Laura Irwin book design part 1

The specific color usage was chosen for two reasons. One, orange, yellow, and red is usually used symbolically when referring to heat or something that lacks water. That is why summer is usually when advertisers or designers use these warmer colors to allude to the actual heat present in the atmosphere. This heat implies a lack of water, which is what happens when there is a drought; therefore, I decided to uphold the societal imagery of heat through these specific color choices. Two, the U.S. Drought Monitor uses specific colors to classify drought levels. I showed those levels within the small sun icons that I placed along the central dotted line.

I felt it was necessary to include the official color designations because they could be used in real time if/when a drought occurs. Each drought level has its respective corresponding icon with the color designation in the sun. I used this icon in particular to play off of the “heat� aspect of drought. I saw it as a good visual for the audience as it not only broke up the central line, but also allowed for simple visual stimulation, maintaining the minimalist aspect of the poster.