Start with Why: The Significance of Green Spaces and Biodiversity for a Sustainable Future.
Working with someone else to create a publication that delivers on your client’s objectives is not always an easy feat. But when you find the right partner, the experience can be rewarding, enriching, and satisfying, as it was with the project I worked on with 4A2 Design.
By understanding the importance of green spaces and promoting biodiversity, we can make a positive impact on our environment and create a more sustainable future.
The project involved creating a booklet for the Welsh Council that would be distributed in both digital and print formats, providing ideas on how to use green spaces to promote biodiversity. I had worked with Andy in the past when we were both employed in design roles, so it was so nice to work with him again, and he reached out to me for my illustration style. I was provided with copy and concepts for the pages and given the freedom to create illustrations in my own style, but what made this project so nice was the support of working with another person to bounce ideas off, look over pieces, and add their creative opinion.
Working on this project was a dream come true for me, as I am passionate about the environment, and this booklet is a great tool to encourage people to make better use of grass spaces and promote biodiversity. One great example is the No Mow May movement, which I strongly support, as it allows wildflowers to grow and provides habitats for insects and birds. This initiative encourages people to let their lawns grow and not mow them during the month of May, so it would make a massive difference for councils to get on board. By not mowing the lawn, we create a mini-wilderness that supports biodiversity and promotes a healthier ecosystem. Not only does it support the local wildlife, but it also helps to reduce our carbon footprint by reducing the amount of fuel and energy used in lawn mowing.
From Sketch to Stunning: Exploring Illustration and Design Choices
My illustration style is very colourful with a slight style; I thought this would create an accurate representation of what the booklet is trying to promote. When it came to the animals and flowers themselves, I wanted to ensure that they were not only accurate but also looked as though they belonged together in a cohesive composition. I created a series of rough sketches to work out the positions of pages and their relation to one another and pitched it back to 4A2. Once we were happy with the general compositions, I started refining the sketches and adding more details.
One of my favourite parts of the project was incorporating the fauna and flora relative to the Welsh location into the illustrations. I used flowers, butterflies, and other animals that would benefit the project, which I hoped would evoke a sense of care for the local species the viewer might already know of and inspire those who hadn’t experienced the beauty of what they could in the future.
The final product was a stunning booklet that we are incredibly proud of, and we are confident that it will be a useful tool in encouraging the better use of empty grass spaces and promoting biodiversity. I really enjoyed working with 4A2, and the client was really pleased with what we created.
