Illustrator Course for Data Visualization: Infographics, Charts & Graphs

Creative thinking

• Before you start, exercises to help you to discover the goal of your data visualization
• Discovering your story and then communicating it with data
• Establishing hierarchy with your data. What is most important, what is a distraction?

Data visualization essentials

• Introduction to data storytelling
• Why infographics matter 
• Identifying appropriate uses of infographics 
• Examples of good and bad data visualization

Getting comfortable with Adobe Illustrator 

• Workspace essentials
• Introduction to shape tools
• Using the Pen tool

Creating charts and using the Illustrator Graph tool

• Column and stacked columns
• Stacked and regular bar graphs
• Line and area graphs
• Scatter graphs
• Pie, doughnut, and radar graphs

Chart types and when to use them

• Anatomy of an effective chart
• Adding and formatting bar, line, and pie charts
• Aligning visual elements with text
• Building a chart infographic using data
• Importing data from Excel and other sources

Using icons to represent data

• Customizing your graphs with icons and other art
• Creating Pictographs
• Designing layouts for timelines
• Balancing clarity with creativity
• Importing icons
• Working with multiple data points
• Understanding Layout, Visual Hierarchy, and Design

Creating visual emphasis

• Applying color strategically for comprehension
• Effective use of typography
• Creating grid-based layouts using grids and guides
• Creating clean, clear visualizations
• Word Clouds and Non-Numerical Data Visualizations in Illustrator

Visualizing qualitative data

• Choosing shapes and colors that support interpretation
• Create a word cloud infographic from short-form text data

Adapting existing graphics

• Reframing the message through layout and style changes
• Creating a Timeline Infographic in Illustrator
• Blending qualitative and quantitative data

Arranging time-based data

• Designing multi-step layouts
• Adding labels, icons, and highlights
• Building a timeline infographic using historical data

Representing quantitative values

• Maintaining visual consistency and alignment
• Build a proportional symbol chart
• Map-based infographics using Illustrator

Importing maps

• Colorizing maps
• Alternative solutions beyond Illustrator
• Using Data for Storytelling

Executing a custom infographic layout

• Creating a visualization from start to finish
• Building exciting and fun graphics to share your story
• Importing and editing vector and pixel graphics in PowerPoint
• Importing images, understanding formats
• Editing images

Exporting your infographic

• Formats to save and use in other apps
• Differences in formats