Instructional Graphic

It's easy to overcomplicate teaching physical movements, so I wanted to create a graphic that was simple, avoiding things like bar path diagrams and busy text boxes.

The snatch is a complex Olympic weightlifting movement. In this graphic, I needed to demonstrate how it is performed as simply as possible. I chose to focus on three phases.

  • Moving the barbell from the floor to a position just above the knees (the hang position).

  • Moving the barbell from the hang position to full extension of the hips to generate power.

  • From full extension of the hips to dropping under the bar and catching it overhead.

I chose stick figures for several reasons:

  • They easily displayed changes in position.

  • They were not gender specific.

  • They weren't too distracting.

Weightlifting can be intimidating, so I used happy colors to lighten the mood, I used one-word cues to break the movement down, and I wanted a disarming font to keep the mood light.

purpose:

This was a graduate school assignment to create an instructional graphic. It's easy to overcomplicate teaching physical movement, so I wanted to create a graphic that was simple, avoiding things like bar path diagrams and busy text boxes. The snatch is a complex Olympic weightlifting movement. In this graphic, I needed to demonstrate how it is performed as simply as possible. I chose to focus on three phases. Weightlifting can be intimidating, so I used happy colors to lighten the mood, used one-word cues to break the movement down, and wanted a disarming font to keep the mood light.

COMPETENCIES:

  • Visual communication

  • Document Design

  • Audience Analysis

CHARACTERISTICS:

  • Curiosity

  • Attention to detail

  • Clarity

Tools:

  • Inkscape

  • PowerPoint

John Huston