Who?
I’m John Grimwade, and I’ve made an awful lot of infographics. They fall into three distinct categories: the good, the bad, and the ugly. But enough of that… I hope to bring my passion for all forms of visual storytelling to this blog.
My background: I started out making infographics in newspapers, then switched to magazines, books, and corporate projects. My career has spanned the dinosaur years of pens and pencils, the game-changing switch to digital, then online multimedia and interactivity, and on to the era of big data. I taught undergraduates at SVA NYC for seven years, before moving to Ohio University to teach in the School of Visual Communication for five years.
I’m involved in numerous professional projects, including being the consulting graphics director of Eight by Eight, a soccer magazine that was the 2015 Society of Publication Design’s Magazine of the Year. (Of course, I’m a huge soccer fan.)
The pretentious mission statement
I’m trying to promote infographics that engage the general public. There’s a trend towards elitist visualizations that seem like they might be designed for data geeks. Of course, visual communication is a powerful way to help people understand, but first we have to get people on our side. Be inclusive, not exclusive. And never forget that a sense of fun is an important component in getting our message across. Infographics for the People!