RJ's Inspiration #012 🌋

RJ's Inspiration

weekly viz to inspire you too

🌋 THE PACIFIC'S FIERY RING
is a brand new story for National Geographic Magazine's current June issue. It was produced by a team led by Senior Graphics Editor Manuel Canales (Twitter). This infographic is a double gatefold, measuring over 24 inches across. At its top is a new map projection of the Pacific rim that unfolds its circular shape into a straight line: see how it stretches from Australia at left, through Asia, and into the Americas at right (detail). The map features tectonic plates, volcanoes, earthquakes, and cities. Select "Volcanic Titans" are keyed from the map to elevation illustrations below.

I love how everything about this story's design is intentional as it focuses the reader's attention to the topic. It all hinges on the novel map projection which fits the story to the form of the magazine's spread and creates a neat linear stage for the corresponding elevations. The elevations are presented to show each mountain's prominence: how far it rises above its immediate surroundings.

Loads of details: how tectonic slab pull works, populations in danger, historic eruptions, and more are all baked in - promising more for each minute you spend with the piece. Plus, the gatefold has a cinematic reveal from a golden hour perspective of Java's many volcanoes to the complete map (short video). You can see a version of the story online, but this really does not compare to seeing it in its original print form (online).

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Please reply directly to share your favorite viz, offer any advice for how this newsletter experiment can be improved, or say hello. -RJ