Zirkle+-+Infographics

//**Tristan Zirkle**//

__**Artist Statement**__ For the final exam in Graphic Design, our assignment was to create an infographic that easily communicated information with effective use of images and amount of information. These had to be for one of Pewaukee High Schools different programs, of which I chose Success Skills. Success Skills is the assessment of each students use and demonstration of non-academic life skills. I met the criteria of this assignment by doing just that. My infographic referenced all information about this subject efficiently and much more concisely than how I found it. I did this by creating images and shortened texts description for all things included. The images used relate to each bullet point and each bullet point represents the criteria of that box it is in, as well as the logo in the center because it relates to Pewaukee's logo and school connect the concept of this infographic to the meaning of Success Skills. The composition of this piece also meets the criteria of the assignment because it displays the information in an understandable format. I did this by putting the main information in the middle and the four Success Skills on each side. The craftsmanship of this design also met the criteria because of how neatly I created the images for this infographic and how well they related to their subject. They also were easy to interpret. The elements and principles of design I used in this artwork were unity, emphasis, line, and balance. Unity was shown through the relationship of images to the text in their boxes. Emphasis was used by placing the main logo and information in the center and making it larger/bolder. I used line to divide up the graphic in an organized way and also to create most of the images. Lastly, balance was evident throughout the piece because I made sure that everything was proportionate and of similar size. There was symmetrical balance on both sides. Overall, I felt like this project was very successful because it specifically addressed the criteria and my craftsmanship with this program improved. I felt like I could have made my composition more interesting on the page, however it inst too bad. In the end, this artwork meets the criteria of the project and does a great job at explaining Success Skills. This piece and basically everything else I have made in Graphic Design have made my experience in this class a very positive and beneficial one. The journey through this class helped me hone my skills in graphic design and find yet another art interest that is very fun for me. Reflecting, I noticed that each piece I did I was able to succeed at. The shape project was decent. The collages were okay. The corporate identity I made was exceptional, and the book design also an alright piece. There was not a single piece I was disappointed in, which is why this class has been helpful because it helped me master a new skill. Even at the beginning of the semester and throughout the entirety of it, it seemed like I had natural talent in graphic design. However, at the beginning I was not able to get work completed as quickly which led to a decrease in my overall grade, specifically with the shape project. After that though, my growth as a designer began to take off and I was able to complete tasks both on time and successfully. I enjoyed my collages I did, and also my Corporate Identity package. These projects had great concepts and composition, as well as craftsmanship. Towards the end, I continued this trend with this project and the book design. These projects also showed great concept and composition, however not so much with craftsmanship. I also learned how to use the software for Graphic Design more efficiently and effectively. But as I approach the end of this class, I am happy to say that I have progress greatly with my art once again, this time in the skill of graphic designing. This class and the work I did as a whole helped me better understand how to meet specific criteria and match a theme, as well as individualize them too. It also greatly improved my software and planning skills. All of these things made this class a great opportunity to grow as an artist and was also very fun from start to finish. So to conclude, I am happy with the result of this project, as well as the result of my work in this entire class.

__**Infographic**__