Reading Response #1

Graphical Excellence was the topic that Edward Tufte discussed within the first chapter of his book. He opened up this discussion but introducing the habits one should have when creating a good data visualization. Most of them were common sense such as: show the data, present many numbers in small spaces, serve a reasonably clear purpose: description, exploration, tabulation or decoration, etc. This lead the audience to a history lesson where he showed data maps, time-series, space-time narrative, and relation graphics. He gave examples, explained their concepts and informed where these graphs originated.

I am not going to summarize what happened in the reading; instead I rather write about and expand on the idea of "graphical excellence, the efficient communication of complex quantitative ideas". More specifically a graph that tells a story.

One of the principles of graphical excellence is a "presentation of interesting data - a matter of substance, of statistic and of design." Tufte pointed out that a relation graphics is the greatest of all graphical design because it links at least two variables together. What interests me about graphic is the fact that they can display any relationship between any two sets of data. Whether it is solar radiation and stock prices (page 15) or male death rate for lung cancer and per capita consumption of cigarettes (page 47). Regardless of the topic (no matter how silly) it how you present that idea that helps gets the point across. Yes the statistics/ data is important but if your graph can't display that data properly then the story is lost and the data that was collected is useless. Here is a visual graph called “high altitude” by Michael Najjar.

He reshaped the mountains to represent the Hang Seng Index. Since the graph doesn't show any numbers or any headings, using a mountain as appealing as it is, wouldn't be the best choice for this set of data.

This also goes the same for E.J.Marret, La Methode Graphique on page 31. I can't even look at this graph without getting headache. There is too much going on, and the only way I can see any data is if I look closely at the graph and squint my eyes.

Some of the graphs that I took a liking to were Hugh Newman Man and Insects (page 43) and Charles Joseph Minard graph (page 41). Both these graphs where very well designed in a sense where I find there wasn't to much going on (everything was spaced out). They got their point across and there stories told without any misinterpretation.

“Graphical excellence is that which gives the viewer the greatest number of ideas in the shortest time with the least ink in the smallest space.”  What I get from this is, the story can be told from any where within in the graph just as long as the graph is well organized and designed (shows the data clearly that not much ink is needed and not only does the design make it easier to read but in fact the design of the graph tell the story itself, rather the data only tells the story).

Reference

Edward R. Tufte, "Graphical Excellence," in The Visual Display of Quantitative Information (Cheshire, Connecticut: Graphics Press, 2001), 13–51.

Assignment 1 Data

With the rise in sales in Video Games, Tablets, Laptop, Desktop and most importantly ebook, I was wondering how greatly books were effected by this. I used to read books when I was a kid (at least 2 chapters a day before I went to bed) but now I find myself in my spare time playing video games. If you think about it, most people are using ebooks or even there Laptop/Desktop or their tablets to read books. My parents and sister just finish buying ebooks for christmas and are clearly not alone.A couple  of the reasons they bought it was "it is easier to carry around multiple books" and the backlight is nicer to have rather then turning on a light in your room.

I use to read books to be surrounded in these universes that would have characters that would go above and beyond the norm to get a problem fixed. There a lot more then that, but what I am trying to further state is that I get all of this from a video game. I wonder how many other people changed for the same reason.

I like how rocket jump showed their profit and expensive in making there show VGHS.

http://www.rocketjump.com/blog/how-much-webseries-cost

Morris, Rosenthal. "Amazon, Barnes&Noble and Book Store Sales Numbers Annual Update.." Accessed January 17, 2013. http://www.fonerbooks.com/booksale.htm.

Introduction

Hello reader(s),
        My name is Nicolas and I am a Digital Media student at York University. The reason for such a formal presentation is due to the fact that no one has taken this web address, "http://www.facs3935.blogspot.ca/". This is reasonable for the course is new and I guess what I am trying to say is, I can't believe I am that guy who took a course as an web address. Its like trying to buy your domain name or email address and searching your full name and its already taken.
        Anyways back to the introduction aspect of this blog. I am a gamer (what a surprise, a person in digital media that says they play games) which brought me to the field of programming. The reason I joined Digital Media at York was to understand the concept of art. I have studied databases before from a technical aspect, which means I have programmed in php and sql. Looking at a database from an art form is a concept that I don't understand and hopefully by the end of this course I will understand.

        On a side note I have no idea where to start on the Artist' Profile. I guess my first instinct is to google it, but  I am pretty sure that is not going to get me very far. I should probability talk to my classmates about that, or the professor. I am pretty sure some of my classmates are in the same boat as me.
        Well that's all I have to post for now, I better finish up the assignment that is due tomorrow.