Darker cells mean a higher score for this topic on that metric.
LessMore
Last reviewed Sources & creditsMedia creditsMethodology
Quick answers
When should I pick Rough.js annotation?
When the story is: explainer highlights, ad concept frames, teaching callouts.
When should I avoid Rough.js annotation?
Skip it in cases like: dense quantitative comparison that needs precise lengths.
Who invented or popularised it?
Rough.js brought controllable sketch rendering to the open web
What does it encode?
imperfect strokes and fills as attention cues
Is it OK in ads?
Yes if one claim is visible at a glance in Meta, Google and retail print; otherwise link to a full figure.
Will a teacher accept it?
Yes for lab reports and poster boards if axes, units and a source line are present.
Rough.js annotation encodes values as imperfect strokes and fills as attention cues. Rough.js brought controllable sketch rendering to the open web.
In reports, ads and assignments it fits explainer highlights, ad concept frames, teaching callouts. Skip it when dense quantitative comparison that needs precise lengths.
Parts
- Mark — The core mark of Rough.js annotation is imperfect strokes and fills as attention cues.
- Scale — The scale must show zero (or a declared break) and units.
- Axis — Axis titles name the variable, not a mood.
- Legend — A legend is weaker than a direct label. Write beside the mark when you can.
- Label — Numbers are optional. If comparison is the job, label the ends only.
- Grid — Keep the grid faint. Data should own the ink.
- Annotation — One annotation sentence. Date the source.
- Frame — A thin frame. Never a 3-D box.
Variants
- Hand-drawn marks — Variant 1 of Rough.js annotation (Hand-drawn marks). Same encoding, different layout.
- Sketch emphasis — Variant 2 of Rough.js annotation (Sketch emphasis). Same encoding, different layout.
- Imperfect stroke — Variant 3 of Rough.js annotation (Imperfect stroke). Same encoding, different layout.
- Rough.js annotation 4 — Variant 4 of Rough.js annotation (Rough.js annotation 4). Same encoding, different layout.
Labels
- Axis — On Rough.js annotation, make Mark readable.
- Legend — On Rough.js annotation, make Scale readable.
- Label — On Rough.js annotation, make Axis readable.
- Grid — On Rough.js annotation, make Legend readable.
- Annotation — On Rough.js annotation, make Label readable.
Rough.js annotation: honour imperfect strokes and fills as attention cues, and switch when dense quantitative comparison that needs precise lengths.