Information Design - Project 1: Instructable Poster

 INFORMATION DESIGN

💡Instructions💡

Instructable Infographics poster

Make on infographic poster for one recipe selected from Pasta Grannies

⚫Deadline

Week 4 - 27th Feb

⚫Requirement

Select one recipe video and breakdown preparation and cooking process into an instructable poster. Try capture each Grandma's personality and unique dish identity in the poster as part of the narrative structure.

Poster size: 1240 × 1750 pixels or 2048 × 2048 pixels

⚫The infographic

• transmits and communicates a message
• present large amounts of information in a compact and easy to understand way
• reveal the data. Discovering cause-effect relations, knowing what's happening
• periodically monitor the evolution of certain parameters

✍🏼Recipe Breakdown✍🏼

We are tasked to select one of the recipes from Pasta Grannies and break down the process into an instructable poster. First step is to browse and select one recipe from the channel.

Pasta grannie homepage, Week 4 [20/02/2024]

Chosen video

The recipe chosen is a Genova typical dish, cheesy mashed potato pie with Polpettone mixed with potatoes and green beans. Polpettone is very large meatballs or meatloaf, and every family in Liguiria has its own version.

Next step is to study the recipe (data collection) before designing the layout and design

Recipe breakdown

The savory mashed potato pie is a classic dish in Genova, Week 4 [21/02/2024] 

Polpettone alla Genovese

Ingredients

-  1.5kg of peeled potatoes

- 350gram of frozen green beans

- half a chopped onion

- 4 eggs

- marjoram

- grated parmesan cheese

- olive oil

- marjoram

- breadcrumbs

Process

1. Boil 1 and ½ kilos of potatoes in salted water for about 15 minutes.
2. Boil 350 grams of frozen green beans for 10 minutes, soften enough to be cut.
3. In a small pan, soften half a chopped onion in olive oil.
4. Drain and cool the potatoes with cold water.
5. Squeeze out the excess water from beans
6. Rice the potatoes and beans using a food mill, which gives the best texture.
7. Whisk together 4 eggs, marjoram, softened onion, and grated parmesan cheese.
8. Mix everything together thoroughly.
9. Grease a wide shallow baking tin with olive oil and sprinkle with breadcrumbs.
10. Spread out the potato mixture evenly and create ridges with a fork.
11. Add more breadcrumbs and olive oil on top.
12. Bake for around 35 minutes.

🎈Process🎈

Inspiration gathering

As I am quite unfamiliar on how to include ingredients as well as process in a single picture, I have to refer to outstanding layout posters from peers and the Internet

I found myself leaning towards more to clear, and chronological way of instructions. In my opinion, it gives the reader more clear steps, without having to interpret and understand the layout.

inspiration 1, Week 4 [21/02/2024]

inspiration 2, Week 4 [21/02/2024]

inspiration 3, Week 4 [21/02/2024]

inspiration 4, Week 4 [21/02/2024]

inspiration 5, Week 4 [21/02/2024]

Personality and unique traits analysis

Besides illustrating the process and how to make the Polpettone, we are required to capture the personality of the nanny and the traits of the dish itself. Hence I tried to analyze through video frames

frame analysis, Week 4 [21/02/2024]

For me, the personality of the nanny is relatively calming and comforting, and potato pie is affordable, yet filling. Hence I decided to go for blue and yellow combination like below

very subtle but down to earth color selection, Week 4 [21/02/2024]

Sketch layout

The layout I am aiming for is clear and simple layout that doesn't require readers to analyze the picture too much, and be able to immediately follow the recipe on the go.

I used ProCreate to map out the idea in mind

Sketch #1

Sketch #1, Week 4 [22/02/2024]

Sketch #2

Sketch #2, Week 4 [22/02/2024]

Sketch #3

Sketch layout #3, Week 4 [22/02/2024]

I decided to choose sketch #2 as I like the visual idea of having 2 main big object and other smaller elements revolving around.

Poster Making

As said I am aiming for having blue and yellow background for the recipe as I think the personality of the granny gives me a calming vibe and also the mash potato dish is heart warming.

the chosen background, Week 4 [23/02/2024]

Because I couldn't find the ideal asset, I decided to draw on my own on Procreate. Notably this is my first time using it with my limited drawing skills... After endless trying, the outcome is as below

the food mill with potatoes...the potato pie, Week 4 [23/02/2024]

the potato pie, Week 4 [23/02/2024]

Next step is to insert the 2 main assets into editing

As I am not really familiar with Illustration I switched back to Photoshop..., Week 4 [24/02/2024]

The next problem is I couldn't recreate the surface texture of the mash potato pie in my imagination, which is my main issue throughout the project...

Suddenly the idea came into my mind, I can just extract from the video!

Importing pie texture, Week 4 [25/02/2024]

I extracted the texture and blend it into the pie I drew.

Next is just collecting elements from the Internet as I have already have idea in mind.

Gathering all element assets, Week 4 [25/02/2024]

Adding the background, and adjusting layers properties so they looked more aligned

Adding an irregular region so that the compartment is more straightforward and visually understandable

Adding compartmental shape, Week 4 [25/02/2024]

Refining elements

Refining elements, Week 4 [25/02/2024]

After setting up the final arrangement, I decided to edit the poster on Procreate - adding arrows and strokes~

Reworking on Procreate, Week 4 [25/02/2024]

Finally, adding the fonts! I couldn't find an ideal font that suits the poster visuals, hence I tried search more in Adobe fonts, the ideal font should be elegant and calligraphic. 

Browsing for fonts, Week 4 [26/02/2024]

Typing in the fonts, I tried to shorten the instructions so that the graphic and text complement each other to convey clear message.

Adding Instruction, Week 4 [26/02/2024]

🎨Outcome🎨

Final poster, Week 4 [27/02/2024]