Info graphics, Visual Storytelling – stories full of life and data mining. Illustration trends, introduced by the Academy for Illustration and Design, Berlin.

AID Berlin is commencing its usual business in October. They are now accepting applications for the ‘Design Foundation Year’ and ‘Illustration Design Course’. The ‘New Illustration’ exhibition is now open for your viewing pleasure in the space.

On the 7th of July 2012, the info graphics experts of Berlin-based agency Golden Section Graphics exclusively launched the fourth issue of their magazine IN GRAPHICS Vol. 4.

Jan Schwochow CEO of Golden Section Graphics and former info graphics head at STERN came up with the concept of the magazine, which purely comprises graphics. The magazine for visual people, without lengthy texts and long picture spreads, is published biannually.

GoSee presents an extract from his interview with Jörg Kanzler (AID Berlin): ‘The illustrator is no longer an accessory. Illustrators today are in demand experts, who command the communication of stories and content by visual means. The trend is: Visual Storytelling.

A further trend is data mining, the extraction of valuable contents from a mountain of raw data. There is a current abundance of clients who need us to extract important contents from data and make it look good visually’.

What are the advantages of info graphics vs. text or image?

‘Text is always linear. I have to read it from front to back to understand it. An image depicts a single moment. I can line up several images to create an art comic. An info graphic or illustration delivers a quick introduction to a subject with several entry options. This is particularly vital when it comes to contents for Internet and mobile phones.’

And what will you teach at AID Berlin?

‘Dirk Aschoff, my substitute and I will be mainly teaching info graphics. Since I have a background in journalism and spent many years at the Stern, I place great importance on the teaching of journalistic skills such as research and source comparisons. Simply put: not everything on Wikipedia is accurate. I like to think the modern illustrator doesn’t sit in his or her office and wait for the text editor to come in and demand a set of graphics for a subject.

The illustrator questions the working of a subject, makes suggestions, ideally attends the editor meeting and is an expert in his or her own right when it comes to the subject – sometimes even more than the photo editor. For example, as the graphic editor of the Stern, I got my hands on satellite data of Guantanamo and knew more about the prison than my colleague who was over there’, says Jan Schwochow.

The upcoming exhibition also promises to be interesting. From the 4th of August onwards, the Berlin comic group MOGA MOBO (Titus, Legron and Jonas) present highlights from over 18 years of comic and illustration work, as well as work relating to game, character and t-shirt design.

Berlin-based comic magazine MOGA MOBO, established in 1994, has been publishing comics and graphic novels in keeping with their motto ‘comix for all!’ Originally set up as a platform for newcomer illustrators, it morphed into a magazine, which dedicates each issue to a specific subject in a comic book style, publishing the work of illustrators from all over the world.

The illustrators, many of which teach at the AID Berlin, will be there on the opening night – a good opportunity to meet the professionals. An open evening will also take place on that day, providing a great opportunity to find out more about the Illustration Design course, the Design Foundation Year and the academy.

AID Berlin - Academy for Illustration and Design Berlin
Ritterstraße 12-14, Aufgang 2
10969 Berlin
www.aidberlin.de