In summary, I explored various topics, conducted two surveys, and facilitated an experimental and provocative poster workshop. These activities have gradually guided me towards a clearer direction for my final topic. Initially, I started broadly with the concept of how to communicate animal and environmental welfare and the impact of disturbing images. Through my research and the first survey, I identified a significant issue: the exposure of very young people to inappropriate ads and campaigns on social media, which can negatively affect their development. This realization prompted me to focus on the younger generation.
I believe it is essential to equip children with the right tools and discuss important topics early on, as they are the adults of tomorrow. However, it is crucial to communicate these topics appropriately.
Given my passion for art and illustration, I see potential in combining this topic with my creative skills. I am not yet fixed on a specific end product, as this will depend on further in-depth research. Potential outcomes could include a picture book or a large mural.
There is an opportunity to collaborate with schools and develop a significant project that may have a more substantial impact than initially anticipated. I am also considering partnerships with pet shelters or similar organizations to facilitate easier adoption or general promotion. Focusing on our regional wildlife and nature could be a great approach as well.
Over the next few weeks, I will continue to explore and refine the topic to prepare for in-depth work in the upcoming semester. I am excited about this project, as the topic is very important to me and to society as a whole. Effective and fair communication is crucial when discussing such subjects. Many people form strong opinions based on well-promoted social media content without conducting their own research. Therefore, it is vital to convey the truth and encourage critical thinking. Communication design and illustration are valuable tools for designing impactful messages for the public.
After distributing the survey questionnaire, I received responses from only two participants out of the expected ten. This low response rate highlighted some issues with the timing and method of distribution:
Timing: The survey was conducted just before the end of the school year, a particularly stressful period for teachers.
Distribution Method: The questionnaire was sent by intermediaries to people who did not know me, reducing the perceived importance of completing it.
Length and Complexity: The survey contained numerous questions, requiring significant time to complete.
Future Improvements:
Contact participants directly to enhance engagement.
Consider conducting in-person interviews for more in-depth data.
Use a shorter, more focused online questionnaire to reach a larger audience quickly.
For a balanced dataset, gathering 2-3 responses per different age range of children would be ideal. Despite the limited data, the responses provide a valuable starting point for this topic.
Results of survey
Kindergarten Teacher (Children aged 0-6)
Animal Welfare: The teacher believes discussing animal welfare is premature for this age group. Instead, the focus should be on learning about animals in general and how to handle them properly.
Teaching Respect: She emphasizes being an idol through her behavior, demonstrating respect for others and animals. She teaches children never to touch unfamiliar animals and shows them how to handle known animals.
Nature Respect: She fosters respect for nature by familiarizing children with local flora and fauna.
Mediums Used: The teacher uses real images to show how animals look and prefers picture books as her medium of choice.
Developmental Consideration: She stresses the importance of considering children’s developmental stages rather than just their age. Ensuring a focused, undisturbed environment is crucial when introducing new topics.
Main Goal: Her primary aim is for children to become familiar with their surroundings and see as much as possible from a young age. Discussions on animal welfare should come later, when children can understand more complex topics.
Elementary School Teacher (Children aged 6-10)
Communication Style: The teacher continues to use simple and visual communication methods.
Animal Welfare Topics: She introduces topics like handling pets and meat consumption. Her class dedicates a week to animal welfare around World Animal Welfare Day.
Mediums Used: She uses picture books and age-appropriate images from the web.
Experience with Disturbing Content: Previously, she used disturbing videos but found them ineffective and now avoids such methods. She continues to discuss the importance of treating animals well and environmental issues.
Image Preferences
Both teachers preferred the most realistic still illustrated image (Image 1). But also number 3 and 4 could work. They found the other images nice and pretty but too unrealistic or imaginative to effectively convey the topic.
Overall, I gained a solid foundation from the responses, which answered some questions but also raised new ones. There is still a possibility of receiving additional questionnaires from older age groups, which will be crucial in determining the focus age group for my work. The insights provided were valuable, and I am considering focusing on wildlife and nature in Austria. I might convey this information through a picture book format. This idea needs further thought, and once I finalize my direction, I will need to conduct in-depth interviews and additional research.
As I progressed further in my topic I wanted to ask some experts on how to communicate with children about animal welfare and in general. To support this, I created a short questionnaire with various questions on how to communicate effectively, whether it is appropriate, and which visual materials should be used. Currently, I am in the process of collecting completed questionnaires and hope to present my findings in the next post.
So here is my questionare:
I did not want to be too specific, as the focused research will take place next semester when I determine which age group or topic I want to concentrate on. For now, I have kept it very open and the questionnaire has been sent to kindergarten teachers as well as teachers of children up to 18 years old. My aim is to gather a broad spectrum of information.
For me, the most interesting part will be learning which visuals teachers would choose and what is understandable for younger children. We must not forget that children’s brains work very differently from adults‘. It is important to be realistic, but there are also many children’s books illustrated in a very abstract way. I need to find my own method of interpreting the topics so they are understandable and useful for children. The end product I am working on will also influence the style and design significantly.
Due to my research and by thinking about my projects and interests I mostly will pivot with my topic in the direction on how to communicate animal welfare to children and a younger target group. In the survey the biggest concerns of the participants were that there are a lot of young people and maybe also very sensitive users on social media which may be disturbed and also harmed by harsh content. We all can see that the younger generation gets more mature and is dulled by all the graphic content on the web. There are also not really good mechanisms to protect younger ones on the web – you just need to click accept on a mask and then instagram will show you the content.
On the one hand it is important to show the images and to show people the reality but on the other hand it is important to balance it out so you do not harm children – as we are surely not capable of keeping them out of the web until a proper age. Of course there are age limits (13 years old as far as I know) but I myself also did cheat with my age when I was 13 and you did need to be 14 for facebook. Adults and parents are often not aware of how their children navigate through the web. But this in general is a whole nother topic. Maybe I will touch it in another post.
So with this introduction I want to say that I will now get more into how to visualize content for children so that it is understandable and they are more aware about these topics without disturbing them and tarnishing the children’s comfort.
The first person who came to my mind with illustrating for children is Sha’an d’Anthes (FurryLittlePeach) – an artist and illustrator from Australia – who has already published two children books herself and has a very intriguing and remarkable style. Years prior I followed her on social media and followed her process and was then already inspired to create visuals like her.
So now for analyzing her work: For this I also rewatched Videos of hers in connection to this topic.
Her books are: Zoom – a story through the galaxy to explain this to children. And Bandits – a story about friendship and appreciating nature.
She herself describes it like this: vibrant and joyful pieces that embody a childlike way of looking at the world.
Her colors are mostly vibrant but due to the project and her picture book she adapts the colors to the story. Her work is mostly done with traditional media like watercolor and pencils and then combined and edited afterwards if necessary – depending on the project. Her paintings are done in different layers and also often she uses a wash as a background and then works her way up with darker washes on top.
I thinkt her style is very cute and in a way simple but still understandable and with all the textures and rough coloring it gets an authentic look. In the next part I will try to get some answers from experts with childrens (teachers) and see what their opinion is on how to communciate animal welfare and which visuals work for children.
The outcome is not fixed yet but I am thinking it will be one big or more smaller illustrations about specific animal welfare topics in a style which is also suitable for children and then they are presented in maybe a mural or in a book style.
After the digital exploration of the topics, we used paper collaging on the last day. We worked quickly, making rough cutouts and thoughtfully combining them. We were instructed to cut everything beyond just the outline and to think out of the box. The exercise was also for us to work faster on developing ides and connecting visual material with out message without searching for the perfect image on the web for ages.
For the first collage, I created another version of the Faroe Islands topic. The teachers provided printed materials related to our topics, ensuring everyone found something useful. I also printed some of my previous slogans and typographic choices. Initially, I was very detailed and took a long time, but I soon got the hang of it and worked faster.
We combined all the black-and-white cutouts and roughly glued them onto white A3 paper. We then used these collages on the RISO. We scanned them directly to make masters and printed many copies of each design. During this process, Lars took some previously printed designs and overprinted them with another student’s design, which was not intended to be combined. This approach yielded very interesting results. Some elements matched well, as all the topics were problematic, and some slogans or images were reusable. In the end, we had one copy of the original design and nearly 200 different posters with various combinations.
My first work was for the topic of faroe islands and the whale hunting. This collage was an abstract visual showing a whale being stabbed. There are also some versions where it was combined with other designs randomly.
My final Design
I also made a collage for the pig farm topic and the AMA-Gütesiegel. I used their slogan and created a graphic symbolizing the pain pigs endure, featuring a cut-open pig and a brain functioning as its inner organs. This collage used 2-3 images per layer, unlike the first one, which was built from various cutouts. Unfortunately there was no original left of this design after the whole printing process. But there is a version with the AXI Draw in the end.
Lastly, I made a collage on the controversy of zoos. I found a fitting slogan and created a symbol combining human faces and barbed wire. On another layer, I used a zebra and cut out stripes from a different pattern to form a cage.
My final Design
As a final step, we used a tool called the AXI Draw, which can draw on top of printed materials. Some of us used it to rewrite slogans or add details on top of the layered RISO prints. This experimental approach was a refreshing change, allowing us to work more roughly and try new techniques.
This workflow was very inspiring and something new for me as you really have to trust also the process and it is something besides just looking in a screen the whole time. Also the RISO printing makes the end result more haptic and analog than if you just would scan the designs and rework it digital. So you get the overlay from the RISO with little happy accidents and it is way more authentic.
Triggerwarning! If you don´t want to see maybe disturbing images of animals – please do not read this post further because I am using images from pigs which are in horrible conditions.
Concept 1: Pig Farms and Gütesiegel
My first design addresses the misleading information consumers receive through various certificates on products, combined with the frequent revelations of poor animal conditions on farms. These farms are often certified under the AMA-Gütesiegel. Despite numerous scandals, AMA claims these issues are beyond their responsibility, which clearly isn’t the case. The AMA-Gütesiegel does not propose better conditions than existing EU regulations; it simply aims to give consumers a false sense of security when buying Austrian meat. Although some farms are suspended from AMA, proper controls would prevent these issues from arising in the first place.
The first approach was to take their seal and rework the typography a litte bit to make it from Gütesiegel to Lügesiegel. Just a small detail thats powerful in its message.
With that I build two different designs for the poster. One is more graphic and the other one uses real life images. To highlight how two faced the campaign of AMA is, I decided to use AMA’s advertisement and rework it. I utilized their graphics, modified the text, and incorporated new images to achieve the desired effect. So here are my two versions for this topic – which the AMA Ad would be the chosen one of this for the presentation.
Concept 2: Whale Hunting on the Faroe Islands
The next topic I explored was whale hunting in the Faroe Islands, a cruel and unnecessary practice today. Pods of whales are chased to the shore with speed boats and brutally slaughtered. Despite no longer relying on whale meal, the practice continues with global buyers and some locals clinging to tradition. In 2023 alone, over 800 whales and dolphins were killed. Organizations like Sea Shepherd are on-site, documenting these events and try to stop it with petitions and more people are against it luckily.
Initially, I planned to create a modern travel poster-style design, but it felt too editorial. But the slogan „Welcome to the red sea“ stayed in my head. I shifted to a 50s-70s style inspired by Cassandre, known for his impressive posters. Due to time constraints, I couldn’t create my own illustrations, so I used Photoshop to edit images to fit this style. After much trial and error, I produced a compelling poster with interesting fonts. Here are my different versions for this topic.
Different approaches to this design style. First i edited the image heavily and then I played with the colors further and typography. On the first glance the blue/green version could look like a pretty image but then you see the details and what the bright red should symbolize.
This workflow showed my how individual the approaches can be to visualize such topics – you can use well known techniques and styles and use their main features to get a strong visual. That´s something that I will definitely be something I will explore further in this case. The next post will be about how I am using the same topics and also some same visual graphics in a completely different style and technique.
The last few days, we had the International Design Week, during which we could choose from different workshops covering various topics led by designers from diverse backgrounds. On one hand, I wanted to dive deeper into Blender and expand my skill set, but I was also interested in the last workshop titled “Doubt is not an option,” conducted by Roger Walk and Lars Harmsen. The topic aligned closely with my area of interest, so I felt it would complement my project perfectly. The workshop focused on the loss of trust in media and politics, examining the difficulty in discerning fake news from factual information today. Within the first few minutes of their presentation, I knew it would provide a fresh perspective for my project.
Initially, we examined various works across different fields, ranging from spreading fake news to satirical posters about politicians. We observed a variety of design styles and approaches to visualizing the topic. Following that, we conducted our own research on headlines and current issues to use as inspiration for our designs. During our research, we discovered a range of contemporary and problematic topics rather than strictly focusing on fake news. I explored topics related to animal welfare, Instagram’s efforts to hide political content, and the concerning fact that women fear men more than bears. A strong headline based on these themes would form the foundation for our later poster design.
After a discussion, we delved deeper into the visual representation of our topics. I explored animal welfare through articles from Soko Tierschutz on the conditions of pig farms today. I combined this with the misleading use of the AMA Gütesiegel and other certifications on products, which often suggest a good quality of life for the animals but, in reality, mislead consumers. I began to visualize how I could depict this, perhaps by placing the AMA Gütesiegel on images showcasing the harsh conditions pigs endure or contrasting reality with how it is portrayed. Lars and Roger’s initial slides also introduced various options, such as simple illustrations or manipulating images with processing, which would suit the topic’s style. I also considered the issue of zoos, particularly the controversy surrounding Zoo Magdeburg and its handling of monkeys.
Over the weekend, I decided to focus solely on animal welfare topics, as I felt most confident in that area. Political topics required more in-depth research before creating such controversial posters. I also investigated the issue of whale hunting in the Faroe Islands, which was happening again during that period. This island, southeast of Iceland, historically depended on whale hunting for sustenance and survival; however, today, it has become a brutal practice that results in the mass slaughter of protected whales in Europe. The phrases “Sea turns red” or “Welcome to the red sea” resonated with me. While the picturesque Faroe Islands evoke thoughts of vacation, the reality is far more disturbing due to the bloody whale hunts. Thus, I envisioned creating a tourism-style poster to highlight this disparity.
After the research and topic exploration we started on monday with the first designs and visual concepts digitally. In the following post I will go deeper into this process and show my designs.
So now, onto the survey I conducted regarding the results from my short online questionnaire. It provided me with further insights and raised topics I hadn’t previously considered.
Thus far, 51 people have participated in the survey. It will remain active over time, so I may collect additional results and opinions, although they may not be relevant at present. I had participants from various age groups, but in total, there were 86%, which may also influence the research, as women tend to be more emotional, which is a significant factor in this topic.
Next, I posed some general questions about their feelings regarding animal welfare and their level of involvement in it.
I also inquired about their exposure to disturbing advertisements or approaches on the street and how it affected them.
Following a trigger warning, I presented four different images and asked whether they believed these images were appropriate for use on social media for advertising. In response, the majority deemed them inappropriate, and they also articulated their concerns and reasons for their decisions. I won’t include these images here, as I can’t provide a trigger warning as in the survey, but they are available on the survey link.
In summary, after reviewing all the comments:
The primary concern regarding the use of graphic images on social media or in advertising is the potential traumatization of younger people who may encounter them. While there are existing options to conceal such posts, they often fail to reach as many people as other posts, necessitating acceptance of exposure to disturbing content. This could have a negative impact on children.
On the other hand, some individuals mentioned that exposure to such content desensitized them, leading to diminished shock upon subsequent exposure. However, most respondents reported feeling sad, shocked, or ashamed when viewing such content.
Regarding street approaches on these topics, respondents varied in their reactions. Some expressed satisfaction that others were engaged in the issue and had donated, while others found it stressful and disliked being interrupted. It’s essential to consider these responses in different contexts, as they may vary depending on the situation.
Additionally, it was noted that sometimes the content is too brutal and doesn’t accurately reflect the truth. Not all farmers are depicted as negatively as portrayed in these ads, necessitating a more nuanced approach. Some campaigns may go too far and inadvertently harm individuals who are already striving to do their best, but the industry as a whole must undergo change.
To my surprise, only five people declined to participate in the second part after the trigger warning, allowing me to gather numerous responses. For each image, more individuals felt it was unsuitable for social media and advertising.
My main insights from the survey indicate that many people are aware of the issue. It would be beneficial to delve deeper into whether there are correlations between age or education level and their opinions. From a preliminary analysis, I noticed that younger generations and individuals aged 41-49 were more receptive to viewing this type of content online, whereas those aged 31-40 and 50+ were predominantly opposed to it. However, obtaining more responses would be necessary to produce a validated result, yet it remains an intriguing observation.
Maybe it is an option for me to combine my insights now with a possibility to make visuals about animal welfare that communicate the problem but are also suitable for online content and a save internet space. I for my part also think that is is crucial that we protect the youger generation which is already bombed with a lot of too brutal content. If I see a lot of posts about this topic I also have to put my phone away and get very anxious but I can speak for myself and regulate my feelings better than children or teenagers and I also have main development achieved which children still are in the middle of it. The content they see is highly influencial to their character and lifestyle in the future. So on the one hand it is good that they can see the reality but we have to make sure that is not too much for them.
To find a deeper connection between animal welfare and provoking advertisements I wanted to explore the issue of provoking illustrations. We all saw some well thought posters with a ambiguous illustration to make the viewer aware of different problems. Often it is not about the exact style more about the message. And as my previous research showed is that emotions and having to think about ads/artworks lead to more engagement from the viewer. The most difficult part which this kind of work is not the excecution it is more about finding the idea and a great concept to visualize. So in this blog I collect various illustrations from different designers to get an overview what is already out there.
Provoking illustrations with a twist refer to artworks that capture attention by presenting familiar scenes or concepts in unexpected or thought-provoking ways. These illustrations often challenge viewers‘ perceptions, stimulate thoughts or spark an emotional response. They may employ clever visual metaphor, or surreal elements to convey a deeper meanings or societal commentary. Artists who specialize in this style aim to engage viewers on multiple levels, encouraging them to question assumptions and explore new perspectives.
Through my research I found Steffen Kraft who made various illustrations with a twist about climate change, plastic pollution or social behavior.
Steffen KraftSteffen Kraft
Examples, such as those found in „50 Mindshots“ by Maivisto, demonstrate the power of visual storytelling to provoke thought and stimulate dialogue on a wide range of topics. His daily business in illustrating is creating visuals for brands, agencies and magazines in a watercolor style – so he started creating these very minimalistic stylised artworks to reflect on important topics in our society.
Another way to make such interesting visuals is with using common shapes an objects to build up the illustration. In this example they use a net graphic to visualize the turtle shell – this should symbolize how many turtles and other animals get harmed by all those ghost nets in the ocean and the fishing industry.
Yun-Rung Chu
As it is also a strong tool also some companies use it in their ads. On the website adsoftheworld.com you can find a lot of different campaings which also use this tool in their ads. Here shown with WWF who made a switch on the announcement of color of the year from Pantone. It should make people aware of the problem of air pollution and that we all have to do something to save the classic blue.
PETA: Boycott SeaWorld‘ was published in United States in March, 2019
For the upcoming phase of the research, I’ll be delving deeper into the overarching theme of animal welfare and its communication. My previous research still left some questions unanswered. To kickstart this phase, I’ve designed a survey to gauge public sentiment and engagement regarding animal welfare.
The survey covers a range of topics, including general attitudes towards animal welfare and personal involvement. Additionally, I inquire about participants‘ experiences with advertising related to animal welfare and its emotional impact. With a trigger warning, I present four images depicting various scenarios commonly found in animal welfare advertising or on social media platforms. My goal is to discern participants‘ perceptions of acceptable content and the boundaries therein.
In the following post, I will provide a summary of the survey results.
Moreover, I plan to conduct interviews with members of SOKO Tierschutz to gain insights into their real-world experiences. Additionally, I intend to engage with individuals from Bauernbund to understand the perspectives of farmers. Due to recent campaigns highlighting issues within the industry, many farmers have found themselves unfairly portrayed as animal abusers, despite not being involved. It’s crucial to examine the multifaceted impact of communication strategies surrounding animal welfare on various stakeholders.
For further experimentation and exploration, I am considering conducting eye-tracking experiments and in-person testing of diverse campaign materials. However, the insights gained from the survey will guide the selection of additional experiments. A/B testing with different designs also presents an intriguing option to refine our understanding and inform design decisions for future iterations. Furthermore, I aim to compile a comprehensive collection of visual and verbal materials already in use, supplementing theoretical research on provocative marketing and advertising. Identifying gaps in current animal welfare communication strategies is essential for developing targeted interventions. To see what exactly should be designed – what it needs to communicate the topic in the best and most efficient way. Does it need a new great branding or is it about the distribution of information – what is the most trustbuilding method etc..?
