In May 2023, I took a solo trip to Airlie Beach to finally see the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) in person. It was there that I witnessed the devastating impact that climate change has had on the reef (including coral bleaching and a dwindling population of marine life). This inspired me to create an educational infographic to help promote public interest in helping the reef, through organisations like the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS). I used the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMA) and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation for some easy-to-read, quick facts to include.
Great Barrier Reef Infographic
Background
Most healthy corals are coloured in a muted blue, light brown, or green.
Contrary to popular belief, brightly coloured or flourescent coral (pinks or reds) can often indicate that coral is fighting off a “sickness“. Most healthy corals are coloured in a muted blue, light brown, or green. With that information, I started creating vector graphics for my background in Adobe Illustrator, and reserved bold pops of colour for the fish. Adobe Illustrator was the best tool for me to create web-friendly vector graphics, so they could be easily imported into other animation software, like Adobe After Effects.
I did some basic research into what a healthy reef actually looks like so that I could accurately capture it. Since one of the biggest visual indicators of a healthy reef is plenty of fish, I made sure to include a couple different types that are native to this region. For this design, my intention was to use simple geometric shapes and a clean flat-shading style.
A healthy reef wouldn’t be complete without a shark. Predators like sharks are crucial to the survival of the GBR as they bring balance to an ecosystem. Other species that made an appearance were the Humphead Maori Wrasse, Moorish Idol, Green Sea Turtle, Barracuda, Yellowtail Fusilier, Crescent Tail Bigeye Fish.
