Data ink is the ink presenting data info / all ink
- Ideal: higher ratio for clearer communication
- Non-data ink: ink that doesn’t convey essential info
- Decorative
- Extra grid lines
- Unnecessary labels
Principles for optimal data-ink ratio:
- Show the data
- Avoid distractions
- Maximize data-ink ratio
- Erase non-data ink
- Erase redundant data ink
- Eliminate duplicate labels, numbers, markers, and data
- Revise and edit