Visual Essay Design

Original Image



Rationale
This was a very difficult assignment for me to do. I had a lot of trouble finding a image to improve but it was funny when I actually decided on the image I was going to improve. It was something that I ate every day and thought the directions on the back were not what they should be. I felt the that original image did not provide what needed to be provided to make the dish and that it should be improved. I thought that there should be more images and less words and that the color of the original image should be changed. The original image also had to much color and was very annoying to look at it. That is why I went with the plain black and white design. I also wanted to do with away with the text box at the bottom of the image. That is why instead of words I substituted it for images instead.

Flow Charts

This was my second flow chart that I did. I felt this flow chart was a little easier to do based upon the first one. This chart also was easier based upon the subject and the website used. You didn't have to have an account or a log in to deal with like the first one so getting to the end was easier. You also didn't have to have a shipping or billing information so that was one less step to deal with.
The most difficult part of this flow chart was the end of the chart. Once you found your information you were not exactly done with the chart because you had to select what websites to choose based upon your subject. You also could have to repeat the whole process if you did not find suitable information after your first search.

My first flow chart was that of the steps of buying a book on amazon.com. I thought that it was pretty easy to buy a book on amazon. It was a little annoying once you got past the part of finding the book to explain how to purchase the book and do all the shipping information and credit card information but once you got that all squared away you were set.
The most difficult part of this flow chart was establishing all the processes and making sure that if there were any road bumps that I would be able to answer them in the flow chart.

How to make a Spaghetti Dinner

This sketch was a little difficult for me because of my terrible drawing skills. I tried to think of the bare minimum ways to describe how to make a spaghetti dinner. I first started with all the ingredients used in making the dinner and went from there. I then started drawing the base ingredients and went from there. I felt that someone that did not know the language would be able to understand the ingredients from me drawing them. I started with the boiling of the water, then adding the pasta, then straining it, and then putting the sauce on the pasta and putting it on a plate.

The most difficult issues I had with this sketch were basically trying not to make it to complex. I wanted to do the minimal steps for whoever was looking at this so they didn't become to overwhelmed. I also knew that if I put to many steps in with my terrible drawing skills that I would just confuse whoever was looking at the image and then they would be completely lost.

My Collage

For this collage I found some items in the magazines that I really enjoy. I found some pictures of sports and sports related themes such as espn. I also included some images such as beer and some cool images that had a quick word or two that really symbolized who I am. I found words such as "LOST" and "American" because during this assignment I was quite lost while searching for images and graphics that I could use.
Also while I was searching for the images I found some word graphics that really showed who I am as a person and that is why I posted some of them in the collage.

I found this collage to be a rather tense assignment because of the time constrictions that were enforced during the assignment. I had issues finding enough pictures also because I used the same magazines just different issues.

Concept Map

Concept Map
For this concept map the main idea I chose was that of sports. I am part of the swim team here on campus and the ultimate frisbee club in which I am a captain. These two things are great for me because of what they provide so I felt that a concept map over this topic would be a good choice.

When I first began the map it was very easy because I had my topic and I had what I wanted to map about. What became difficult is when I had to think of more words from my concept. The sports provide friends and exercise and then those two topics give a bunch of things.

I did find this to be a easier map to do compared to the mind map. It was more fun to do this map and I think this is a good way to map.

Mind Map 1 & 2

Mind Map #1

For my first mind map I tried to think of something that is important to me and something I like. I chose the New York Yankees and I was able to get some words from my central topic. I found this mind map to be very difficult. I had a lot of trouble first finding a central topic to choose and then after that deciding what other words to write was very difficult. Once I figured out some things I wanted to write down I kind of just went with it and wrote down everything that came to my mind. I may have not followed the exact way of a mind map but I feel it came out well.







Mind Map #2

My second mind map was a lot more difficult than the first one. I had a lot of trouble figuring out what from my first mind map to sketch. I had a couple ideas and tried but when I got them down on paper I couldn’t think of anything to go off the central topic. When I came back to the sketch the next day I still had trouble figuring out what exact words to choose, the words didn’t come to me like the words did in the first sketch.