What software was used to create this graphic?
May 1, 2011 9:32 AM   Subscribe

What software was used to create this graphic?

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/02/us-apple-timeline-idUSTRE72170T20110302

It's not only this graphic but other graphics on the Reuters site that are very visually appealing. What software is used to create graphics such as this?
posted by jacobean to Technology (7 answers total)
 
It was saved and posted as a .jpeg (a raster format), but I bet it started life as a vector file. It was probably originally drawn with Adobe Illustrator. That's what I'd use if I had to draw it.
posted by Benny Andajetz at 10:05 AM on May 1, 2011


most likely photoshop for the images and illustrator for the graphics.
posted by violetk at 11:36 AM on May 1, 2011


i posit that as a designer who has created infographics in just that way.
posted by violetk at 11:36 AM on May 1, 2011


According to this and this page Reuters news graphics is made and distributed in Adobe Illustrator file formats.
posted by yes at 11:37 AM on May 1, 2011


Just in case it's not clear, the reason that it's visually appealing is due to the skill and training of the designer and has little to do with software. Illustrator in the hands of an untrained person will belch out the same tired Comic Sans company picnic announcement flyer abominations.
posted by Rhomboid at 11:38 AM on May 1, 2011 [1 favorite]


If you are looking for an illustration software, I'll plug Inkscape here. It's free. It can be little slow and can be buggy, but it's a true vector illustrator.

I am amused by a couple of the responses here that cautiously warn the OP that the software isn't what's important here. I just know y'all have some experiences like you might find on here.

What, don't you just press a button?
What's taking so long to vectorize those photos? Just change the file extension from jpg to eps!

posted by Xoebe at 1:45 PM on May 1, 2011


I could quite easily do the entire thing in Illustrator.
posted by Thorzdad at 1:57 PM on May 1, 2011


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