2022 AMI Online Salon
Male Cyclommatus metallifer Mandible Deformation
Project Details
- Entrant Name: Courtney Brendal
- Client: Jennifer Fairman; Tim Phelps
- Copyright: Courtney Brendal, 2021
- Medium/software used: Graphite on Beinfang 360 marker paper, Adobe Photoshop
- Final presentation format: Poster
- Primary Audience: General lay audience
Project Description
The goal of this illustration was to describe mandible tip and base deformation characteristics and safety mechanisms in Cyclommatus metallifer, a stag beetle species common to Indonesia. The visual flow is first established with the scene of a male victor lifting its helpless rival. The overlapping tips of the victor’s mandibles point to the Tip Biting section to be read first; the Base Biting section is read last due to its lower placement. Both the Tip Biting and Base Biting sections are organized into their own rectangular banners to visually separate the information categories. The piece is ideal for color-blind accessibility since it is done in greyscale; dark text against the light value of the banners has a 10: 1 luminance ratio for contrast, which is very readable. Labels on top of illustrations have been given a subtle outer glow using a similar value to its background, creating a slightly flat frame that helps the text stand out against rendered diagrams for improved reading accessibility.
