How To Graphic

For this week’s assignment, we had to complete a “How To” wordless graphic to explain the process step by step of making a hot beverage of your choice. I chose to create a graphic representing how to make an herbal tea because I drink it multiple times a month when the weather starts to get cold. So, my first step was filling the mug with water before putting it into the microwave to heat it up for a minute because I do not have a tea kettle at school. Next you remove the mug from the microwave and tear open the tea bag, placing it in the now boiling water. Finally you stir the water to allow the tea to soak in before letting It sit for five minutes and removing the bag. I did my best to clearly showcase what to do without the use of words for non-English speaking audiences. I utilized numbers though to ensure that people knew how long I put the water in the microwave and how long I let the tea bag soak in the water before removing it. I did not know how else to represent that time; I tried to utilize a stop watch but did not think it was clear enough without the numbers. 

I think an “AHA” moment I had this week was understanding the use of arrows within the graphic. At first, when brainstorming what to do for this assignment I was struggling to figure out how to represent pushing buttons on the microwave or the fact that the spoon was moving in the mug. But when I looked into how to graphics and wordless graphics more, I found that the use of arrows is a clear way to show movement as well as indicate what to do in certain steps of the process. I also connected to the readings because they discussed how to utilize different symbols and markings rather than rely on words. I chose arrows as well as different symbols to show the viewer what to do at each step.

 What I would have done differently had I had more time or resources would be to invest in another pencil sharpener. I lost mine and feel that the colors in my work are not as bright or vibrant as I want them to be because my colored pencils are becoming dull. I would also work to add more detail to the stop watch to allow for the audience to understand the amount of time it took without having to use numbers. I just could not find a way to do that without indicating the one or five minute time frame. Overall, this assignment was entertaining because it was just recreating a process that I do a lot in my day to day life, especially since it is getting colder out now. I enjoyed the process and will make it a priority to buy another pencil sharpener to have better color pay off with future assignments on the blog.