Understand the best tools and workflows for creating engaging infographics.
What makes a good infographic design
An infographic tells the story of your data or research at a glance. Infographics can include elements such as bar graphs, pie charts, histograms, line graphs, and so much more.
The best infographics are a visually pleasing and engaging way to represent data. Designing an appealing infographic is about clearly communicating useful information. Here are some basic design principles for creating engaging infographics:
- Develop an informational hierarchy
- Use tools like Illustrator that have specific features geared toward infographic creation
- Pick the right types of infographics for the job
- Select a color palette that works
Get a head start
From within Illustrator, you can begin to explore Adobe Stock templates in a variety of styles and color palettes. A strong template can help you jump-start your own infographics project with ideas and design inspiration.
Graph tools that flex to your creative needs
In Illustrator, you can create different types of graphs and customize them to suit your needs. There are a variety of Graph tools built into Illustrator, from the Bar Graph tool and Area Graph tool to the Radar Graph tool and Scatter Graph tool. You can represent data precisely in your graph by entering data directly into the Graph Data window.
You can use graph designs to add your own illustrations to columns and markers. Graph designs can be simple drawings, logos, icons, or other symbols. Illustrator comes with some preset graph designs, but you can also create your own graph designs in the Graph Design dialog box.
Tip: Ungrouping a graph lets you customize the design completely, but disables any additional data editing.
Take it further with data merge
Create versions of your infographics by merging a data source file with a graph in Illustrator. For example, instead of manually modifying the content in a series of charts, use the data merge functionality to create variations.
Illustrate your point and share
Take it further by customizing your infographics with the Pen, Pencil, and Shape Builder tools to get just the right look. Then easily export your infographic in print and digital formats, like .PDF, and share them with the world!
