This week, building on my work in DES300 where I explored the brief and proposal, I began developing an idea that could potentially shape my capstone project, the name of the concept is the learning stream or Te Awa Ako. The concept is an outdoor learning trail focused on marine ecology and cultural education, with a particular emphasis on mussel restoration in the Te Ara Tukutuku space. This idea felt like a natural fit, as not only is mussel restoration ecologically important, but it’s also something the site already has plans to support through the installation of mussel ropes. Tapping into this existing plan offered an opportunity to tie my concept into a real-world application, which I found both exciting and meaningful.
As part of this experimentation process, I created a GIF that visualises how mussels respond to pollution in the water. I felt animation, particularly frame-by-frame drawing, could bring some of these invisible ecological processes to life in an engaging and accessible way. While this wasn’t my first time making a GIF, it was my first time animating one using frame-by-frame techniques, and that presented a unique learning curve.
I’ve added the very basic GIF are a video as I was not able to upload it as a GIF, but hopefully the idea is still comprehensible.
The process was slow, and at times frustrating. Drawing each frame required a lot of patience, something I definitely need to work on but it also taught me a lot about the relationship between technique and motion. I used digital tools to sketch each frame, and while the animation itself is fairly rudimentary, it helped me understand how animation could be used to enhance interactive storytelling in environmental education.
I’m still working through my research, mainly using academic and social articles, and figuring out how to integrate both Mātauranga Māori and ecological knowledge into the experience in a respectful and meaningful way. My hope is that the people using the trail will not only learn about mussel restoration and its role in improving water quality, but also walk away with a deeper appreciation for how natural systems and human culture are deeply interconnected.
The idea is that each checkpoint on the trail could represent a different stage in the mussel’s life cycle or environmental response, and perhaps the animation like the GIF I created, could be incorporated into these checkpoints. Whether through interactive panels, digital apps, or even AR experiences, there’s potential for animation to act as a powerful educational and visual storytelling tool.
In reflection, the most rewarding part of this process was seeing a static idea come to life, even in a small way. It showed me the potential for dynamic media to enhance physical spaces and learning environments. Moving forward, I’d like to explore ways to refine the visual quality of my animations, develop more patience with the frame-by-frame process, and think more critically about how digital elements like GIFs can function within real-world, site-specific installations.