THE SPECTRUM OF VIRAL DIVERSITY
CHALLENGE
Visually represent a biomedical subject matter in a manner that is captivating and clear to understand
STORY
Viruses are extremely diverse, both structurally and genetically, and each have a unique set of characteristics that sets them apart from other viral species. This poster was created to clearly highlight these differences, and to communicate the similarities, between 3 different viral species: the dengue virus, tobacco mosaic virus, and T4 bacteriophage.
The purpose was to educate on the basic classification and characteristics of viral species, giving the audience a basic core knowledge on these viruses.
DETAILS
Date: March 2020
Client: Professor Jodie Jenkinson
Audience: Educated Lay Audience
Software: Cinema 4D, Photoshop, Illustrator, Chimera
Format: Didactic poster
PROCESS WORK
RESEARCH
Once I chose the topic of viral diversity, I began to research various viral species to compare. During this process, I focused on choosing viral species that were as structurally different from each other as possible, while also being similar in size so that my final piece could represent each virus’ relative size to each other. After choosing 3 species, I conducted general research on each of them so I could decide between characteristics to highlight in my final piece.
PRELIMINARY SKETCHES
After choosing which viral characteristics to focus my piece on, I began to create rough sketches on various layouts that could be used. I decided on a layout that would highlight each virus but would also place a strong focus on comparing them to each other, allowing the viewer to simultaneously learn about all 3 species and their similarities and differences.
PRODUCTION
I began production by identifying the 3 viral species in the Protein Data Bank before bringing them into Chimera where I was able to separately create each aspect of the viruses (ie. Tail, capsid, DNA). I then exported these components into Cinema 4D, where I assembled the viruses and sized them accurately to their relative sizes. After creating and rendering the scene in Cinema 4D, I brought it into Illustrator where I was able to assemble the final copy and design aspects.
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