And yet … did you know that our brains receive 11 billion bits of information per second, and can only process 50?
People are somehow attached to the texts and to the detailed descriptions. They both know that no one reads them, and they keep stuffing themselves with more and more … until they smoke. You’ve heard of burn out, but do you know what “information obesity” is?
Information obesity is already a diagnosis.
It has been found to lead to impatience, panic attacks, difficult decision making, apathy, difficulty holding attention, difficulty concentrating and even physiological problems such as insomnia, skin reactions and sexual disorders.
In the fight against information obesity, on the first line, there is a Bulgarian team that works all over the world. At the core of the studio are Lilyana Zagorcheva – Doctor of Communication, Chris Dobson – Director of some of the largest international communication companies, Desislava Kaliskova – Longtime Director of Investor Relations and Petya Blagoeva – Lecturer at the Academy of Arts. They compress the information that floods us to such an extent that we can process it qualitatively and without bothering us at a glance – through infographics. What are infographics – computer-generated graphic images with short texts that shorten information from 90 sheets or slides in 10 sentences.
You have seen the infographics of Alexander Dimitrov and his other colleagues in all national media. They are used by large global companies from America, London and Dubai. But don’t imagine pictures and texts taken in 10 minutes in PowerPoint. We are talking about virtual art created by a sculptor and 3D artist, such as Alexander in fact in a team of artists and information analysts.
He was born in Stara Zagora and has been painting since he was 3 years old. Even at school, everyone wants him to make their drawings so that they have sixes in art. Naturally, his path continues at the Academy of Arts in Sofia, where he graduated in “Porcelain and Glass Design”.
Alexander Dimitrov is in his prime – 42 years old. His sculptors are in private collections throughout France. A bronze statue he creates with his own hands greets guests at the prestigious Diplomatic School in Strasbourg.
Despite his enviable journey outside Bulgaria, Alexander remains in Bulgaria to become a partner and creative director in the Infographic information visualization studio. In other words – visualizes the information, compresses it to a minimum of a few words, so that we perceive the most important things in a matter of seconds!
“I see my paintings in black and white. That’s why I prefer to draw with a pencil. I’m not that extreme in life. One adapts,” laughs Alexander.
He is happy to tell us about the sculpture that presidents, MEPs and diplomats are contemplating in Strasbourg.
“She depicts a woman, and sheets of letters fly around her. The interesting thing is that for this woman we watched from me – poses, movements. When you make a figure, you have to take a look at how it is in reality. Many sculptors use models. My colleague and I used me. The pose was quite difficult, but it turned out nice. I was not able to see the statue in the end, finally, because I returned to Bulgaria, “said Alexander.
He says that the doors abroad have long been open for Bulgarian talents, as long as there is enough perseverance and perseverance. Although he admits to himself that he is quite lazy …
“But when something needs to be done – I do it. If someone asks me to help him, it will be easier for me to tell him how to do it. You don’t have to travel 10 km for something if you can pass it on. phone and make it easier “, shares frankly Alexander.
In order to do a certain type of work, it is not said that you have to break stones for 10 hours – you can pay someone to break them for you. For Alexander, saving time and effort is a philosophy. Reducing information through images and art is a talent.
“Our infographics are different because they tell the whole story with a few visions and very little text. That’s how you perceive with your eyes imperceptibly, without having to harass your brain with unnecessary text,” he reveals the secret.
To shorten the effort and save us from information obesity, Alexander is completely absorbed in a practice and art of the future – infographics. He admits that he does not feel protected at all because of his work, because he inevitably absorbs more information than he needs in the process.
“For some people, infographics are nothing special. They take a few pictures, write text between them and it’s supposed to work. But with us, in the studio, it’s a little more complicated. We try to explain very complex things in a very easy, simple and digestible way. way – to understand at a glance what it is about “, Alexander explains.
His life passed smoothly from the fine arts to the technological world and computer image reproduction, after he started working as a 3D artist after the Academy.
During the pandemic, Alexander deepened his work on the topic of information congestion and with the studio were invited to give presentations in New York and to the International Association of Workers in the Creative Industry – SheSays. According to him, information congestion is the reason why many people do not communicate effectively and ignore otherwise important information, and art is one of the ways to overcome this problem.
“Ever since I worked in the studio and made infographics and information design, I’ve realized how much unnecessary information floods us. To be precise – 11 billion bits of information every second. And whatever we do, our brains can only process 50 bits. The rest of us “You read, you read, and finally nothing.”
Information obesity will become more common, Alexander is adamant.
Where is the connection between sculpture and information design?
“The art itself that you can touch and see live – bronze sculpture, painting, these are already very expensive pleasures, for the simple reason that they are made slowly and for a long time. Not everyone can set aside money to buy these pieces of art. While you can see digital art on the Internet, download it, print it, make it on a poster for BGN 20, 30, 50 ‘, explains the sculptor.
His theory is that digital art can help us “lose weight” through infodiet.
“Infodiet is a method of treating information overload. There is so much information in the world that when even I read a lot, I feel sick. That’s why we try to reduce this information in our studio. To compress it and get the most out of it. -important. Sculpture and art in general help to present the most important. Visualization helps to remember, to react, it can create an emotional response, “he says.
Why is the problem of information overload a drama?
“On a practical level in everyday life – people read less and less and if something doesn’t grab them – they don’t react. That’s why we make infographics and animations on very important and serious topics. Sometimes, to make an infographic – we process several presentations, articles or “It’s the hardest thing for us to get customers to fit into the animation time, and you’ll be amazed at how much can be said with a 30-second video, as well as with a sculpture,” Alexander said.
Large foreign companies are the first to feel how art helps in work as well. Employees do not read important documents and regulations because they are clogged with information.
“If they have to read 38 pages of internal rules, for example, or 12 pages of procedure, they ignore this important information and problems arise. With PowerPoint we save from such dangers – endless boredom and complete loss of interest!”, Says the sculptor.
One of the presentations they were visualizing soon included 89 slides.
“You remember this without strong illustrations of how exciting it is… We humanize again a lot of corporate materials and through art we make them talk to people again,” Dimitrov sums up.
Rap math
During the pandemic, Alexander Dimitrov and the rest of the team were engaged in non-standard work. A father from London, a famous musician, started recording rap songs with theorems in mathematics so that his son could remember them.
“It became a whole project. They gave us the songs to make over 100 videos with rap math to make it easier for children to learn formulas by rapping. Well, it obviously works. So we made 25 videos on violence and safety on the internet. – a mega important topic, and if it is not presented in an interesting way, the children will not look at each other “.
Thus, the 100 videos with theorems in mathematics either entered many English schools, or this child learned mathematics, Alexander jokes. Both are the best option for kids.
When the walls help
Subsequently, Alexander and the studio team created infographics about the walls and classrooms in chemistry, biology and STEM at the First English High School, as well as the wall at the entrance to the Faculty of Economics at Sofia University. The goal is to be more influential for students.
“We inspired the employees of a mobile operator to read during the holidays through illustrated walls, we told the values in a bank in an interesting and memorable way. It turned out that the walls can also help, educate, entertain and tell,” he said.
How to create infographics?
90 sheets are collected in 10 sentences.
“Personally, I don’t read this information, I intervene when the information is abbreviated. Personally, I don’t read more than a page. I don’t watch video over 2 minutes. Whatever happens from the 30th second to the minute is great and so it has to end in order to “It becomes a secret at the very end. That’s the secret,” Alexander said.
Won’t the Future become uninteresting?
An increasing part of communication will take place not just online, but in virtual reality. According to Alexander, there will come a time when even medical examinations will be performed online, using machines.
“An infographic will appear on your body and write on the side what you have or don’t have. If you suffer from vitamin deficiency, for example. In time, much of the communication will be in a VR environment. You put on your helmet and everything you look at will “When you go to an exhibition, for example, they will give you VR glasses again and, looking at the works, you will receive text or explanations, especially for you in cyberspace,” he said.
Falling in love will also happen virtually …
In fact, it is already happening, Alexander Dimitrov believes. Many teenagers like 3D characters and are sometimes obsessed. It is inevitable.
Large international companies are already working in this direction, creating infographics and information materials in the virtual environment. Most of the presentations, trainings and briefings will be carried out in virtual reality and this affects all sectors such as education, tourism, manufacturing and many others …
“That’s why we are preparing to transfer the art there as well,” the sculptor said of his plans.
This is the Future – whether we like it or not. Everything will happen in a VR environment. Instruction, education, life …
You put on your helmet and it starts!
Alexander assumes that it will come at a time when even the reproduction of Man will take place in a virtual environment. It reminds us of the computer rooms of the 90’s, where the boys spent the day in front of the monitors. One of them told him that he did not imagine the world outside the hall. A girl has only seen on the internet …
The touch will increasingly disappear. Like it or not. The art you can see and touch will be a rarity. Like it or not. So enjoy your tea and coffee in a nice porcelain cup, from the hands of a sculptor and the moments when you can see a painting of an artist up close.
