Overview

Rarely does science have effective modes of communication. Long research papers and complex jargon often don’t sway the masses or share true, consumable meaning. However, there are great scientists like Bill Nye, Carl Sagan, and Neil deGrasse Tyson known for their ability to understand and communicate complex scientific ideas to the masses. Now, more than ever, we need this ability.

I sought to contribute to this understanding in some small way by creating a set of simple illustrations that describe humanity’s understanding of our universe, both grand and small, and share those discoveries in layman’s tone.

Concept Development

The "Mastery" project celebrates humanity's understanding, rational thought, and search for knowledge. Each image displays not just a foundational equation that describes our understanding of everything, but serves to connect those concepts to what they actually mean in layman's terms.

I first spent extensive time researching the most important equations that describe the universe, identifying their meaning, representation, and foundational texts. Then I select which I would design and worked to refine each definition using the simplest words and phrases possible. The hope was that through simple, clean, minimal visuals, I could create a set of images that could hang in anyone’s home or in a classroom or library.

Future ideas for the concept involve hundreds of pages with links to uses of the equations in everyday life, bringing high-level concepts down to practical application.

Visual Development

The font used had to be modern and clean, but I felt serif font was most appropriate due to the historical nature of the equations. Going off that, I chose the serif font Neuton as a nod to one of the most monumental scientists in history.

The images were designed to be simple, high-contrast, and consumable, with minimal design and aggressive control of any flourishes and styles. I wanted everything to look clean, not crowded, as the equations themselves are already overwhelming to a layperson.

Typeface: Neuton by Brian Zick