This image was intended as a crossover between a public service announcement and a scientific comedy. The target audience was the local Laramie public, specifically those involved with public lands.
Given this context, I believe I did fairly well in achieving my goal, particularly in the area of raising awareness. Knowing the Laramie public, however, who are typically looking for ways to take action, I feel I could have done a better job informing them as to how and why chipmunks matter in the local ecosystem.
This image was intended as a crossover between a public service announcement and a scientific comedy. The target audience was the local Laramie public, specifically those involved with public lands.
Given this context, I believe I did fairly well in achieving my goal, particularly in the area of raising awareness. Knowing the Laramie public, however, who are typically looking for ways to take action, I feel I could have done a better job informing them as to how and why chipmunks matter in the local ecosystem.
Design considerations included:
- framing, which was used to emphasize the importance of the chipmunk with the magnifying glass approach;
- humor, which made an otherwise specific image more relatable; and
- color, which was selectively used to only emphasize, species, habitat, and the threat at hand.
Screenshots of stock photos of chipmunks eating. | 
Screenshot of article and illustration from Western Confluence magazine. Illustration credit: Emilene Ostlind, ©2018. |
The reference visuals that inspired my visualization are above. The two chipmunk images helped to inform the facial striping and the mouth and body shape of ‘Fred’ the fictional chipmunk, while the sage served as a basis for my own in terms of leaves and stems.
If I were to revise or continue working on this visual, I would attempt to incorporate more information for the public to access regarding the chipmunks in and around Laramie, and the importance of preserving their habitat. This may take the form of a legend showing where on a map the habitat was, and/or a link to a more informational website to avoid making the image too busy, possibly disguised within a sign posted in the ground by the chipmunk. I would also add more ground color to make it appear more polished, and potentially reformat the caption into a single line on the top or bottom of the image to make it neater and less cluttered.
Engage Laramie Science 