Lost in haze : evoking appreciation for environmental awareness through concept art : an exegesis presented in partial fulfilment of requirements for the degree of the Master of Design at the College of Creative Arts, Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand
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Date
2017
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Massey University
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Abstract
The levels of air pollution in many of Asia’s large cities and urban areas have exceeded the
standards set by the World Health Organization (WHO) and National Ambient Air Quality
Standards (NAAQS) (Oanh, 2012). In the northern part of China, the region of Shandong
province that I come from, air pollution has become one of the most concerning issues for
people. Moreover, the International Cancer Research Agency (IARC) has classified the
polluting haze as a carcinogen (WHO, 2015) with harmful effects on human health, so this
issue can no longer be ignored.
In this design research project, I combine my personal experience of living in a city affected
by air pollution, with my experience of visiting Tibet and experiencing its clear air and
attractive vistas. Within the paradigm of graphic design, using applied visual psychology
theory, interactivity theory, and a comparative analysis of key literary texts, I build a case for
using concept art to produce scene designs that illustrate the effect of increased air
pollution in China. I explain how perspective and colour are core to the design and artwork
in order to engage and illustrate the impact of air pollution for the viewer. I argue that
through the concept art created for a hypothesized fantasy story I can stimulate awareness
and understanding of this far-reaching problem.
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Keywords
Utopias in art, Graphic arts, Video games, Concept art, Environmental awareness, Visual psychology, Utopia, Research Subject Categories::HUMANITIES and RELIGION::Aesthetic subjects