This document provides a step-by-step guide for creating flow charts and small multiples using Adobe Illustrator. It reviews Illustrator tools such as selection, direct selection, layers, and align. It then outlines an 11-step process for making a flow chart on reporting landlord complaints, including adding text, shapes, arrows, and formatting lines. It also describes a 7-step method for creating small multiples diagrams to show traffic accident data over time using techniques like tracing, copying, and applying new graphic conventions.

1. SESSION 3 DEMO:
FLOW CHARTS AND SMALL MULTIPLES
PLAN601E VERBAL AND VISUAL: INFORMATION GRAPHICS (SESSION 3)

2. OBJECT
TOOLS COLOR
LAYERS
STROKE
REVIEW OF ADOBE Palettes organize tools, colors, layers, type,
ILLUSTRATOR TOOLS and other settings.

3. ZOOM /
PAN
REVIEW OF ADOBE Move around the artboard with zoom, pan, or scrolling; the
ILLUSTRATOR TOOLS mouse wheel can also be used to scroll.

4. SELECT
REVIEW OF ADOBE Shapes and lines are made up of “paths” and “anchors”;
ILLUSTRATOR TOOLS paths and polygans can be moved with the selection tool.

5. DIRECT
SELECT
REVIEW OF ADOBE Anchors are the handles on paths and polygons; they can
ILLUSTRATOR TOOLS be moved with the direct selection tool.

6. COLOR
FILL /
STROKE
REVIEW OF ADOBE Paths have a “fill” and “stroke,” which can be
ILLUSTRATOR TOOLS assigned colors.

7. STROKE
STROKE
REVIEW OF ADOBE Paths (and “strokes”) can also be assigned
ILLUSTRATOR TOOLS “line weights” and dashes.

8. DIRECT
SELECT
REVIEW OF ADOBE
Direct selection can move several anchors at the same time.
ILLUSTRATOR TOOLS

9. EDIT
REVIEW OF ADOBE “Paste in front” is way of copying paths and keeping them
ILLUSTRATOR TOOLS in the same position.

10. SELECT
REVIEW OF ADOBE Another way to copy polygons is to move them with the
ILLUSTRATOR TOOLS selection tool + option.

11. LAYERS
REVIEW OF ADOBE Another way to copy polygons is to move them with the
ILLUSTRATOR TOOLS selection tool + option.

12. ARRANGE
REVIEW OF ADOBE Polygons can also be arranged within the same layer by
ILLUSTRATOR TOOLS selecting then right clicking and utilizing “arrange” tools.

13. TEXT
TEXT
TEXT
REVIEW OF ADOBE Use the “text tool” to create text boxes; modify text in
ILLUSTRATOR TOOLS the menu or character palette.

14. SELECT
GROUP
REVIEW OF ADOBE Select, right click, and “group” polygons and text to
ILLUSTRATOR TOOLS move them together

15. SELECT
REVIEW OF ADOBE Dragging the “pivot” on a group of polygons while holding
ILLUSTRATOR TOOLS shift scales them propotionally.

16. SELECT
SCALE
REVIEW OF ADOBE Select the group, right click, and select “scale” to scale
ILLUSTRATOR TOOLS by percentage.

17. ROTATE
REVIEW OF ADOBE Hold shift while rotating to “rotate” the group at
ILLUSTRATOR TOOLS 45 degree increments.

18. RULER
REVIEW OF ADOBE Create “guides” by clicking on the vertical and horizontal
ILLUSTRATOR TOOLS rulers and dragging into the artboard.

19. GUIDES /
GRIDS
REVIEW OF ADOBE Right click anywhere and select “show / hide grid” to
ILLUSTRATOR TOOLS show a background grid.

20. ALIGN
REVIEW OF ADOBE The “align” palette has tools for aligning polygons by their
ILLUSTRATOR TOOLS centers and edges.

21. ALIGN
REVIEW OF ADOBE The “align” palette has tools for aligning polygons by their
ILLUSTRATOR TOOLS centers and edges.

22. PATH-
FINDER
REVIEW OF ADOBE The “pathfinder” palette has tools for combining polygons
ILLUSTRATOR TOOLS in various ways into “compound shapes.”

23. SHORT
CUT
REVIEW OF ADOBE Hover the cursor over various tools
ILLUSTRATOR TOOLS to see the “short-cut” command.

24. (Source: MFY Legal Services, 2008)
CREATING A FLOW CHART Let’s make a chart that explains the process for reporting
WITH ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR a landlord complaint to 311.

25. CREATING A FLOW CHART
Steps: 1) find some interesting data.
WITH ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR

26. CREATING A FLOW CHART
Steps: 2) look at a precedent.
WITH ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR

27. CREATING A FLOW CHART Steps: 3) sketch out your ideas for the diagam and
WITH ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR graphic conventions.

28. 4
CREATING A PIE CHART
Steps: 4) set up grapihc conventions in Illustrator.
WITH ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR

29. TEXT
5 5
CREATING A PIE CHART Steps: 5) make a layer for text, use text tool to write out
WITH ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR steps, arrange with selection tool.

30. ELLIPSE 6
CREATING A PIE CHART Steps: 6) use rectangle / ellipse tools to make
WITH ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR polygons for text.

31. 7
EYEDROP
7
CREATING A PIE CHART Steps: 7) use eyedropper to select and coordinate
WITH ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR boxes with graphic conventions.

32. PEN
8
CREATING A PIE CHART
Steps: 8) add arrowheads in the Effects > Stylize menu.
WITH ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR

33. 9
CREATING A PIE CHART
Steps: 9) add arrowheads in the Effects > Stylize menu.
WITH ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR

34. 10
10
CREATING A PIE CHART
Steps: 10) adjust dash settings for lines.
WITH ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR

35. 11
11
CREATING A PIE CHART Steps: 11) use the grid and align tools to clean up
WITH ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR diagram shapes and lines.

36. (Source: MFY Legal Services, 2008)
CREATING A FLOW CHART
Give your diagram a descriptive title.
WITH ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR

37. (Source: http://crashstat.org/)
CREATING SMALL MULTIPLES
Let’s make a diagram displaying traffic accident data.
WITH ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR

38. CREATING SMALL MULTIPLES Steps: 1) Find some interesting data that has a
WITH ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR temporal dimension.

39. 2
CREATING SMALL MULTIPLES Steps: 2) “place” a screenshot of the stats map
WITH ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR in the artboard.

40. 3
CREATING SMALL MULTIPLES Steps: 3) trace background elements for the diagram;
WITH ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR add annotation; create scaled elements.

41. 4
CREATING SMALL MULTIPLES Steps: 4) group the background elements and drag
WITH ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR holding shift + option to copy.

42. 5
CREATING SMALL MULTIPLES Steps: 5) make a layer for dots and place dots on
WITH ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR background to represent annual data.

43. 6
6
CREATING SMALL MULTIPLES Steps: 6) use type tool to add annotation and clean up
WITH ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR with align palette.

44. STROKE
CREATING SMALL MULTIPLES Let’s try out a different convention for representing data
WITH ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR values, such as line weight.

45. 7
CREATING SMALL MULTIPLES Steps: 7) use eyedropper tool to apply new
WITH ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR graphic conventions.

46. (Source: http://crashstat.org/)
CREATING SMALL MULTIPLES
Be sure to create a label for the data source.
WITH ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR