Project: Embryology Field Guide
The Embryology Field Guide provides a supplemental handbook to educators and youth to use when going through the NC 4-H’s embryology curriculum. This booklet provides an engaging experience for 2nd grade students to help identify and differentiate between 35 distinct chicken breeds from around the world.
Software/Tools Used:
Adobe InDesign
Adobe Photoshop
Procreate
Adobe Express
Process
This project kicked off with extensive research into the 35 breeds depicted. This also included sourcing images we could use commercially. I worked closely with one of our curriculum writers to obtain the information and assets by contacting several chicken farmers from within the States and across the world. We even captured footage of Ayam Cemani, a rare breed of chicken from Indonesia, belonging to an associate within the University.
To achieve the engaging experience, the field guide features a variety of curves and simplified images to create an inviting and comfortable environment. The decorative elements and the chickens were given drop shadows to pop out and feel more three dimensional. The colors used were derived from National 4-H’s color palette (pre-2023 rebrand), which are easy on the eyes for younger audiences. The icons (sourced from Adobe Express) were simple and easy to condense complex information into digestible material younger audiences would be able to identify with.
The Ayam Cemani chickens we photographed.
Mockups for possible layout designs. None were solely selected, but elements from each of them manifested in the final design.
A sample of some of the pages from the guide.
Final presentation.
Takeaways
As a hobbyist collector and former chicken farmer, I identify with this project. I love staying organized and categorizing things in my daily life, so this felt much less like work than other projects I’ve listed in this portfolio. I also gained vital hands-on experience with project research and planning, as well as with external communications. I had so much fun seeking out the assets we used and compiling them. I hope to do more projects like this in the future.