Scientific Artwork, Data visualisation and Infographics with Adobe Illustrator (online training)

This course will teach the tools needed to create beautiful and functional vector graphics/illustrations and develop infographics. Vector graphics are the main product of Adobe Illustrator and the fundamental design element for your infographics. After completing the course, you will create your scientific artwork and visualize your data in Adobe Illustrator with efficiency. We will discuss the theory behind infographics' design, and you will appreciate the power of color and typography used to your designs.

Learning objectives

Our goal is to introduce Adobe Illustrator and help you design vector graphics, graphs & illustrations. Starting from scratch, you will discover how to navigate the program, draw your illustrations, and develop your infographics. You will be provided with a straightforward manual so you can always look back when you have a new designing challenge. You will be trained to recognize a good and lousy infographic design and improve your designs with simple but necessary designing techniques.

Instructional method

The course is divided into four sessions. The focus of the first two sessions is in Adobe Illustrator. During the last two, we will dive into the design theory of Infographics. There will be a theoretical part in all five sessions, followed by exercises done with the trainer's supervision and help. The exercises are given beforehand, but you can always bring your designing challenge to practice. The exercises in the Adobe Illustrator sessions are designed to teach you the program's tools and functions. In the Infographics sessions, they will help you see and recognize designing flaws and enhance your designs with the knowledge you have acquired during the course.

Remember that Adobe Illustrator is used to drawing illustrations and vector graphics, while Adobe InDesign is made to layout any file from a figure to a thesis book. If your goal is to layout, consider taking the other course provided (Adobe InDesign - from Dissertation Layout to Poster Design).

Important

To take the course you need a laptop, having Adobe Illustrator installed in the English language. You will receive a printed manual which is also written in English, so it makes it easier to follow the theory and practical’s. Also, remember to have a mouse or a graphic tablet to work during the sessions since the mousepad of the laptop will make your work difficult. Since the course is online and the sessions are interactive, a microphone and a camera are obligatory in the course's participation.

Teacher

Iliana Boshoven-Gkini (1981) has completed two master diplomas in Landscape architecture, Floriculture, and garden design, in the Agricultural University of Athens and Wageningen University in the Netherlands. After completing her studies, she started working independently (2012) (AgileColor design studio | AgileColor.com) and focused, among others, on helping PhD students with their thesis books and scientific artwork. From 2015 she started teaching Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign and Infographics courses in Wageningen and Utrecht Universities and gave guest lectures/training to numerous other occasions in the Netherlands and Switzerland. From 2019 she is a certified teacher in the Netherlands (CRKBO, Centraal Register Kort Beroepsonderwijs). She lives in Koedijk Alkmaar with her husband and three children. 

General Information

Target Group:	PhD's and Post-docs from Wageningen University & Research. If there are any spots left PhD's and Post-docs from other universities can apply too.
Group size:	8 to 15 participants
Course duration:	4 days from 9 am to 2 pm
Language:	English
Credit points:	0.6 ECTS
Self-study hours:	We recommend at least 16 hours of self-study and practice after the course
Name lecturer:	Iliana Boshoven-Gkini
Venue:	Online

Programme

The following topics will be covered on the first 2 days:

• Designing basics & principles
• Infographic basics
• Using Illustrator workspace
• Setting up artboards and documents
• Working with layers
• Creating basic and complex shapes
• Using drawing tools
• Transforming objects
• Visually improve your graphs and charts
• Grouping and ungrouping objects
• Adding fills and strokes
• Working with color
• Image tracing
• Using appearences, filters and effects
• Working with text and type
• Working with 3D
• Printing and exporting files

On the third and foourth day the following topics will be covered:

• Data visualization
• Draw charts and graphs
• Plan an effective infographic
• Work process
• Combine the building blocks to create an infographic
• Use effectively elements like type, color and icons
• Combine icons and illustrations in your infographics
• Good and bad infographic design
• Design an infographic

You will be provided with a manual of the theory, "Shortcut Sheets" for Illustrator, and extra reading material for further understanding.

Fee

Reduced fee: • PhD candidates of Wageningen University with an approved Training and Supervision Plan (TSP) who are registered at one of the WU graduate schools (EPS, PE&RC, VLAG, WASS, WIAS, WIMEK) • Postdocs of Wageningen University who are registered at one of the WU graduate schools	€ 150
University fee: All other PhD candidates / Wageningen University postdocs and staff	€ 300
External fee: All other participants	€ 600

Fee includes study and training material.

Cancellation condition

You may cancel free of charge up to four weeks before the start of the course. After this date you will be charged the University fee. Unless:

• You can find someone to replace you in the course and supply the course coordinator with the name and contact information of your replacement.
  In this case you will only be charged a € 50,- cancellation fee.
• You (PhDs and postdocs of Wageningen University) have a valid reason to cancel (illness or death in the family 1st or 2nd degree).
  In this case you will be charged the reduced fee and your supervisor/PI must send a mail indicating the reason for cancellation.

Information

For more information please contact jos.smelik@wur.nl