Project description
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Wanting to explore the field of scientific illustration, and after stumbling upon an incredibly interesting video on snakes, I was inspired to create this piece on unique venomous snakes from each of the 4 venomous snake families. As National Geographic played a large role in the development of my fascination for science as a child, I wanted to look as though this infographic could be a poster from one of their books.
This infographic aims to educate the viewer on each snake's anatomy, the physiology of their venom, and how their venom systems impact their lifestyles, in hopes of sparking the same awe for these creatures that I developed during my research. |
Role: Research, visual development, illustration and layout
Tools: Procreate, Adobe Illustrator Client: Dr. Jodie Jenkinson (BMC professor and past director, University of Toronto) |
Process
Thumbnails
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[Images on left]
Thumbnails were done to inform the overall look and style of the infographic. Three primary ideas were explored: a horizontal poster, a vertical poster, and a pull-out brochure. The vertical poster layout was selected. [Images below] As I developed drafts from the original thumbnail, I conducted further research into the biology, including a size comparison, physical features, venom physiology, etc. I also completed a test render of a cobra from a helpful online tutorial I discovered while searching for photo references (credit and thanks to Matthew Matthysen). This allowed me to practice rendering snakes, their shapes and scales, accurately before starting on the snakes chosen for the infographic. |
Pre-infographic test render
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Size comparison study and updated drafts
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Screenshot of project research board
Annotated comprehensive draft
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[Image on left]
A comprehensive sketch was developed from the previous drafts and inserted into Adobe Illustrator where placeholder text was used to finalize the overall layout. Annotations were then placed to provide the content for each section on text. [Image below] Starting with flat bases, a greyscale render was completed before the colourization process. |
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[Image on left]
I added cutouts on the cheeks of each snake, revealing their venom systems. After receiving feedback from my professors and peers during our spring critique, I adjusted the infographic to have a more uniform, structured layout. Critique and final comments: - In order to restructure the layout, I removed quite a bit of content from this infographic. While I think the new layout remains more readable than the former, I see it to have less substance. I believe solving layout issues during the comprehensive drafting stage would have saved me lots of time and effort in later stages after the illustration was completed. - Snakes have lots of scales (obvious to say), which translated to lots of repetition in the rendering stage. My advice to anyone in a similar situation: rendering a small patch of scaled patterns and then pasting the patch like a stamp along each snake and making small edits overtop as needed would have been a useful technique to use during this stage. An alternative option would be to create a 3D model using bump maps to create scales before illustrating to use as a base. Blending modes can then be used to add colour and modify the 3D model. |
References
Academic References
Banerjee, N. (2022, June 21). Decoding snake venoms. Wildlife SOS. https://wildlifesos.org/animals/decoding-snake-venoms/
Fer-de-Lance (Bothrops asper). (2020, July 15). https://www.reptilesofecuador.com/bothrops_asper.html#:~:text=How%20venomous%20is%20a%20Fer,5%E2%80%937%25%20of%20cases.
Fer-de-lance: Facts, Diet, and Habitat. Animalia . (n.d.). https://animalia.bio/fer-de-lance
Mackessy, S. P. (2022). Venom production and secretion in reptiles. Journal of Experimental Biology, 225(7). https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.227348
Marais, J. (2023, January 24). Beware of the stiletto snake. African Snakebite Institute. https://www.africansnakebiteinstitute.com/articles/beware-of-the-stiletto-snake/#:~:text=If%20gripped%20behind%20the%20head,bite%20from%20a%20single%20fang.&text=The%20venom%20of%20this%20snake,in%20many%20cases%20tissue%20damage.
Rich , G., & Axelson, R. (n.d.). Snakes: Colubrid: VCA Canada Animal Hospitals. VCA Animal Hospitals . https://vcacanada.com/know-your-pet/snakes---colubrid#:~:text=The%20Colubridae%20comprise%20the%20largest,are%20colorful%20and%20very%20attractive.
Spitting cobra: Venom snipers of the wild. About Animals . (n.d.). https://www.aboutanimals.com/reptile/spitting-cobra/
Stiletto snake. AZ Animals. (2023, March 30). https://a-z-animals.com/animals/stiletto-snake/
Tednes, M. (2022, October 19). Evaluation and treatment of Snake Envenomations. StatPearls [Internet]. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK553151/#:~:text=The%20Elapids%20can%20be%20distinguished,%2C%20Colubridae%2C%20and%20Hydrophidae%20families.
Venomous snake. New World Encyclopedia . (n.d.). https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Venomous_snake#Families_of_venomous_snakes
Villazon, F. (n.d.). How do snakes produce venom?. BBC Science Focus Magazine. https://www.sciencefocus.com/nature/how-do-snakes-produce-venom
Visual References
Deufel, A. (2006, November). Diagrammatic left lateral views of the skull of vipers. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Diagrammatic-left-lateral-views-of-the-skull-of-vipers-A-Atractaspis-B-and-elapids_fig1_222652362
Marais, J. (2023, January 24). Stiletto Snake. Retrieved from https://www.africansnakebiteinstitute.com/articles/beware-of-the-stiletto-snake/#:~:text=If%20gripped%20behind%20the%20head,bite%20from%20a%20single%20fang.&text=The%20venom%20of%20this%20snake,in%20many%20cases%20tissue%20damage.
Peters, J. A. (n.d.). Snake skulls: Skulls of representative poisonous snakes. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/animal/snake/Skull-and-sense-organs
Rafferty, J. P. (n.d.). Mozambique Spitting Cobra; Boomslang. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/list/9-of-the-worlds-deadliest-snakes
Sisk, L. (2022). Eyelash Palm-Pit Viper. Retrieved from https://www.lizsiskillustration.com/sciillportfolio/eyelash-palmpit-viper-2022
Vannini, J.; Muller, F. (n.d.) Fer-de-lance. Retrieved from https://www.exoticaesoterica.com/magazine/fer-de-lance
Banerjee, N. (2022, June 21). Decoding snake venoms. Wildlife SOS. https://wildlifesos.org/animals/decoding-snake-venoms/
Fer-de-Lance (Bothrops asper). (2020, July 15). https://www.reptilesofecuador.com/bothrops_asper.html#:~:text=How%20venomous%20is%20a%20Fer,5%E2%80%937%25%20of%20cases.
Fer-de-lance: Facts, Diet, and Habitat. Animalia . (n.d.). https://animalia.bio/fer-de-lance
Mackessy, S. P. (2022). Venom production and secretion in reptiles. Journal of Experimental Biology, 225(7). https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.227348
Marais, J. (2023, January 24). Beware of the stiletto snake. African Snakebite Institute. https://www.africansnakebiteinstitute.com/articles/beware-of-the-stiletto-snake/#:~:text=If%20gripped%20behind%20the%20head,bite%20from%20a%20single%20fang.&text=The%20venom%20of%20this%20snake,in%20many%20cases%20tissue%20damage.
Rich , G., & Axelson, R. (n.d.). Snakes: Colubrid: VCA Canada Animal Hospitals. VCA Animal Hospitals . https://vcacanada.com/know-your-pet/snakes---colubrid#:~:text=The%20Colubridae%20comprise%20the%20largest,are%20colorful%20and%20very%20attractive.
Spitting cobra: Venom snipers of the wild. About Animals . (n.d.). https://www.aboutanimals.com/reptile/spitting-cobra/
Stiletto snake. AZ Animals. (2023, March 30). https://a-z-animals.com/animals/stiletto-snake/
Tednes, M. (2022, October 19). Evaluation and treatment of Snake Envenomations. StatPearls [Internet]. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK553151/#:~:text=The%20Elapids%20can%20be%20distinguished,%2C%20Colubridae%2C%20and%20Hydrophidae%20families.
Venomous snake. New World Encyclopedia . (n.d.). https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Venomous_snake#Families_of_venomous_snakes
Villazon, F. (n.d.). How do snakes produce venom?. BBC Science Focus Magazine. https://www.sciencefocus.com/nature/how-do-snakes-produce-venom
Visual References
Deufel, A. (2006, November). Diagrammatic left lateral views of the skull of vipers. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Diagrammatic-left-lateral-views-of-the-skull-of-vipers-A-Atractaspis-B-and-elapids_fig1_222652362
Marais, J. (2023, January 24). Stiletto Snake. Retrieved from https://www.africansnakebiteinstitute.com/articles/beware-of-the-stiletto-snake/#:~:text=If%20gripped%20behind%20the%20head,bite%20from%20a%20single%20fang.&text=The%20venom%20of%20this%20snake,in%20many%20cases%20tissue%20damage.
Peters, J. A. (n.d.). Snake skulls: Skulls of representative poisonous snakes. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/animal/snake/Skull-and-sense-organs
Rafferty, J. P. (n.d.). Mozambique Spitting Cobra; Boomslang. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/list/9-of-the-worlds-deadliest-snakes
Sisk, L. (2022). Eyelash Palm-Pit Viper. Retrieved from https://www.lizsiskillustration.com/sciillportfolio/eyelash-palmpit-viper-2022
Vannini, J.; Muller, F. (n.d.) Fer-de-lance. Retrieved from https://www.exoticaesoterica.com/magazine/fer-de-lance
Let's connectReach me by email at [email protected] or by pressing the social icons above.
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