Detailed information about the course

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Title

Visualising your research: creative approaches and drawing to help communicate your work (430)

Dates

4-5 May 2017 COMPLET/FULL

Lang EN Workshop language is English
Organizer(s)
Speakers

M. Tom Reed

Description

The clearest and most effective method to communicate some information is through a picture. This is particularly true for scientists. However, students with little previous instruction can find making these visualisations challenging and the results disappointing.

In this workshop participants will obtain a grounding in the basics of visual design. They will learn techniques and working methods to enable them to produce successful and effective visualisations. Visualisations that will enable them to communicate their research more clearly and engage the viewer.

Content

  • Introduction
    • Communication and visualisation
  • The basics of drawing
    • How to observe
    • How to draw accurately
    • How to use drawings in your work (whatever your 'skill')
  • The basics of graphic design
    • Layout
    • CRAP - Contrast, Repetition, Alignment, Proximity
    • Colour - how and when to use it
  • Telling a story visually
    • Image hierarchy
    • How to simplify
  • Data visualisation
    • The Workflow
    • Examples – good/bad practice

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course students will:

  • Understand and practice the basics of graphic design
  • Have basic drawing skills (tone, composition, proportion etc.)
  • Know the process/workflow of producing visualisations - from sketches to final layout
  • Understand how to tell a story in pictures.
  • Know how to use colour
  • Understand the benefits of different media such as pencil, ink, electronic tablet…

Pedagogical methods

Students should bring pencils and sketchbooks - they will be drawing from life on the first day. They should also bring their laptops – they will be producing / reworking a visualisation in the classroom. There will be a process of presentations and feedback from myself and the other students.

Students must bring material to the workshop with which to make a visualisation:

  • Either a visualisation they have already done that they want to rework.
  • Or the research data they will need to produce a new visualisation.

Audience

The workshop is open to students of any level of ability that want to improve their visualisation skills. This course does not teach software, but aims to optimise the personal drawing and computer skills students already have.

Location

Université de Neuchâtel

Information

Date: Thursday 4th and Friday 5th May 2017

Schedule: 9:15 to 17:15

Location: University of Neuchâtel

Trainer: Tom Reed's background is in art, with a Fine Art degree from Oxford University and teaching qualification from London University. He has many years experience as an artist and illustrator and his visualisations have appeared in films for the University of Zurich and are regularly featured in the NZZ newspaper.

He has been a lecturer on the PhD programme at the University of Zurich for the last three years. He takes courses in Scientific Drawing and Visualisation.

Tom is also the author and illustrator of seven children's books. In his books he mixes traditional mediums such as pen and ink and digital techniques to tell a story in pictures.

His work can be seen at atomvisualisation.com www.tomreedbooks.co.uk

Expenses

Participants are eligible for reimbursement of incurred travel expenses by train between the town of their university and the location of the workshop (half-fare card, 2nd class). Lunch costs will be reimbursed upon presentation of original receipts. A reimbursement form will be supplied to all registered participants for this workshop.

Places

20

Deadline for registration 27.04.2017
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