Graphics of Fantasy

Jaime Serra revolutioned (several times) the infographics world. From the mythic whale graphic, to thebread-pie. Now, after leaving the "conventional" infographics, (if he practised it once) , offers a new view of this job, art for some chosen like him.
His last work is a example of innovation on this field, the fantasy infographics. Shows how information and imagination can merge to create weird creatures which don't exist but in his head. I'm a great defender of infographics as journalism and not an art, but Jaime Serra makes a great exception.
Via Visualmente, including an interview (in spanish), and albertocairo.com

Gert Nielsen and the "gore" graphics

Gert Nielsen, webmaster of Visual Journalism e infographics artist in Ekstra Bladet, proposed in the last Malofiej shis theory about journalism, and the graphics within, which talked about that they have to focus on information, beyond the ethics (or something like that). In brief, he told that we don´t have to avoid drawing things just because they are scathological or politically incorrects. If you have to draw a rape, you draw it, without tabus. It was a must-talk topic this year at the Summit. Some said that he was right (the truth is that they were just a few) and others defended that you have to draw waht you have to, but the examples that Nielsen showed were too "yellow". They accused him of drawing a rape when was no need to do it, of being too "bloody" and not focus on information, but on the scathological. Here you are some examples so you could have your own ideas. They're not hi-res, these are photos taken by somebody at the conference and then published in Flickr, but I hope they'll be enough.

Informate Gratis

Is a new concept of a free newspaper. It's focused on the rural villages of Galicia and Asturias (northwest of Spain), and not on a big city. A touch of originality in this media bussiness world.THey have just published their first issue and, talking about infographics, looks great. The topic of graphics on free newspapers (teorically, very visuals) should be talked. Who would want the pdf, just have to click here. You can also visit their web here

Chapel Hill, the development league of infographics

As some of you already know, Alberto Cairo, former online graphics director at elmundo.es, teaches now at Chapell Hill University, North Carolina. Time to time he shows graphics of his pupils taht, saying the truth, impress me. I remember my university times, when Jaime Serra teached me, my graphics were very far from what this "freaks" (in the best meaning of the word) are capable to do. They study, as much of we infographics artists did, journalism, but with more specialized subjects, focused to visual information and multimedia. But, as you can see, most of their graphics are good enough at pro level. Congrats to Alberto for the work he's doing there.
If you wanna watch their last works, press here

Maps of War

Maps of War offers us an interesting animation. It explains the different empires that have controlled Middle East in a clear, simple, natural, and very informative way. Good example in an era in which much of us are blind for 3d. Most of times easier is better

Searching for multimedia

Now i'm involved in learning flash. Illustrator, Photoshop and 3d are good travel partners, but sometimes you have to add nw friends. It's not just professional, just learning. I surfed the web looking for what are people doing about that ad I found out some conclussions, I don't know what would you think about, but I'm shocked about them:
1. The great difference between multimedia graphic concept in the different countries, much bigger than in print. Ypu can take a look at elmundo.es and ELPAIS.com and the have a totally different way to tell stories than NY Times, as an example
2. You just don't have to work with infographics. Sometimes you need to have a programmer near. It's not that you can't do a great graphic without a proogrammer, there are really greats,but the real interactivity requires some informatic knowledges that, at least I, don't have
3. I'm not blind for my country, but if I have to choose a counntry as the most advanced at online graphics, I choose Spain
4. Few media have noticed the importance of thiskind of information (much more useful than print, in my opinion)
5. Oh God, I have to learn Flash early, or I'll be fired!

Infographics videoclip

I've tried hard to find this videoclip, but I couldn't remember the name. Thanks to Innovations in Newspapers, who rescued it, I could remember the name of the band, Röyksopp, a norwegian band who chose infographics as the visual subject for its video Remind me. I remember we talked about it at Malofiej, and I was the fool cause I had not watched it (You had not seen it!, incredible). Wel, I don't think that it's so important, but it's nice, so now you have a topic to talk between infographics artist beyond how bad treated we are in our newspapers

Death & Taxes 2007

Nice iniciative from Jesee Bachman. Each year he makes a megagraphic explaining the annual budget of the USA. You can see a larger image of the graphic at his web, and you can also buy a poster of it there.

Via Innovations in newspapers