LAUIL501 - Task 4 - Introduction

I initially intended to put my scientific illustration research into practice as a way of understanding the process of communicating a specific concept or fact. I wanted to chose a subject I could research in depth and became more interested in the role illustration might play in environmental and conservation concerns. This led me to more specific themes and challenges. Challenging myths and false information with facts in an engaging way that would get a lay audience's attention.

Focusing on climate change would mean an in depth knowledge of complex data that I would both struggle to have access to and understand fully enough to make a coherent argument. Focusing on a non native animal under threat would also be a difficult decision to make, which endangered animal deserves more attention?

Instead I've been attracted more to the themes of deep rooted myths and misunderstandings of British animals and how culture, film and undeserved reputations can alter people's perception of particular animals. Animals have always had symbolic meaning throughout history. I focused on birds as they are very common but taken for granted and ignored by most people.



The Hitchcock film 'The Birds' changed the public's perception of birds, specifically crows and ravens who have had a mixed reputation through time. More recently they seem to be generally disliked and even mistrusted according to my research on them. Researching crows made me realise how fascinating and intelligent they are and the potential of showing them in a more positive way. Success in doing this would perhaps open up people attitudes to other animals that have gained an undeserved bad reputation based on ancient myth or cultural influences, more recently films such as The Birds and Jaws.




I want to communicate the positives of the Corvidae family and it's mischievous, intelligent, playful nature. Seeing a species in a new light will be benificial to both the animal and people who can engage more in nature they often avoid through ignorance and take for granted.



Canuck
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/animalia/wp/2016/05/27/the-oddly-sweet-story-of-a-crow-that-stole-a-knife-from-a-crime-scene/?utm_term=.5074683f85b6

Crow attack
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/warning-over-crow-attacks-7257254.html

Photo gallery(research)
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/a-murder-of-crows-photo-gallery/5942/

Variations of crows
https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/crow-family

General facts
https://www.livescience.com/52716-crows-ravens.html

Myth and legend
https://mysticurious.com/what-do-crows-ravens-symbolize
http://www.thewonderofbirds.com/crow/mythology.htm
http://www.collective-evolution.com/2016/04/24/have-you-been-seeing-crows-what-the-crow-symbolizes-more-than-just-death/
http://www.ravenfamily.org/nascakiyetl/obs/rav1.html
https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Popular_Science_Monthly/Volume_18/November_1880/A_Flock_of_Mythological_Crows

Anting
http://www.besgroup.org/2012/08/13/crows-anting-in-an-anthill/

Funeral
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003347215003188
https://www.livescience.com/53283-why-crows-hold-funerals.html

Bad reputation
https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2017/10/the-case-for-crows/544424/
https://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/23/science/crows-bad-reputation-is-put-to-the-test.html
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/01/150123081801.htm
https://owlcation.com/stem/american-crow-the-bird-most-people-hate

Intelligence
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/26/science/26crow.html

Sounds and images
https://www.hbw.com/ibc/species/carrion-crow-corvus-corone
http://www.audubon.org/news/how-tell-raven-crow

Illustration
http://www.simonprades.com/index.php/project/heads/5c21f23ec394dcd96c5af2f3a3245661.gif