London-based graphic designer Mick Watson of Smart Giant has created a colorful collection of prints that consist of various difficult words coupled with simple visual components. The ongoing project, known as The Graphic Dictionary of Interesting Words, reveals the meaning of complex and often obscure terms through simple but charming illustrations. By pairing the archaic words with as few strokes or shapes as possible, these clever minimalistic creations help make the task of expanding one’s lexicon a little more straightforward.
Watson actually began the project as a means of supplementing his daughter’s vocabulary. Originally conceived as a Word of the Day project for the young girl, he began pairing eye-catching colors and simple icons with short explanations. He first started pulling words from any source he came across—the dictionary, books, online articles, real-life conversations with friends, and even Twitter. Watson’s posters managed to have a strong visual draw that lodged each word’s definition into one’s memory. From there, the simple educational project of a dad trying to help quench his daughter’s thirst for knowledge grew, and he decided to share his prints with more and more people.
Since its inception, Watson has continued to expand The Graphic Dictionary of Interesting Words, adding “pages” to the visual dictionary on his website and Instagram. The artist also has prints of each piece available through his online shop.
Graphic Dictionary: 