Information Design / Project 1
04.02.26 - 22.03.26 (Week 6-8)
PAN RUINING (0378138)
INFORMATION DESIGN / Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media
PROJECT 1
CONTENT LIST
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LECTURES
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FEEDBACK
LECTURES
INSTRUCTION
PROJECT 1: INSTRUCTABLE POSTER
Requirements:
- An infographic poster for ONE recipe selected from Pasta Grannies@: https://www.youtube.com/user/pastagrannies/videos
- Poster size: 1240 × 1750 pixels or 2048 × 2048 pixels
- Transmit a set of instructions and at the same time educate the audience.
For this project, we were assigned to create an instructable infographic
based on a video we chose from the Pasta Granny YouTube channel.
We were to study the video, break down and chunk the preparation and
cooking process into an instructable poster. And try to capture each
Grandma’s personality and unique dish identity in the poster as part of
the narrative structure.
Chosen granny: 89yr old Francesca makes traditional Maritati (married) pasta from
Puglia!
After watching the videos on this channel, I chose the one featuring
Francesca, an elderly lady, making Maritati (“married”) pasta. I found the
meaning behind this pasta particularly interesting, and the steps were
simple and clearly presented.
Title: 89yr old Francesca makes traditional Maritati (married) pasta from
Puglia!
Granny Name: Francesca
Recipe Name: Maritati pasta
Recipe Breakdown
First, I repeatedly watched the video, broke down the recipe, and wrote
down the step-by-step process.
1. For the dough:
- 300g durum wheat semolina flour
- 150ml water
2. For the condimento:
- 1 clove garlic
- 2–3 salted anchovies, cleaned and chopped
- 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed
- 1 small piece of chili pepper
- 10 cherry tomatoes, halved
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 500g turnip greens leaves (cime di rapa), cleaned and trimmed
Steps:
1. Prepare the Dough
- Mix durum wheat semolina flour with water to form a firm dough.
- Knead until smooth (~5 minutes).
- Divide into two portions: one for maccheroni, one for orecchiette.
2. Shape the Maccheroni
- Roll dough into a rope (~1 cm thick).
- Cut small pieces (~4 cm apart).
- Press pieces with a thin rod, roll with your palm to form hollow tubes.
3. Shape the Orecchiette
- Roll dough into thicker rope.
- Cut small olive-sized pieces.
- Scrape each piece with a knife to form a cup shape.
- Turn inside out to form orecchiette.
4. Cook the Pasta & Vegetables
- Bring a pot of water to boil, add salt.
- Add both types of pasta, stir gently.
- Boil turnip greens in the pasta water for a few minutes.
5. Prepare the Condimento
- Heat extra virgin olive oil in a pan.
- Add garlic, anchovies, capers, chili pepper, bay leaf, cook until fragrant.
- Add halved cherry tomatoes, cook briefly.
6. Combine & Serve
- Drain pasta and vegetables together.
- Place in a bowl and pour condimento over the top.
- Mix well and serve.
Visual Research
Next, I searched on Pinterest for some recipe infographics and
inspiration, learning how to create layouts and illustrate food
infographics. Below are some examples of recipe infographics I found
online:
Fig 1.1 Recipe infographic references
Color Palette
I wanted the overall color scheme of the poster to look simple and clean
while still fitting the theme, so I limited the palette to just three
colors, including two different shades of red to create a sense of visual
depth.
Fig 1.2 Color palette
Sketches & Idea Exploration
Next, I started sketching. The sketch below shows the general layout I
outlined. I focused on making the cooking steps clear and easy to follow,
arranging each step using the golden ratio to present the process in a
structured and visually balanced way.
Fig 1.3 Goden ratio
Fig 1.4 Sketch
Digitization
Next, I began creating the assets needed for the poster. I first
searched online for reference images of the ingredients.
Fig 1.5 Ingredients references
After that, I used Photoshop to illustrate the ingredients.
Fig 1.6 Process in PS
Fig 1.7 Process in PS
Fig 1.8 Ingredients outcomes
After creating the assets, I begin working on the poster in Adobe
Illustrator.
Fig 1.9 Process in AI
Fig 1.10 Initial poster
After that, I received feedback from Mr. Kannan:
- The word “step” looked too long and wasn’t concise enough.
- The arrows were too dark and didn’t match the overall color scheme; he suggested changing them to brown.
- The “L” in the third step could be removed, otherwise it looked too crowded.
- The finished pasta could be made slightly smaller, otherwise it would be partially covered by the third step and wouldn’t look as neat.
FINAL OUTCOME
Fig 1.11 Final outcome
Fig 1.12 Final outcome (PDF)
FEEDBACK
WEEK 5: Sir said that the pasta I chose from the YouTube channel was fine, and I could start my work.
WEEK 6: Sir mentioned that the word “step” looked too long and wasn’t concise enough. The arrows were too dark and didn’t match the overall color scheme of the poster, so he suggested changing them to brown. He also said the “L” in the third step could be removed, as it looked too crowded. Finally, he recommended making the finished pasta slightly smaller, so it would be partially covered by the third step and wouldn’t look as neat.
WEEK 7: The poster is good, and whether to add “No.” before the step numbers is up to me. For our group’s final project, we need to include animation, so the storyboard should be clear enough that people can imagine how the animation will look just by looking at the images.
REFLECTION
Experience:
This project was both interesting and challenging. Although the Pasta Grannies video I chose provided a summary of all the ingredients, obtaining a clear breakdown of the cooking steps required repeatedly watching the original video, which took a lot of time. I also struggled with designing the poster, but ultimately I prioritized making the steps clear and intuitive, and built the layout around that. I then spent a significant amount of time searching for ingredient references and illustrating them. This process was not easy, but it greatly improved my skills in creating cartoon-style illustrations in Photoshop.
Observations:
I observed that the layout, color scheme, and image sizes all have a significant impact on how effectively a reader can extract information from an infographic poster. I also noticed that if you want people to understand the information at a glance, combining images with arrows works very well, and keeping the text minimal makes it even more effective.
Findings:
I found that an infographic poster should be simple and clean. The most important thing is to present information in a clear and easy to understand way. It is important not to follow others opinions blindly. If a design feels comfortable and makes sense to you, it is okay to stick with your own ideas.
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