Background

For this experiment we collaborated with Bas Koopmans (Baster.nl) to create a generative data poster for the Dutch music festival ‘Into the Great Wide Open’. To create this experiment we wanted to use the weather data of the Vlieland island (where the festival was being held). This data were to determine the composition and elements on the poster, yet maintaining an artistic feel. Overtime the generator produced a variety of compositions, giving insights on the dramatic weather changes upon and surrounding the island. These posters were presented during the festival.

What did we learn?

The main challenge was to maintaining the handmade aesthetic while generating different posters because D3js is generally used to generate factual and insightful data visualizations. In addition, the generated posters needed to be editable, so that the elements could be reused to create different assets for the festival. We achieved that by creating a handy SVG exporter.

System for the poster

Ambitions

This project is inspirational in showcasing an inventive way of promoting a festival. It proves that data is not used only for marketing insights, but also for creating a visual character for festival participants to identify with.