Information Design - Project 1
15/02/2026 - 07/03/2026 (Week 3 - Week 5)
Shema Goldie Angwen /
0372129
Information Design
Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative
Media / Taylor's University
Project 1
Figure 1.1: Chosen Recipe - Ravioli / Agnolotti by Grandpa Andrea
(Pasta Grannies on Youtube)
(Pasta Grannies on Youtube)
I chose this recipe from Grandpa Andrea which has quite long steps, instead of choosing a simpler one because I wanted to challenge myself to organize a relatively long cooking process. I wanted to see if I could create a clear reading flow and visual hierarchy for the steps.
Knowing that it might be challenging for me to break down all these numerous steps, I organized them under five subtitles to make the design process easier.
Figure 1.2: Recipe Breakdown
Here is the reference:
Figure 1.3: Reference
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Figure 1.4: Initial Sketches
Figure 1.5: Chosen Sketch
When I showed the sketch to Mr. Martin, I asked whether placing Step 5: Serve it on the right side of the final result was suitable, as I was unsure if it would disrupt the flow. I then suggested placing it before the final result instead, as it would create a clearer and more logical sequence. Mr. Martin agreed and said we would see how it looks next week.
Looking again at my sketch, I felt that it might not work because the composition could be too tight or crowded in the middle. Additionally, the right side of the final agnolotti illustration might end up with too much white space, causing imbalance. So I decided to change my idea and create another sketch, as I know it’s important to be confident in my concept, it will make the next steps much easier.
Then I looked for another references, and here are ones I saved and drew inspiration from:
Figure 1.6: References
(Sources: https://pin.it/WF1sbDeB1, https://pin.it/b4AQcYR23)
(Sources: https://pin.it/WF1sbDeB1, https://pin.it/b4AQcYR23)
Since I divided all the steps under five subtopics, I created five sections for the process. The reading flow starts from the bottom, because people usually read the ingredients before cooking, and then moves up through steps one to five. I designed lower and higher “stairs,” indicating which steps goes first, inspired by my references, but I changed them into a cylindrical shape to make the layout feel less rigid. I placed the agnolotti at the top as the focal point of the poster.
Figure 1.7: Sketch
After settling on my new sketch, I came up with the chosen color palette and art style.
Here are below some shots that inspired my color palette. I followed the instructions given by my lecturer: “Try to capture each Granny’s personality and unique dish identity in your poster as part of the narrative structure.” So I chose a color palette and art style that match the video and Grandpa’s personality. I also planning to add an illustration of Grandpa Andrea including details like his glasses, to make it more personalized and lively.
Figure 1.8: Pasta Grannies Shots
(Pasta Grannies on Youtube)
(Pasta Grannies on Youtube)
Figure 1.9: Color Palette
Figure 1.10: Art Style
Then I started digitizing in Adobe Illustrator. I created a separate Illustrator file for each object, knowing that illustrating everything in a single file would likely cause a lot of lag.
I began with the ingredients. For all of the objects, I used the Curvature Tool to draw them one by one with solid colors. Afterward, I experimented with various brushes to add dimension and details, making each object look more lively.
Figure 1.11: Illustrating the Ingredients in Adobe Illustrator
Figure 1.12: Illustrating the Ingredients in Adobe Illustrator
After completing the ingredients, I realized that for the steps, I didn’t need to illustrate certain ingredients from scratch, I could simply reuse the illustrations I had already made.
Continue illustrating the steps, I realized coloring each object one by one was really time-consuming, so I paced myself by working on three or four objects per day. Fortunately, this approach allowed me to complete the illustrations without feeling overwhelmed. Overall, illustrating the cooking steps proved to be even more difficult than the ingredients, as they required more detail.
Figure 1.13: Illustrating the Steps in Adobe Illustrator
Figure 1.14: Illustrating the Steps in Adobe Illustrator
Then, I illustrate the agnolotti, grandpa, and table.
For the agnolotti plate, I initially planned to make it brown, but it ended up looking too rigid and didn’t match the overall design. I decided to change it to a white plate, matching the one Grandpa uses in the video for the final dish.
Figure 1.15: Illustrating in Adobe Illustrator
Figure 1.16: Screenshot of the final dish plate
(Pasta Grannies on Youtube)
(Pasta Grannies on Youtube)
Then, I illustrated Grandpa Andrea along with his glasses, exactly like the ones he wears in the video. This detail not only makes the poster more personalized and lively but also emphasizes that this is his unique recipe, adding a stronger sense of character and narrative to the design.
Figure 1.17: Illustrating Grandpa in Adobe Illustrator
Figure 1.18: Illustrating Table, Grandpa, Agnolotti in Adobe Illustrator
Then I compiled all the elements, embedded and linked all the files together and arrange it.
Figure 1.19: Compiling in Adobe Illustrator
On week 5, I showed Mr. Martin the instructable poster I had completed.
Figure 1.20: First Outcome (Not Final)
I revised the design immediately during his class while waiting for the other students to line up for the consultation. After making the changes, I showed it to him again, and he said it was much better. Then, he also asked whether the ingredients box might be too bright, and suggest me maybe i can try decreasing the opacity but again reminded me not to take his advice as absolute. In my opinion, I wanted to keep it that way because it balances with the agnolotti plate above, which is also bright white. However, I still want the agnolotti to stand out more than the ingredients, so I decided to keep the box in that color.
Then, I continued making a few minor revisions until it matched what is best in my perspective.
Then I added shadows to the title, Grandpa, and the agnolotti to enhance depth and dimension.
Figure 1.21: Addition to Details
Then I also added a thin line to separate the meat ragu filling and the pasta ingredients, making it clearer for the reader.
Figure 1.22: Addition to Details
Looking at it again, I felt that the ingredients section did not really stand out, as some of the ingredients colors blended with the white background. I wanted the viewer’s attention to go to the ingredients first, since the reading flow begins from the bottom. So I decided to change the color to red so it would be more noticeable and draw the viewer’s attention.
Here is the final result:
Figure 1.23: Final Result, JPEG (Week 5, 04/03/2026)
FEEDBACK
When I showed the sketch to Mr. Martin, I asked whether placing Step 5: Serve it on the right side of the final result was suitable, as I was unsure if it would disrupt the flow. I then suggested placing it before the final result instead, as it would create a clearer and more logical sequence. Mr. Martin agreed and said we would see how it looks next week.
WEEK 5
I showed him the instructable poster I had completed, and he mentioned that the cylinder and the table were a bit too distracting, drawing more attention than the steps themselves. He also reminded me not to take his advice as absolute, but to consider it and decide what works best for the design. After reflecting on his feedback, I understood what he meant, so I decided to give it a try.
I revised the design immediately during his class while waiting for the other students to line up. After making the changes, I showed it to him again, and he said it was much better. Then, he also asked whether the ingredients box might be too bright, but again reminded me not to take his advice as absolute. In my opinion, I wanted to keep it that way because it balances with the agnolotti plate above, which is also bright white. However, I still want the agnolotti to stand out more than the ingredients, so I decided to keep the box in that color. After that, I continued making a few minor revisions until it matched what is best in my perspective.
REFLECTION
Working on this instructable poster project has been both challenging and rewarding. From the start, I intentionally chose a longer, more complex recipe from Grandpa Andrea because I wanted to push myself to organize a detailed cooking process and create a clear reading flow with a strong visual hierarchy. Experimenting with different sketches allowed me to explore multiple compositions and decide on the most effective layout.
While designing, I had to carefully consider balance, whitespace, and overall flow to ensure the poster was visually appealing and easy to follow. Digitizing the poster in Adobe Illustrator was a meticulous process. Being a perfectionist, I paid close attention to the details of each step. Coloring each object one by one was time-consuming, so I paced myself by working on three to four objects per day. I also found illustrating the steps more challenging than the ingredients, as they required more planning, consistency, and precision. Several adjustments, revisions, and design choices were made throughout the process to maintain harmony in the overall composition, and I learned a lot from these decisions.
This project taught me how to balance creativity with clarity, and the process strengthened both my technical skills in Illustrator and my design decision-making. Most importantly, I feel more confident in organizing detailed information into a cohesive and engaging visual narrative.
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