University Design Project: Biomimicry and Graphic Design Prototype

This project presents a design prototype and brief focused on integrating biomimicry into graphic design, aiming to create more effective and sustainable design solutions. The project, titled "Life Building Blocks," explores how nature's principles, such as color depth, tonal balance, and image appeal, can inspire graphic design techniques. The design brief outlines the rationale for the design proposition, emphasizing the application of biomimicry to enhance consumer psychology and address environmental concerns within the graphic design industry. The project also considers the social and material network involved, including stakeholders like graphic designers and consumers. Furthermore, the project includes a critical reflection on the prototype's adherence to conceptual and theoretical frameworks, highlighting the need for innovation in color representation and the broader application of biomimicry in graphic design. The project also provides a detailed social material diagram for understanding the design process, the design brief and the design prototype.

DESIGN 1
DESIGN
By Student’s Name
Code + Course Name
Professor’s Name
University Name
City, State
Date

DESIGN 2
PART I: ABSTRACT
Adhering to biomimicry requires that the imitation of the models, the elements and the
various systems of the local environment be incorporated when solving complex human
problems. The design proposition is the graphic comic named Life Building Blocks. The comic
uses some graphic design techniques that are influenced by nature. In this instance, the graphic
design principles used are fetched from nature and hence the application of the biomimicry
principles. Life Building Blocks' intricate graphic design processes heavily borrow from nature
in terms of their colour depth, the tonal balance, the highlight and also the general appeal image
appeal techniques.
PART II: DESIGN BRIEF
Developers, manufacturers and designers have adopted biomimicry when coming up with
concepts and designs for items. The use of nature in inspiring designs is a very old concept and it
has always been used. In the modern times the use of biomimicry has even become more
prevalent. In this task, focus is on the development of a prototype in graphic design that will help
designers in changing the notion of consumer psychology. In the task at hand, the major goal is
to find ways in which biomimicry influences graphic design which is a very vital part of
enhancing consumer psychology.
The design proposition is the graphic comic named Life Building Blocks. The comic
uses some graphic design techniques that are influenced by nature. In this instance, the graphic
design principles used are fetched from nature and hence the application of the biomimicry
principles (Dumanli and Savin, 2016, p.6). Life Building Blocks' intricate graphic design
processes heavily borrow from nature in terms of their colour depth, the tonal balance, the

DESIGN 3
highlight and also the general appeal image appeal techniques. The other design proposition that
acts a supporting prop is the carbon sequestered 3D printer. The printer works by mixing fibre
powder and ink resin to create products with sequestered carbon.
The personas who will be affected by the comic, and its adoption of the biomimicry are
the graphic designers and the consumers (readers of the comic). The Life Building Bocks comic
design has the natural graphic appeal of nature. The images are well presented using the proper
balance and arrangement such that which is observed in nature. The biomimicry helps shorten
the hours that would be wasted in coming up with intricate design strategies (Dumanli and Savin,
2016). On the part of the readers, they will have a properly designed comic that not only pays
tribute to nature-inspired designs principles, but a comic that is visually appealing. The design
process and the design narrative took these two personas in mind and pre-empted their
expectations from conception to the final product.
The full comic design and the conceptual models are attached in different files alongside
the report at hand. Additionally, for the Life Building Blocks comic design and ultimate
development to be understood, it behoves the designer to anticipate a social and material network
diagram of the comic. Diagram 1.1 below is an indication of how the different stakeholders
interacted in developing the comic.

DESIGN 4
Diagram 1.1: The social material diagram for Life Building Blocks
From the diagram above, it is clear that the process started with a comic concept, then the
ideas were converted into a possible design that bio-mimics nature. The final biomimicry of
landscape imagery and skyline harmony were adopted. The delight stage was the production of a
final comic that adheres to the biomimicry good practices.
The design proposition is ideal for comic readers in the cities in Eastern Australia. The
inspiring landscape designs and the skylines that were applied in the design are those that
persons living around these areas would identify. The events that bring out the exact event
related to the comic, the landscapes are usually in summer when the sun shines and there is
clarity in viewing these landscapes.
As earlier stated, the designs used in developing the comic are inspired by the nature as is
appears during summers in Eastern Australia. The processes associated with the design are based
on how nature is able to offer some form of appeal and beauty in terms of the balance,
arrangement, gait, and just tonal appeal. In coming up with the structure of each page, the
designers mimic each individual coinciding landscape photography from nature and stay true to

DESIGN 5
its arrangement, lighting, and all the design rules that each possesses. Therefore these natural
arrangement captured in photos are the imaginative catalysts that the design propositions at hand
paid tribute. The only limitations were that these gaily landscapes needed a lot of hours and
detailed observation to fully adopt in the design proposition.
PART III: CRITICAL REFLECTION
After designing the prototype, it is important to analyse whether the designs followed the
expected conceptual and theoretical frameworks required. In terms of the concept, graphic design
does allow for a lot of variations as a way of enhancing creativity. The design was flexible
enough but it followed the tone, balance, colour, and concept variations expected of the
prototype. The prototype design only broke away from the standard prototyping because it did
not fully utilise colours and therefore lacked the proper tone and balance.
The prototype activated the need for more work to be done in biomimicry and led to
innovation requiring the need for proper development of techniques of colour representation
(Cohen and Reich, 2016). The prototype images and the prototypes are attached alongside this
report. The processes used in the development of the design prototype for the Life Building
Blocks are indicated in diagram 1.1 above. The various event that led to the development of the
prototype included the need for a proper nature inspired design, the development of a comic that
will use simple but effective concepts that the readers will find relatable. In design a comic with
good and clear design principles mimicked from nature around the area the readers reside, the
Life Building Blocks comic designers stay true to the expected design propositions and briefs
encouraged in graphic design. Adhering to biomimicry requires that the imitation of the models,
the elements and the various systems of the local environment be incorporated when solving

DESIGN 6
complex human problems (Kennedy et al, 2015). Henceforth, the studies and the resulting design
proposition require attention and more input from the various perspectives but the reality that
inclusions of nature design in developing a comic using graphic design such as it is being
witnessed in Australia is a creative problem solving attempt. The solution has been addressed
using the two main prototypes which are the assessment of the comic Life Building Blocks and
the brief assessment of the 3D carbon sequestered printer.

DESIGN 7
REFERENCES
Cohen, Y.H. and Reich, Y., 2016. The Biomimicry Design Process: Characteristics,
Stages and Main Challenge. In Biomimetic Design Method for Innovation and Sustainability (pp.
19-29). Springer, Cham.
Dumanli, A.G. and Savin, T., 2016. Recent advances in the biomimicry of structural
colours. Chemical Society Reviews, 45(24), pp.6698-6724.
Kennedy, E., Fecheyr-Lippens, D., Hsiung, B.K., Niewiarowski, P.H. and Kolodziej, M.,
2015. Biomimicry: A path to sustainable innovation. Design Issues, 31(3), pp.66-73.