Tip #03: Text

The hierarchy and scale of the graphic determine which of the data convey the thesis the most. In this session, I will zoom into the graphic itself to convey the concept of hierarchy. The technique basically is a replication of Tip #2 in a more descriptive manner. The magnitude of the different media, where each exhibits its own process, will force to dissect this tip into several categories and subcategories.

    (i) Text Size, this can be objective, however; in a presentation setting, where jurors sit 4 feet or more away from the boards, there is a limit as to how much text can be informative, till it becomes merely fluff. So one must assess the proper verbiage space on the boards, probably something you can read in less than 5 minutes, especially, in the architecture profession, where image processing runs way faster. Nonetheless, we still need to be evocative and articulate in the manner in how/which text is displayed and presented, since it is still considered a piece of information. 

A.      Point Range: Note, these numbers fluctuate based on the font style.

1-      36-40 pt.: This range involves the title of each topic and text that is direct to the thesis concept.

2-      30-24 pt.: This range involves: subtitles, map/diagrammatic references, and labels.

3-      24-18 pt.: This range involves: Descriptions and Specs.

B.      Highlighting: A unified color throughout the text makes it less distracting. On the other hand, highlighting might come in handy, especially if it is a competition entry, because screeners invest a maximum of one minute or less per entry.

C.      Bullet pointed text: Dissecting text to bullet points aids the process of digesting data.

D.      When in doubt, wear Chanel no just joking :p, print or PDF and view in Adobe reader. Printing is the best solution to double check if what you are doing is proportionate and readable. However, I understand how printing can be costly and not accessible; therefore, I recommend printing in PDF and viewing the board at 100% in adobe reader. It comes in handy, when it is 2 am in the morning and there’s no printer to be found or the plotters are out of ink.

*Hence, the Actual Size option in in-design can become misleading.