Infographics part of graphic design that displays information in the form of a creative piece of design that is interesting and informative to look at.
Initial ideas
Research
Godzilla
Godzilla is an enormous, destructive, prehistoric sea monster awakened and empowered by nuclear radiation. With the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the Lucky Dragon 5 incident still fresh in the Japanese consciousness, Godzilla was conceived as a metaphor for nuclear weapons.
Godzilla lived on a island is Lagos during this time he was attacked by American troops from the WW2 era. Japanese soldiers paid their respects to Godzilla when he essentially saved to their lives.
Now sometime after this a nuclear submarine crashed into the island which had nuclear radiation and nuclear waste caught on. Which in tern created Godzilla as we know now. The time travel plot is complicated but it basically mean Godzilla himself was created during the WW2 when America was experimenting with nuclear weapons.
Godzilla is anglicized translation of the Japanese word gojira. Gojira is actually the combination of two Japanese words: gorira, which means gorilla and kujira which means whale. So when people are screaming their heads off about Godzilla (as they do in many of these movies), they're actually saying a Japanese portmanteau of gorilla-whale.
Godzilla lived on a island is Lagos during this time he was attacked by American troops from the WW2 era. Japanese soldiers paid their respects to Godzilla when he essentially saved to their lives.
Now sometime after this a nuclear submarine crashed into the island which had nuclear radiation and nuclear waste caught on. Which in tern created Godzilla as we know now. The time travel plot is complicated but it basically mean Godzilla himself was created during the WW2 when America was experimenting with nuclear weapons.
Godzilla is anglicized translation of the Japanese word gojira. Gojira is actually the combination of two Japanese words: gorira, which means gorilla and kujira which means whale. So when people are screaming their heads off about Godzilla (as they do in many of these movies), they're actually saying a Japanese portmanteau of gorilla-whale.
HOW TO SURVIVE A GODZILLA ATTACK
- Know your enemy - Educate yourself on the radioactive monster we call Godzilla, or at least know what he looks like.
- Don't wait around! - Find shelter immediatly in a building at least 20 miles away from where he was seen.
- Avoid radioactive breath - Avoid at all cost, death is likely if interacted with.
- Find some armbands - Usually he appears out of the sea and his size can cause mega tsunamis. so if you don't die from being stepped on at least don't die from drowning.
- Don't even bother shooting him - He is basically walking armour, I wouldn't even waste my time.
- Carry snacks - You may be waiting around a while before he decides to leave, I'd get a packet of crisps and a choccy biscuit if I were you.
Dinosaurs
Another idea I had was to research and create an infographic about dinosaurs! as you can see I'm obsessed with large creatures. I collated some infographics I liked but when gathering the images I noticed that the posters I collected were quite child like and not really my style of design. so, if I was to create it in my own way it would be a lot more mature and emphasise how frightening they actually are. the image of the T rex in the top left corner of the moodpboard is an image I was really drawn to, it looks almost ghostlike and haunting.
- The name "dinosaur" dates back to 1842. The word has Greek origins: dino comes from the Greek 'deinos' which translates as terrible or powerful, and saur comes from the Greek 'sauros' which translates to lizard, and the name was selected by English palaeontologist Richard Owen.
- Dinosaurs lived in every continent on Earth; more than 700 different species have been discovered worldwide.
- The most ferocious of dinosaurs was the Tyrannosaurus Rex. The bite of a T-Rex could easily crush through bone and was eight times more powerful than a lion’s bite!
- A Tyrannosaurus Rex had a lifespan of 25-28 years; the weight of an adult was approximately 7 tonnes or 15,430 lbs – that’s about the weight of 200 ten year old children!
- The longest dinosaur was the Amphicoelias. Based on fossils it is estimated that this Sauropodmeasured over 58 metres (190 ft) long.
- When dinosaur bones were first found hundreds of years ago by the Chinese, they thought they were the bones of giant dragons.
- The first dinosaur to be formally named was the Megalosaurus, back in 1824.
- Birds descended from a type of dinosaurs known as theropods.
- It is believed that dinosaurs lived on Earth until around 65 million years ago when a mass extinction occurred. Scientists believe that the event leading to the extinction may have been a massive asteroid impact or huge volcanic activity. Events such as these could have blocked out sunlight and significantly changed the Earth’s ecology.
- There were survivors of this extinction; species of turtle, lizard, snake, bird and crocodile can all be traced back to the Mesozoic era; they have evolved to survive on our planet today.
Further research
whilst researching I came across a designer called Brodie Kaman, an Australian designer based in Berlin. I really liked his work with the bright bold colours and feel it would look interesting in an infographic style. I feel the way he presents his work is really interesting and quite abstract, I'm excited to see how I can take some inspiration for my final poster.
More about Brodie Kaman:
https://www.itsnicethat.com/articles/brodie-kaman-graphic-design-300718
More about Brodie Kaman:
https://www.itsnicethat.com/articles/brodie-kaman-graphic-design-300718
Ideas
after researching some ideas, I have decided to design an infographic poster of the anatomy of Godzilla. I feel like this is a good mixture between my two ideas. Instead of how to survive a Godzilla attack, I want to highlight his key strengths and elements that make him too dangerous to the world. If I was to do the dinosaur idea, I would of picked one type of dinosaur and designed a diagram explaining all their strengths. I want my audience to be young adults/adult so I feel like Godzilla would fit better, I didn't want my poster to be designed for kids.
Godzillas Key Parts of the body are:
I pulled this information from various articles on the internet, they match the description of Godzilla accurately.
Godzillas Key Parts of the body are:
- Weight - Godzilla would weigh 164,000 tons
- Body Function - Godzilla's metabolism would generate 1.4 megawatts, or about as much power as that of a large wind turbine.
- Skin - Godzilla's exterior is tough, His crocodile-like hide would be embedded with osteoderms, or bony deposits akin to chain mail. Protruding osteoderms on his back and tail vent excess heat.
- Aqua terra - Godzilla's body mass can create tsunami's. He's lived under the sea for decades.
- Diet - Godzilla can metabolise radiation in the earth to upkeep energy levels.
- Breath - it's an incredibly powerful beam attack that normally resembles a blast of blue fire. Godzilla creates it by gathering the radioactive energy within his body and emitting it from his mouth.
I pulled this information from various articles on the internet, they match the description of Godzilla accurately.
After researching existing posters, I found that there is a lack of them. these were the two I could find that caught my eye. I then began to do some thumbnails to see how I could potentially lay it out. I liked using the Japanese writing (kanji) because I feel it keeps it authentic to its origin.
Feedback
After some feedback I was advised to do more thorough research and to create something a little more intricate and different. I decided to research more into Godzilla's back story, how he was created by Japanese nuclear bombs etc. I feel like I can use this information and create a 'How to cook a Godzilla' as the elements needed are heat. I want to make it quite humorous and fun.
Through researching the back story behind how Godzilla was created, I found out that each Godzilla had a different back story on how he was born.
1954 film
''Godzilla exists as a metaphor of the pain and destruction caused by the atomic bombs that were dropped on Nagaski and Hiroshima during World War II. In the Japanese 1954 film, Godzilla, it was explained that the monster was a prehistoric reptile of some sort who was mutated by radiation from a nuclear test conducted by the United States military in the Pacific Ocean. The large amount of radiation absorbed by the reptile caused it to grow to gigantic proportions. Named "Godzilla," the creature attacked Japan but was ultimately killed by a device called the Oxygen Destroyer. The sequel, Godzilla Raids Again, revealed that two of these reptilian creatures were actually impacted by the atom bomb test. The first was killed in 1954, but the second survived. This version of Godzilla returned in the Toho films that followed.''
1998 film
''Sony's universally criticized adaptation of Godzilla in 1998 offered a drastically different interpretation of the monster. This version of Godzilla was born when an iguana was caught in a nuclear test in Polynesia in 1968. The radiation in his body led to a slow evolution into the lizard-like creature seen running loose in New York City during the events of the film. The transformation occurred over a 30-year period. As this version of Godzilla was poorly-received by audiences (and Toho), Toho effectively retconned him into a different monster by having him face off against the real Godzilla in Godzilla: Final Wars.''
2014 film
''Legendary's Godzilla kept the connection to the nuclear incident of 1954, but altered the circumstances of the event and what it meant for Godzilla. It was mentioned in the 2014 Godzilla that the military's "test" in 1954 was actually an attempt to kill Godzilla, an ancient creature that had lived for thousands of years. Godzilla survived the nuclear bombs, however, and returned in 2014 to battle the M.U.T.O.s. The MonsterVerse completely changed the meaning of Godzilla by making him a force of nature, rather than a product of humanity's mistakes.''
2016 film
''Toho's Shin Godzilla rebooted the franchise and served as the biggest deviation from the traditional story ever produced by the studio. The monster depicted in Shin Godzilla was a villainous, grotesque beast that possessed a number of brand new abilities. Originally a prehistoric sea-dwelling animal, it was somehow exposed to nuclear waste in the ocean, leading it to mutate into a strange, eel-like creature. It went through several hideous forms before finally evolving into a monster with the distinguishing physical characteristics of Godzilla. In its first two forms, it didn't even have legs.''
Research link:
https://screenrant.com/godzilla-origin-stories-differences-explained/
After some feedback I was advised to do more thorough research and to create something a little more intricate and different. I decided to research more into Godzilla's back story, how he was created by Japanese nuclear bombs etc. I feel like I can use this information and create a 'How to cook a Godzilla' as the elements needed are heat. I want to make it quite humorous and fun.
Through researching the back story behind how Godzilla was created, I found out that each Godzilla had a different back story on how he was born.
1954 film
''Godzilla exists as a metaphor of the pain and destruction caused by the atomic bombs that were dropped on Nagaski and Hiroshima during World War II. In the Japanese 1954 film, Godzilla, it was explained that the monster was a prehistoric reptile of some sort who was mutated by radiation from a nuclear test conducted by the United States military in the Pacific Ocean. The large amount of radiation absorbed by the reptile caused it to grow to gigantic proportions. Named "Godzilla," the creature attacked Japan but was ultimately killed by a device called the Oxygen Destroyer. The sequel, Godzilla Raids Again, revealed that two of these reptilian creatures were actually impacted by the atom bomb test. The first was killed in 1954, but the second survived. This version of Godzilla returned in the Toho films that followed.''
1998 film
''Sony's universally criticized adaptation of Godzilla in 1998 offered a drastically different interpretation of the monster. This version of Godzilla was born when an iguana was caught in a nuclear test in Polynesia in 1968. The radiation in his body led to a slow evolution into the lizard-like creature seen running loose in New York City during the events of the film. The transformation occurred over a 30-year period. As this version of Godzilla was poorly-received by audiences (and Toho), Toho effectively retconned him into a different monster by having him face off against the real Godzilla in Godzilla: Final Wars.''
2014 film
''Legendary's Godzilla kept the connection to the nuclear incident of 1954, but altered the circumstances of the event and what it meant for Godzilla. It was mentioned in the 2014 Godzilla that the military's "test" in 1954 was actually an attempt to kill Godzilla, an ancient creature that had lived for thousands of years. Godzilla survived the nuclear bombs, however, and returned in 2014 to battle the M.U.T.O.s. The MonsterVerse completely changed the meaning of Godzilla by making him a force of nature, rather than a product of humanity's mistakes.''
2016 film
''Toho's Shin Godzilla rebooted the franchise and served as the biggest deviation from the traditional story ever produced by the studio. The monster depicted in Shin Godzilla was a villainous, grotesque beast that possessed a number of brand new abilities. Originally a prehistoric sea-dwelling animal, it was somehow exposed to nuclear waste in the ocean, leading it to mutate into a strange, eel-like creature. It went through several hideous forms before finally evolving into a monster with the distinguishing physical characteristics of Godzilla. In its first two forms, it didn't even have legs.''
Research link:
https://screenrant.com/godzilla-origin-stories-differences-explained/
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''The history of the world was forever changed by the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. After suffering more than 220,000 casualties, the Empire of Japan announced its surrender, leading to the end of World War II. The US forces quickly moved in to launch Operation Blacklist, a mission to demilitarize and democratize Japan. During the next years of occupation, the US strictly prohibited any news coverage that dealt with the aftermath of the atomic bombings. This meant the rise in radiation-related illnesses, birth defects, and the long-term effects on the surrounding regions were effectively silenced to help the US maintain its authority. Even after the occupation came to an end in 1952, several Japanese activists and journalists began dealing more directly with the effects of the atom bomb, but they weren't able to gain much traction.
And it all seemed as though it would be forgotten until January 22, 1954, when Lucky Dragon No. 5, the small Japanese tuna-fishing boat, departed the harbors of Yaizu for a routine fishing job. With a crew of 23 men, the Lucky Dragon No. 5 set off fishing in the Midway Sea, near the Midway Atoll. But soon after, the boat altered its course south toward the Marshall Islands. Just 80 miles west of its destination lay the Bikini Atoll, an island famous for America's testing of various nuclear weapons, including Castle Bravo, which is to this day the most powerful nuclear device ever detonated by the United States. The Castle Bravo was scheduled for testing on March 1, 1954, the same day that Lucky Dragon No. 5 arrived at the Marshall Islands. The US government had already declared in advance a 57,000-square-mile danger zone that could potentially be affected by the fallout. But what they were not able to predict in advance was the sheer power of Castle Bravo.''
Research link:
https://www.businessinsider.com/godzilla-wwii-japan-nuclear-bombs-monster-kaiju-fishing-boat-2019-6?r=US&IR=T
Through researching more thoroughly into the meaning behind Godzilla, I feel like I have a much better understanding of how and why Godzilla was created. He is a metaphor for the disaster in Japan and the effect it had on the Japanese people.
My next move is to decide what overall look I want to go for, I will need to do some more research into this. I want to have a look at how posters looked in 1950's Japan and potentially comics.
Further Research
After researching how Japanese posters looked in the 1950's, I noticed that they use a lot of abstract shapes and simple art work. I liked the use of colour as well as they're bright and striking. I feel like I could take some inspiration from these pieces by illustrating my own images for the Godzilla poster.
I also had a look at existing cooking infographics and how they tend to be laid out on a poster. I wanted to make sure that use the best layout for what I want to achieve. In the images I gathered I was most drawn to the pieces that had simple colour palettes as for me this felt easier on my eyes and made navigating through the poster more flowing.
I drew out some more thumbnails to help me visualise my idea. I aim to try a few layouts in indesign to decide what would look the best. I also began to illustrate my images I needed, I aimed to have 5 steps within my poster and include some accurate aspects of what would go into making a Godzilla and the time it would take.
First designs
These were my first initial designs, I took inspiration from the 1950's and picked a contrast between colours and used them to make some abstract and bright posters. once I'd finished with these posters I felt like it lacked something, undue on what to do I messed around with some of features on an app and had a look at how it could change the colours. I found some cool effects which I liked the look of!
Here are a few of them:
Here are a few of them:
But once I found a specific edit I liked I really enjoyed how this poster looked, I liked the look of the folded paper, making it look roughed up as if it had been used before. It also has some Japanese elements in the poster which I felt was important because Godzilla was originated in Japan.
