com/uk/products/aftereffects.html
) are incredibly
powerful, industry standard production platforms.
Finally, to showcase your static work, once you've created your final designs and
want to publish and share image files, sites such as
closr.it
(
http://www.closr.it/
)
or
zoom.it
(
http://zoom.it/
) enable navigable, zoom-able windows to host large,
detailed images.
The construction process
So, you've selected the tools you'll need to build your design and you are now well
in to the execution stage. We're not far from the finishing line but it's not yet time for
you to lower your guard, lose your focus, or cease your momentum.
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