Visual Explanation Courtney Massey Digital Illustration Spring 2014 Rough
The Client
The Huffington Post The Huffington Post is a multi-million dollar online news publication. It was founded in May 2005 by political activist Arianna Huffington as a blog and American news and commentary site. The Huffington Post features several ‘departments’ within its site in an effort to appeal to the ‘everyman’. Sold to AOL in 2011, HuffPost expanded internationally.
Project Statement
Background The article was posted on The Huffington Post in honor of Sense and Smell Day, a day to ‘build awareness of the role that our noses play in daily life’. The article promotes eleven scents that can improve one’s physical and mental health. While the article is useful, it is word-heavy and somewhat image-bare making it not as engaging as intended. By creating an infographic, we tie in a sense that goes hand in hand with the one we are trying to promote – sight.
Target Audience The target audience for this article is any and all Huffington Post readers, but primarily those that are interested in the health benefits of scents found in nature.
Objectives The main objective of this infographic is to get our audience to want to experience these scents. Not only are the points educational, but they should also inspire the reader to not only learn more but experience the benefits for themselves.
Obstacles I think an obstacle would be visitors of the Huffington Post that are visually impaired. While ‘alt image’ copy is available, the infographic is better experienced through sight than through reading it. Other troublesome factors would be people allergic to some of the items and not knowing it. Often times, people don’t venture from ‘the norm’ of their everyday lives and this could inspire people to experiment with different and exotic items that they could react to in a negative manner.
Key Benefit The key benefit of this infographic is that it will educate viewers to learn more about natural items that can improve their mental health, mood and behavior.
Support Statements It is safe to assume that the majority of the HuffPost readership are not visually impaired and would benefit from an infographic that promotes improved well-being. The educational points of the design are beneficial to the masses.
Tone The tone of the design is light and peaceful to impress upon the readers the benefits of the article.
Media The design will be created in Adobe Illustrator and published as an interactive pdf on the Huffington Post Website.
Original Source
Sketches
Inspirational Images
Process
Olive Oil
Final Illustration
To most people, a smell isn't just a fragrance -- it's a memory. When you get a whiff of chocolate chip cookies, you may think of baking in your Mom's kitchen. When a warm breeze blows the smell of fresh flowers, you're instantly rocketed back to your first dance and the corsage your date brought. And these nostalgic ties aren't just a coincidence -- there's science behind why we cherish these aromas. Our olfactory response is directly linked to the emotional center of our brain, causing a flood of warm and fuzzy feelings with a simple sniff. Unlike touch or taste, scents are directly correlated with past experiences. It's no wonder the smell of rain or the scent of a swimming pool makes us so reminiscent. But aside from their memory-inducing powers, certain scents can also do amazing things for our mind and body. From stress relief to headache relief, certain aromas have a way of making an impact (and positively so). In honor of Sense of Smell Day, below find 11 scents that are more than just a nice fragrance -- they benefit your well-being.
Illustration Application
References
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