It’s been a long road for campaigners to gain legal recognition of same-sex partnerships and to legalise same-sex marriage. Although the future’s looking bright for LBGTQ couples looking to marry in many countries across the world, there’s still a long way to go towards gaining equality globally.
This infographic explores the history of same-sex marriage, acknowledging both the setbacks and incredible achievements along the way.
This is a simple-to-create infographic in Adobe InDesign. Once you’ve created your design, share it on social media to raise awareness about the efforts to make same-sex marriage legal across the world.
Short on time? You can find easy-to-edit infographic templates on GraphicRiver and Envato Elements.
What You’ll Need
We’ll create the main infographic layout in Adobe InDesign, but you’ll also need to dip into Adobe Illustrator to edit the graphics for the design.
You’ll also need to download the following fonts and images from Envato Elements:
- Map of the world vector
- Love and wedding icons
- Vintage lines textures
- Vector arrows
- Enriq Round Sans font
- Auro font
Install the fonts on your computer, and you’re ready to start creating your infographic.
1. How to Set Up Your InDesign Document
Step 1
Open InDesign and go to File > New > Document.
With the intent at the top set to Web, set the Width of the page to 870 px and Height to 2600 px. Uncheck Facing Pages.
Add a Margin of 70 px, and then hit Create.
Step 2
Expand the Layers panel (Window > Layers) and double-click on Layer 1. Rename this as Background and click OK.
Create five more new layers in this order: Maps, Arrows, Texture, Icons, and, at the top, Type.
Lock all the layers except the bottom Background layer.
Step 3
Expand the Swatches panel (Window > Color > Swatches) and choose New Color Swatch from the panel’s main menu (at top-right).
With the Type set to Process and Mode to CMYK, set the levels to C=91 M=59 Y=34 K=21. Click Add and Done.
Repeat the process to create six more new CMYK swatches:
- C=60 M=62 Y=40 K=31
- C=49 M=3 Y=13 K=0
- C=0 M=43 Y=33 K=0
- C=75 M=7 Y=24 K=0
- C=0 M=94 Y=47 K=0
- C=1 M=2 Y=8 K=0
Step 4
Working on the Background layer, use the Rectangle Tool (M) to create a shape across the whole page.
From the Swatches panel, set the Fill Color to C=1 M=2 Y=8 K=0.
2. How to Edit the Map Graphics in Illustrator
Step 1
Highlight the new swatches you just created in the Swatches panel, and choose Save Swatches from the panel’s menu.
Set the file format to Adobe Swatch Exchange (ASE), and name the file ‘Swatches’.
Step 2
Minimize, but don’t close, the InDesign window for a moment. Open up the map of the world vector in Illustrator.
Expand the Swatches panel (Window > Swatches), and choose Open Swatch Library > Other Library from the panel’s menu.
Apply the pale blue swatch, C=49 M=3 Y=13 K=0, from the Swatches group to the map vector.
Then head up to File > Save As, and save the image as an EPS file.
Apply the pink swatch, C=0 M=43 Y=33 K=0, to the map, and File > Save As, saving this as a second EPS file with a different name.
Step 3
Head back over to your InDesign document and lock the Background layer. Unlock the layer above, Maps.
Use the Rectangle Frame Tool (F) to create an image frame towards the top of the layout, as pictured below.
File > Place, choose the blue map EPS file, and Open.
Step 4
Copy and Paste the map’s image frame, moving the copy just below the original.
From the Links panel (Window > Links), identify the map file in the Name list, and Right-Click > Relink. Choose the pink map file, and Open.
Select both map image frames, and Edit > Copy, Edit > Paste, moving these over the bottom half of the layout.
3. How to Format Type on Your Infographic
Step 1
Lock the Maps layer and unlock the top layer, Type.
Use the Type Tool (T) to create a text frame across the top of the page.
Type in ‘SAME-SEX MARRIAGE’, and from either the top Controls panel or the Character panel (Window > Type & Tables > Character), set the Font to Enriq Black, Size 70 pt.
From the Swatches panel, switch the Font Color to C=0 M=94 Y=47 K=0.
Step 2
Create a subtitle below the main header, reading ‘AROUND THE WORLD’, and set the Font to Enriq Black, Size 44 pt.
Set the Font Color to C=91 M=59 Y=34 K=21.
Highlight the ‘O’ in ‘AROUND’ and set the Font Color to [None]. Repeat for the ‘O’ in ‘WORLD’. You’ll find out why a bit later!
Step 3
Use the Type Tool to create a text frame over the left side of the top map graphic.
Type in the number of your first statistic, and set the Font to Auro Black.
You can set information around the number in separate text frames, set in Enriq Black for smaller text and Auro for larger items of text.
Step 4
Minimize the InDesign window for a moment. Open the vector arrows EPS file in Illustrator.
Identify the arrow on the bottom row of the bottom-right artboard, highlighted in red below, and Edit > Copy it.
Head back over to your InDesign document and unlock the Arrows layer.
Edit > Paste the arrow onto the layer, apply a C=0 M=94 Y=47 K=0 swatch to it, and use it to create a flow between different pieces of text.
You can also use other arrows from the Illustrator file for the same purpose, copying and pasting them and using them to direct the reader’s attention.
Step 5
Identify the arrow highlighted in red below, and Copy it.
Paste it onto your InDesign layout, and use it to bridge the gap between the first map and the map below it.
Step 6
Working on the Type layer, create a header over the left side of the second map down, setting the Font to Auro Black, Size 35 pt.
Set the body text below this in Auro Bold.
Copy and Paste the pair of text frames, moving them over to the right side.
Copy and Paste the arrow between the two top maps and move the copy between the second and third map.
Step 7
Create a large text frame over the third map, typing in a number or year and setting the Font to Auro Black.
Switch the Font Color to C=0 M=94 Y=47 K=0.
Add text frames around this set in Enriq Black.
Copy and Paste an arrow beneath it, leading to the final map.
Step 8
Create a header over the final map graphic, setting the Font to Auro Black and Font Color to C=0 M=94 Y=47 K=0.
Set text around this in Auro Bold.
Use arrows to link separate items of text.
4. How to Add Icons to Your Infographic
Step 1
Open the love and wedding icons in Illustrator.
Select the ring icon on the left side of the third row down, and Edit > Copy it.
In InDesign, unlock the Icons layer and Edit > Paste the ring onto the page. Use it to fill the gap in ‘AROUND’ at the top of the layout.
Select the ring and Copy and Paste it to preserve the same size, and move this to fill the gap in ‘WORLD’.
Step 2
You can now use other icons in the Illustrator set to populate the rest of the infographic, adding one to each section.
Select the couple icon at the top-right corner of the Illustrator document, and Copy it.
Paste it onto the InDesign page, positioning it over the top map.
Use the other couple icon to decorate the next map down.
Add a calendar icon to the third map down.
Use the pair of lovebirds to add a sweet touch to the final map.
Step 3
Lock the Icons layer and unlock the Texture layer below.
Use the Rectangle Frame Tool (F) to create an image frame over the top half of the infographic. File > Place, choose an EPS texture from the vintage lines textures pack, and Open.
With the image frame selected, go to Object > Effects > Transparency, and set the Mode to Screen.
Select the image frame and Edit > Copy, Edit > Paste, moving this over the bottom half of the infographic.
Conclusion: Your Finished Infographic
Your infographic is finished—awesome work!
It’s really simple to share your infographic online. Simply go to File > Export and choose either PNG or JPEG from the Format options available.
Then you can upload your image to Pinterest or another social media site.
You can download a full-size version of the infographic.
You can find more infographic templates and icons to use on your designs over on GraphicRiver and Envato Elements.
Discover more infographic tutorials right here:
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