Tornado Infobook
A straightforward visual introduction to tornadoes in Oklahoma, and tornadoes in general.
Details
My Role
Visual Designer
Duration
Mar - May 2014
Skills
Research and Analysis
Data Visualization
Print Design
Writing
Tools
Adobe InDesign
Adobe Illustrator
Overview
Growing up in Oklahoma, tornadoes were just a unfortunate part of life. Not till I moved to Pittsburgh did I learn of people's intense fear of tornadoes. I know fear is often due to lack of knowledge of the unkown, so to help settle that fear, I decided to create a calm, fact-filled, visual overview of tornadoes in Oklahoma. The hope is that for the uninformed person, this book would provide a better understanding of these natural phenomena, and possibly reduce fears.
My goal was visualize Oklahoma's tornado data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA). The challenge was to take this data, sometimes in tables, sometimes scattered in paragraphs, and turn it into a visual and easy-to-understand book.
Outcome
The result was a 15-page print book about tornadoes in Oklahoma, my home state. I selected a calm assortment of colors to frame the content in a relaxed light. I designed the pages based on common questions I had gotten from people who live outside of Tornado Alley.
Looking back now, I would like to expand the book to tell a fuller story, including information of how tornadoes form, the anatomy of tornadoes, what to do in a tornado, how to prep for a tornado, and some anecdotes about strange things that have happened with tornadoes.
Thumbnails of the pages in the planning stages.