The Daily Quarantine

A daily graphic exercise during the coronavirus quarantine.

Google Pixel phone showing a graphic that says Sorry We're Closed Due to COVID-19

There I was, late March of 2020, recently laid off and stuck at home in quarantine while the novel coronavirus spread like wildfire throughout the world. I had set up my work station, taking over our kitchen table for the foreseeable future, and set about the business of updating my resume and cataloging my most recent projects to add to my portfolio—a common theme for many designers during this time.

Every morning I would open social media and long for the not-so-distant past we had all taken for granted while adjusting to the “new normal.” However, while I was coming to terms with my new reality, I was consistently taken aback by how cavalierly people treated the pandemic, often not taking necessary precautions or spreading misinformation through low effort memes. I felt helpless and knew I had to try something, but I wasn’t sure what. Then, while reading a Noun project blog post, it hit me, eureka! Every weekday I could create an infographic (based on CDC recommendations related to COVID-19) and post it to my Instagram story. I could help spread the right information and make sure I kept my craft sharp. I was killing two birds with one graphic if you will.

Coming up with a new graphic every day is no small feat!

Since I was unsure of how much time I could dedicate to this project each day, I had to be able to put things out quickly for it to be successful. Therefore the most crucial function of the design system was speed. So before starting, I set up a limited system defining a few simple methods, typefaces, swatches, etc. so I could focus my attention on creativity. My subject matter was already well established, and stylistically I wanted to embrace both the safety signage and war propaganda poster aesthetic but add more attitude to it.

Swatches

I started with three basic swatches: black, white, and cyan. As the project progressed and graphics got more complex, I began allowing tints and shades of each.

Swatch	Hex Value	CMYK Build
	#00aeef	100 \| 0 \| 0 \| 0
	#231f20	0 \| 0 \| 0 \| 100
	#ffffff	0 \| 0 \| 0 \| 0

Typography

Much like the swatches, I started with a limited palette of two typefaces: a sans-serif and a script. When appropriate, I selectively added others, typically when neither fit the graphic or concept.

Avenir

Sign Painter

Graphics

Typically I started by brainstorming an idea, or a sketch, then found base graphics from either the Noun Project or Vecteezy, editing and combining as I saw fit. An example of my process from Monday, June 8, is shown.

The Final Product

From Tuesday, April 7, 2020, through Monday, June 15, 2020, I made a graphic every weekday and posted it, precisely 50 in total. What follows is my account of the COVID-19 pandemic. I attempted to have a positive impact and connect with friends while socially distanced. Or maybe it’s just a bunch of cathartic graphics I made to keep my mind and hands preoccupied when stuck at home, didn’t have a job, and the world burned. Either way, get tested, stay home, wash your hands, social distance, and WEAR YOUR DAMN MASK!