Objective

The ultimate form for this project is completely open, though it should be experimental in nature (avoid a traditional singular infographic poster for example). This visualization will be able to communicate the details of your identified problem, who or what it impacts (why should we care?), and potential solutions, and must involve multiple parts and engage the viewer. It should both delight and inform!

Design must have multiple parts; the more experimental, the better. Result will be in a series of plans/color sketches.

From the 30 problems that I gathered I chose three to move forward with investigating — Al worsening inequality, equality v. equity shown through the discrimination in design, and African–American visibility and participation in graphic design history, academia, and industry.

The final drafts consisted of a children’s book and a full–scale illustration of a quilt–as–poster.

The children’s book, Equality v. Equity, breaks down the differences between the concepts of equality and equity using common examples in design that kids can relate to personally and emotionally. When writing the language for the book I referenced other children’s media to see how they approached educating children about subjects can can be challenging or upsetting. Click here to view the book.

Proposing to use techniques and traditional styles familiar to the formerly enslaved women of the Gee’s Bend and their ancestors, the quilt addresses the deficit (76%) of African–American graphic designers in the United States. Their geometric and found–fabric styles are used in conjunction with lettering and typography to create a composition that educates the viewer about and uncomfortable topic using a traditionally comforting medium. This concept will be developed further in Project Three.