Repainting Wildlife
overview
Wildlife is disappearing at an alarming rate because of human-caused factors such as poaching, pollution, and habitat loss. Repainting Wildlife is a concept for helping students understand that as species and habitats are being erased, there is an opportunity for humans to make a difference.
client
Senior Capstone
WHEN
Spring 2017
MY ROLE
This was for my Senior Capstone project in design school. I did all research, design and production.
TOOLS USED
InDesign
Illustrator
Photoshop
Hand-stitching/binding
01–Getting started
Repainting Wildlife is a concept for helping students understand that as species and habitats are being erased, there is an opportunity for humans to make a difference. The Repainting Wildlife Endangered Species kit will educate students on the human-caused factors for endangerment and extinction, and provide the tools for them to spread awareness and take action.
Why save endangered species?
The Endangered Species Act recognizes that endangered and threatened species of wildlife and plants “are of aesthetic, ecological, educational, historical, recreational, and scientific value to the Nation and its people.”
When an animal goes extinct, it is gone forever. Even if people do not yet know the direct benefits a certain species offers, it is important to preserve that species to allow for further research. Within the food chain, predators help maintain balanced populations of other types of animals. This balance is important to produce the healthy vegetation and adequate water supplies, which humans rely on. If one species is lost, it can create a domino effect in the animal kingdom, which causes threats to other species’ populations.
02–The Problem
Since 1996, it’s been calculated that around 3,000 animals become extinct each year, and almost 11,000 are currently on the endangered list. Extinction is a natural process, but conservationists believe that it is happening up to 10,000 times faster than normal because of human actions. By destroying habitats, illegally capturing and killing animals, and polluting the oceans, humanity threatens the balance of our world and the future of these magnificent creatures.
The Goals
EDUCATE
to educate students on the human-caused factors of endangered species and why these species are important to our Earth’s ecosystem.
EMPATHY
to create empathy by emphasizing that once a species is extinct, it is gone forever.
INSPIRE
to inspire students to spread awareness about endangered species and to live a more sustainable life.
03–Research & Findings
In order to determine a solution, I talked to conservationists at the Cincinnati Zoo, as well as researched by reading books and searching the internet. This helped me narrow down a target audience and discover the main topics to be covered in my solution.
04–Visual Design
After gathering all my research, I determined a target audience and began iterating on solutions. I decided to design a book that was both educational and sparked action, to get the students inspired to do something about the problem. I began experimenting with imagery, iconography, mood boards, color palettes, and an overall look and feel.
05–The Solution
The solution is an Endangered Species kit that includes learning tools and action items for students to get involved. The learning tools are used to create empathy to show the importance and urgency of helping endangered species. The actionable tools shows students ways to adapt their every-day lives to live a more sustainable life in order to make a difference in the long run.
Posters
Posters are included in the Repainting Wildlife kit, encouraging students to hang them in public spaces (i.e. around school) in order to spread awareness about endangered species.
Full book
Process and Presentation
