when the background isn’t white

The majority of graphs and slides you see from us here feature plain, white backgrounds. While that’s a typical situation when communicating, it certainly isn’t the only one. At times, you might choose or be required to use something less—what’s a good word—empty? Minimalist? Dare I say it…boring?

Perhaps you are interested in designing something with a bold background. Or maybe you’re required to use the company template, which features a colorful logo and other background elements that demand attention before you’ve added anything else to the slide. In both cases, this can be a surmountable—and fun—challenge. As case in point, I’ll share a couple of examples.

Let’s first consider a bold background example from storytelling with data. In Chapter 9, I share a case study about working with a client when I realized that my initial makeover (below left) didn’t fit with their branding, so I made over my own graph (below right):

While it seemed fitting in that instance to use the bold background of my client’s existing template, in another case I designed something colorful simply because I felt like it.

The video series become a dataviz superstar features a dark purple background, as you’ll see in the following title slide. While I preserved this dark background for the non-data slides throughout the lessons, I inverted the approach for my graph slides. While I reverting to a more common white background for those, I used the same dark purple prominently in my graphs for visual cohesion. (I did this in part because the graphs already existed, which meant approaching in this way was a faster than optimizing them for a different background.)

Title slide

Example non-data slide

Example data slide

Finally, let’s look at an example with both a colored background and visually loud elements. Is it possible to make that work?

Before scrolling down, I’ll have you imagine a slide. Let me describe it to you.

The background is not white, but rather, hot pink at the top transitioning to a cool blue at the bottom.

The graph itself is on a spiral notebook of yellow graph paper.

There isn’t a bright company logo…

but there is a pretty colorful delightful dragon. 

I let my new children’s book, Daphne Draws Data, inspire my colorful background (coincidentally, using another version of the same graph shown in the previous example!).

You can also practice graphing on a bold background, because that’s what I’ve prompted SWD community members to do in our latest exercise, graphing on a bold background. Submitting your solution to this and other exercises unlocks those from the SWD team and broader community. This means there’s learning not only in doing, but in comparing and contrasting your approach with those of others. Check out our full exercise bank for many more ways to practice.