Sometimes simplicity is far harder to achieve than complexity. That is where design comes in. In a new book by Taschen, titled, "Information Graphics," we see a range of diverse subjects stripped down and presented in similar ways. Information ranges from an atlas of UK government spending to a representation of the different varieties of beer. (And surprisingly, the beer graphic looks harder to navigate!)
This book, a design nerd's fantasy, comes at the perfect time. The internet's rule has led to a rise in popularity of information graphics, all attempting to communicate ideas visually in the most effective ways possible. Sometimes how we see can completely alter what we can know. The book features essays examining the history of visual communication, looking back all the way to cave paintings. There are over 400 examples of contemporary infographics, each with a written explanation.
Taschen is often known for its sexy books, and for a design lover this coffee table prize will be no exception. BoingBoing dubbed it "a new Taschen porn book you can't live without," and we agree.
We highly recommend checking out some of the beautifully simple information graphics below:
Launch Slideshow
HIDE THUMBNAILS
1 of 16
PLAY ALL
VOTE ON THIS SLIDE
ADVERTISEMENT
[{"entry_id":"3443074","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/06\/18\/traces-of-life-exhibit-children-of-the-holocaust_n_3443074.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/303497\/slide_303497_2579968_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/303497\/slide_303497_2579968_small.jpg","title":"Traces of Life: The World of Children","slideshow_id":"303497","vertical":"arts"},{"entry_id":"3441908","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/06\/14\/nina-stemme-tristan-and-isolde-star-shines-vienna-state-opera_n_3441908.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/276659\/slide_276659_2021868_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/276659\/slide_276659_2021868_small.jpg","title":"10 Hottest Opera Stars","slideshow_id":"276659","vertical":"arts"},{"entry_id":"3441938","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/06\/15\/boy-oh-boy-explores-cultural-resistance-via-male-photographic-portraits-photos_n_3441938.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/303105\/slide_303105_2571678_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/303105\/slide_303105_2571678_small.jpg","title":"Boy! Oh, Boy!","slideshow_id":"303105","vertical":"arts"},{"entry_id":"3453693","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/06\/17\/art-of-punk-black-flag-raymond-pettibon-mocatv_n_3453693.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/303448\/slide_303448_2578267_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/303448\/slide_303448_2578267_small.jpg","title":"The Art Of Punk","slideshow_id":"303448","vertical":"arts"},{"entry_id":"3460292","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/06\/18\/oldest-cave-paintings-in-america-found-6000-years_n_3460292.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/299331\/slide_299331_2492699_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/299331\/slide_299331_2492699_small.jpg","title":"Nearly 5,000 Ancient Cave Paintings Found In Mexico","slideshow_id":"299331","vertical":"arts"},{"entry_id":"3453182","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/06\/17\/la-scala-ring-cycle-wagner_n_3453182.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/290783\/slide_290783_2314301_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/290783\/slide_290783_2314301_small.jpg","title":"Met Opera's 'Ring' Cycle","slideshow_id":"290783","vertical":"arts"},{"entry_id":"3454316","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/06\/18\/apocalyptic-3d-chalk-art_n_3454316.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/238285\/slide_238285_1216672_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/238285\/slide_238285_1216672_small.jpg","title":"3D Sidewalk Chalk Illusions","slideshow_id":"238285","vertical":"arts"},{"entry_id":"3442430","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/06\/14\/cuban-ballet-dancers-defect-to-us-for-better-gigs_n_3442430.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/303153\/slide_303153_2572151_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/303153\/slide_303153_2572151_small.jpg","title":"Cuban National Ballet Dancers","slideshow_id":"303153","vertical":"arts"},{"entry_id":"3442935","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/06\/17\/john-baldessari-birthday-conceptual-artist-turns-82_n_3442935.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/303190\/slide_303190_2572777_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/303190\/slide_303190_2572777_small.jpg","title":"Baldessari Art History","slideshow_id":"303190","vertical":"arts"},{"entry_id":"3454489","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/06\/18\/justin-bieber-painting-elizabeth-peyton-at-art-basel_n_3454489.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/217971\/slide_217971_828534_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/217971\/slide_217971_828534_small.jpg","title":"Elizabeth Peyton","slideshow_id":"217971","vertical":"arts"},{"entry_id":"3454500","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/06\/17\/then-and-now-portraits-celebrity-mashups-by-marc-ghali_n_3454500.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/303491\/slide_303491_2579022_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/303491\/slide_303491_2579022_small.jpg","title":"'Then and Now'","slideshow_id":"303491","vertical":"arts"},{"entry_id":"3454755","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/06\/18\/wassily-kandinsky-auction-studie-zu-improvisation-3-_n_3454755.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/267606\/slide_267606_1838923_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/267606\/slide_267606_1838923_small.jpg","title":"The Biggest Art Auction Sales of 2012","slideshow_id":"267606","vertical":"arts"},{"entry_id":"3442885","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/06\/17\/mc-escher-birthday-artist-turns-115_n_3442885.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/232341\/slide_232341_1090502_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/232341\/slide_232341_1090502_small.jpg","title":"Happy Birthday, M.C. Escher!","slideshow_id":"232341","vertical":"arts"},{"entry_id":"3442297","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/06\/14\/renzo-piano-workshop-gagosian-gallery-photos_n_3442297.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/303122\/slide_303122_2571936_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/303122\/slide_303122_2571936_small.jpg","title":"Renzo Piano","slideshow_id":"303122","vertical":"arts"},{"entry_id":"3460710","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/06\/18\/lady-gaga-sued-by-french-artist_n_3460710.html","content_type":"video","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/263382\/slide_263382_1762642_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/263382\/slide_263382_1762642_small.jpg","title":"The Art Of The Steal","slideshow_id":"263382","vertical":"arts"},{"entry_id":"3459732","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/tracey-harnish\/social-media-and-the-unknown-artist_b_3459732.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/302767\/slide_302767_2564551_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/302767\/slide_302767_2564551_small.jpg","title":"Social Media and the Unknown Artist - Part 2","slideshow_id":"302767","vertical":"arts"},{"entry_id":"3455800","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/06\/17\/broadway-box-office-sees-financial-bounce-after-tony-awards_n_3455800.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/302000\/slide_302000_2550440_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/302000\/slide_302000_2550440_small.jpg","title":"Tony Awards 2013","slideshow_id":"302000","vertical":"arts"},{"entry_id":"3456003","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/06\/18\/sherie-rene-scott-piece-of-meat-_n_3456003.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/303726\/slide_303726_2584077_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/303726\/slide_303726_2584077_small.jpg","title":"Tony Awards 2013","slideshow_id":"303726","vertical":"arts"},{"entry_id":"3455427","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/06\/17\/neil-patrick-harris-broad_n_3455427.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/267928\/slide_267928_1860947_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/267928\/slide_267928_1860947_small.jpg","title":"Understudies Who Later Became Stars","slideshow_id":"267928","vertical":"arts"},{"entry_id":"3442695","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/06\/17\/advice-for-young-architects-video-compiles-best-insights-from-famous-architects_n_3442695.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/231670\/slide_231670_1081414_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/231670\/slide_231670_1081414_small.jpg","title":"The American Institute of Architects' 10 Best Houses Of 2012","slideshow_id":"231670","vertical":"arts"}]
Posted: 04/27/2012 2:00 pm