Making a TED-Ed Lesson: Visualizing big ideas

製做一堂 TED-Ed 的課程: 將宏大的想法視覺化

譯者: Harry Chen 審譯者: Sherry Chen

Do you ever struggle to find the perfect description

當你嘗試著要表達一個想法時，

when trying to convey an idea?

你是否有過很難找出 最佳描述的時候呢？

Like a foggy picture,

就像是一張不清楚的圖片，

adjectives and modifiers fail to depict

形容詞和修飾詞無法描述出

what's in your mind.

你腦袋裡想到的東西。

Illustrators often face a similar challenge,

插畫家經常碰上同樣的難題，

especially when attempting to explain

尤其是當企圖想要來解釋

complex and difficult concepts.

複雜和困難的觀念時。

Sometimes the imagery is intangible

有些時候意象是能具體化的，

or way too complicated to explain with a picture.

或者可能複雜到無法 用一張圖來解釋清楚。

Although complex information could be relayed

儘管複雜的訊息可以透過圖表和數據

using charts and stats,

被表達出來，

this could get pretty boring.

這可能會變得極其無趣的，

Instead, just like when writing an essay

相反的，就像是在寫一篇文章

to describe, for example, emotions,

來描述比如說是情緒的時候，

illustrators can use visual metaphors

插圖家們可以用視覺性的隱喻

to bring to life difficult concepts.

來把困難表達的概念 變得生動活潑起來，

Just as a written metaphor is a description

就像是用寫的隱喻是一種描寫，

that relates one object to another,

把一個對象跟另一個對象做上關聯一樣，

a visual metaphor uses imagery to suggest

一個視覺上的隱喻使用意象來給暗示

a particular association or point of similarity.

一個特別的關係或是相同之處，

Our lesson "Big Data" is a great example

我們這堂課「大數據」是一個很棒的例子，

of a situation where visual metaphors

有關於當視覺上的隱喻

played a huge role in explaining the concept.

在解釋概念上扮演重大角色的情形。

What is Big Data in the first place?

「大數據」最先是在哪裡出現的呢？

Good question!

問得好！

Big Data is a huge amount of digital information

「大數據」是大量的數位資料，

produced worldwide on a daily basis,

以每天為基礎由全世界所產生出來的，

challenging us to find solutions

考驗著我們去找出方法

for storing,

來儲存、

analyzing,

分析、

and also imagining it visually.

並在視覺上來圖像化它們，

Quite an elusive concept!

相當難懂的概念對吧！

How should we depict this?

我們應該如何來描繪它呢?

Let's take a look at our "Big Data" script.

讓我們來看一下 「大數據」的文字描述：

We start with smaller computer servers

「我們從較小的電腦伺服器開始，

that branch out into bigger networks

向外分支延展進入較大的網絡

to produce data,

產生出數據，

then even bigger networks

然後再透過更大的網絡，

and production of even more data.

再產生出更大量的數據。」

You see where we're going with this --

你知道我們記下來要做什麼了吧：：

an object growing and branching out in many directions

一個物體成長、分支出去很多方向，

and producing something as a result?

最後造成了某種東西。

Does that remind you of something?

這有讓你想起什麼東西嗎？

Just like those computer networks,

就像那些電腦網路一樣，

a tree grows and branches out

樹木生長、分支出去，

to produce more leaves each year.

一年比一年產生更多的葉子。

And every year, just as the data accumulates

而且每一年就像數據收集一樣，

and faces us with a challenge

考驗著我們

to find storage solutions,

找出關於儲存的解決辦法；

it gets harder to collect those piles of leaves

每當葉子從樹上掉落，

when they fall off the tree.

變得越來越難收集這一大堆的樹葉，

Aha! There's our visual metaphor!

有了！那就是我們要找的視覺隱喻

Okay, so we have the script,

好！所以現在我們有文字描述、

audio,

錄音檔、

and a visual metaphor.

和視覺上的隱喻，

The next step in visual development

在視覺上發展的下一步

is to design the characters

就是設計動畫的角色

and environments of the animation.

還有情境，

To do so, we think

能這樣做的話，我們認為

of an appropriate and appealing style

是一個很洽當、很有說服力的方式

to illustrate the ideas

來說明腦袋裡的想法，

and help the viewer better understand

而且幫助觀眾更能明白

what they're hearing.

他們在聽的東西。

Let's go back to the script

讓我們回到文字敘述上，

and see if we can find any clues there.

看我們能否從當中 找出任何線索，

Our story starts in the 1960s

我們的敘述從1960年開始，

when the first computer networks were built.

當時第一個電腦的網絡才剛被建立，

This decade will serve as a good point

60年代可以成為有用的時間點，

to make the stylistic choice for our animation

去做出關於我們動畫的 風格型態選擇，

as it will allow us to refer to artwork

而且讓我們可以參考

from that era.

在那個年代的圖片，

You may want to start

你可能想要透過看一些

by looking at some art books

藝術書籍來做開始，

(design, illustrations, cartoons, etc.)

像是圖案、插圖、卡通畫..等等，

from that era

來自那個時代的東西。

and find a style that may our own purpose.

之後找出我們要用到的風格型態。

Look closely,

仔細地看、

study the material,

研究這些資料、

and try to understand the choices

試著去瞭解那個時代

artists of that time made and why.

畫家所做的選擇以及理由。

For example, the 1960s minimalist animation style

舉例來說60年代的 簡約抽象主義動畫風格

was a significant departure

大大脫離了

from the cinematic realism

現實主義動畫風格-

that was popular in animated films at the time.

當時候最常見的動畫影片

The choice to use limited animation techniques

選擇要使用有限的動畫技術，

was originally made for budgetary reasons,

一開始只是因為預算上的理由，

but it became a signature style

不過變成一種標簽式的風格，

that influenced many future generations of animators.

那影響到很多未來世代的動畫師。

In this stylistic approach,

在這種風格的手法下，

the simplified characters,

簡化的人物角色、

flat backgrounds,

平面的背景、

and angular shapes come together

有稜有角的線條放在一起

to create new interpretations of reality,

創造出新的寫實表達，

which also sounds like a good place

聽起來也像是一個好起點，

to begin visualizing our own Big Data.

開始來視像化我們的「大數據」吧。

Well, let's try an experiment.

好，讓我們來做個練習吧！

"In the 1980s islands of similar networks

「在1980年代有相同網絡的數個島嶼

speaking different dialects

使用著不一樣的方言，

sprung up all over Europe and the States,

在歐洲和美國突然冒出來，

making remote access possible but tortuous."

這讓遠距離的接觸成為可能，但卻十分折騰人。」

Is this better?

這樣子會不會好一些呢？

"In the 1980s islands of similar networks

「在1980年代有相同網絡的數個島嶼

speaking different dialects

使用著不一樣的方言，

sprung up all over Europe and the States,

在歐洲和美國突然冒出來，

making remote access possible but tortuous.

這讓遠距離的接觸成為可能，但卻十分折騰人」

To make it easy for our physicists across the world

為了使我們遍佈世界的物理學家

to access the ever-expanding Big Data

更容易接觸不停增長的大數據，

stored at CERN without traveling,

那些儲存在歐洲核子研究組織裡 不需要啟動旅程去接觸，

the networks needed to be talking

這個網絡需要使用

with the same language."

相同的語言」

As you probably observed,

你可能有發現到了，

graphic representations are a great way

圖像的表達是一個最棒的方式

to capture the interest of your audience.

來吸引觀眾的興趣，

By depicting what you want to present and explain

把你想要呈現跟解釋的東西描繪出來，

with strong, memorable visuals,

透過強烈的、好記的影像，

you can communicate your idea more effectively.

你能夠更有效地把你的想法傳遞出去。

So, now, challenge yourself.

那麼現在來挑戰一下你自己，

Think of an abstract concept

想個抽象的概念，

that cannot be explained with simple words.

那是無法就被簡單幾個的字所來解釋，

Go ahead and try your hand

再進一步試著動手，

at visually developing that idea.

把想法透過視覺效果發展起來。