Chart Design -- Recent Air Pollution Condition in Beijing

The recent air pollution in Beijing is very serious. I hope to make a table to more intuitively reflect the change of air pollution index as well as more and more serious condition of Beijing’s air pollution.  I collect the recent curve chart of Beijing’s air pollution, air pollution index as well as the corresponding illustration of air index on the official website of American Embassy.   In the process of designing the icon, I originally intend to design the chart outline into a shape of the lung, but I find that it can’t highlight the change of data. Then I want to change the color of the table, but I find such table seems too relaxed. So in the end, except for the table, I make the whole words in dark gray and black. Because this can better show the air pollution. (Chart Sketch 1 and 2)

 the chart design requires accurate data, so I spend much time on looking for the data, then I select typical data in recent time. As the air pollution is a serious topic, I pay much attention to the selection of color, so most of auxiliary words are in gray. The use of chimney and gray particles can more intuitively show this chart design is about the air pollution.