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Using fantasy storytelling to raise awareness on environmental issues

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Using fantasy storytelling to raise awareness on environmental issues

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Content Using Fantasy Storytelling to Raise A wareness
on Environmental Issues
By
Xuan Liu
A Thesis Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ROSKI SCHOOL OF ART AND DESIGN
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
MASTER OF FINE ARTS (DESIGN)
May 2023
Copyright 2023 Xuan Liu

ii

Acknowledgements
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to several individuals who have helped me
throughout the process of writing my thesis on fantasy storytelling.
I would like to thank Laurie Burruss, Ewa Wojciak, Osvaldo Trujillo, and Jason
Ellenburg for their invaluable guidance and support in helping me refine my ideas and structure
my arguments. Their feedback and constructive criticism were essential in shaping the final
version of this thesis.
I would also like to extend my heartfelt thanks to April Greiman, whose expertise in
design and layout greatly enhanced the visual appeal of my fantasy book. Her vision and
attention to detail were instrumental in bringing my ideas to life.
Many thanks to Laurie for her constant encouragement and inspiration, and for helping
me stay focused on my original goals. Her unwavering support and belief in me have been a
source of strength and motivation throughout this journey.
Finally, I want to express my gratitude to my parents for their love, support, and
unwavering belief in my abilities. Without their guidance and encouragement, I would not have
been able to pursue this study and explore the possibilities of fantasy storytelling.
I would also like to thank my ex-girlfriend (I know it can be wired) for her
encouragement of my early sketches and drafts. Her support gave me the courage to continue and
complete this book.
To everyone who has supported me in this endeavor, thank you, thank you, thank you.

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Table of Contents
Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................................... ii
List of Figures ................................................................................................................................. v
Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... v
Using Fantasy Storytelling to Raise Awareness on Environmental Issues ..................................... 1
Chapter 1 - Environmental Issues and People’s Actions ................................................................ 3
1.1 Problems for Protesters’ Protest on Raising Awareness ........................................... 3
1.2 Limitations for designers’ practice on raising awareness ......................................... 4
1.3 Skepticism about Environmental Issues ................................................................... 7
Chapter 2 - Using fantasy to persuade people and raise awareness ................................................ 9
2.1 Fantasy is Symbolic and Impressive ......................................................................... 9
2.2 Spirit and Animism ................................................................................................. 11
2.3 Evoke Empathy and Improve Understanding by Characterizing Spirits ................ 15
2.3 Design Principle and Illustration Style for Characters and Scenes ......................... 17
Chapter 3. The process of creating a systematic fantasy journal .................................................. 23
3.1 Design the characters and objects ........................................................................... 23
3.1.1 the design of Natural Spirits. ........................................................................... 23
3.1.2 the design of mutating creatures ...................................................................... 25
3.1.3 the design of extinct fantastical creatures ........................................................ 27
3.1.4 the design of Pollution Spirits .......................................................................... 28

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3.1.5 the design of peculiar machines and props ...................................................... 31
3.2 The Structure of the Story ....................................................................................... 36
3.2.1 First Stage- How the Story Begins ................................................................... 37
3.2.2 Stage Two - Further Development ................................................................... 41
3.2.3 Stage Three - A Polluted World ....................................................................... 44
3.2.4 Stage Four - Search for A New Planet ............................................................. 47
Chapter 4: A Website for Spreading the Story .............................................................................. 52
4.1 Website Design ....................................................................................................... 52
4.1.1 Stories: The Linear Narrative of A Journal ...................................................... 52
4.1.2 Outline Page: A brief overview of the story and plot ....................................... 54
4.1.3 Character Page: A Catalogue of Bizarre Creatures .......................................... 55
Chapter 5. Conclusion ................................................................................................................... 56
Bibliography ................................................................................................................................. 57

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List of Figures
Figure 1. Just Stop Oil activists gluing themselves to Peach Trees Blossom ................................ 4
Figure 2. Cut a Tree, Kill a Life: Poster campaign by Y&R Malaysia. .......................................... 5
Figure 3. Got More? by Medness ................................................................................................... 6
Figure 4. A book cover design of Art Spiegelman’s MAUS ......................................................... 11
Figure 5. Only 10 percent of respondents do not believe in any higher power/ spiritual force. ... 12
Figure 6. The relationship of pollution, evil spirit, creatures, and human .................................... 14
Figure 7. A newly born plastic spirit ............................................................................................. 16
Figure 8. a Woodspirit, a Flower Spirit, and a Grass Spirit .......................................................... 17
Figure 9. A floral illustration on page 32, V oynich manuscript .................................................... 19
Figure 10. bizarre imaginary plants in Codex Seraphinianus ....................................................... 19
Figure 11. A page of Davinci’s Codex Leicester .......................................................................... 20
Figure 12. A page of Davinci’s Codex Leicester .......................................................................... 21
Figure 13. An example page of the journal consists of drawing and writing ............................... 22
Figure 14. the original design of Woodspirit ................................................................................ 24
Figure 15. the design of a kind of Flower Spirit ........................................................................... 25
Figure 16. the plastic spirit and mutated creatures ....................................................................... 26
Figure 17. Forest Fish ................................................................................................................... 27
Figure 18. Nightmare Ladybug (original version) ........................................................................ 28
Figure 19. the design of a newly born plastic spirit ...................................................................... 29
Figure 20. the design of Haze Dragon, an evil spirit born from deadly air pollution ................... 30
Figure 21. the design of soil pollution spirit ................................................................................. 31
Figure 22. the design of Mr. Smile ............................................................................................... 33

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Figure 23. Mr. Smile can reproduce quickly and can survive in extreme environment ............... 33
Figure 24. Carrier Turtle, A bionic vehicle that allows people to move around in a Level 3 area 35
Figure 25. Mask Face, a face mask that can mimic the expression of owner’s face .................... 36
Figure 26. the fish’s shape will change based on the container .................................................... 38
Figure 27. A plastic bag-like creature attacks and swallows a passing rat ................................... 39
Figure 28. A farmer spraying herbicide and running weeds ......................................................... 40
Figure 29. A blob fish with its eyes turned into bottle caps .......................................................... 40
Figure 30. A vine-like creature that grows from molten steel ....................................................... 42
Figure 31. Dragonflies buried in roads become new creatures ..................................................... 43
Figure 32. a Woodspirit turn into Deadwood Spirit ...................................................................... 44
Figure 33. Deadwood Spirit born from deforestation ................................................................... 45
Figure 34. Human bodies got deadwood cancer and start to mutate and lignify .......................... 46
Figure 35. a young investigator with nuclear powered protective clothing .................................. 47
Figure 36. See the polluted earth from the outer space ................................................................. 48
Figure 37. The solar system in this fantasy world ........................................................................ 49
Figure 38. The galaxy in this fantasy world ................................................................................. 50
Figure 39. The website page with a main image .......................................................................... 53
Figure 40. Posts presented in a gallery view ................................................................................. 54
Figure 41. The gallery view of characters .................................................................................... 55

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Abstract
Designers encounter many obstacles in the process of trying to convey hard truth: people
question the accuracy and authority of the information; people are not inclined to hear and spread
negativity; people are reluctant to make changes that could impact their quality of life.
With abundant scientific data showing the rapid deterioration of earth’s environment,
raising people’s awareness on environmental issues is an urgent topic. However, people’s lack of
understanding of the complexity of the environmental science, their doubts about the accuracy of
scientific data, concerns about conflicts between environmental protection and economy, and
skepticism of the need to address environmental problems, have turned this topic into an endless
debate and confusing conversation.
Many visual campaigns using posters, videos, articles, and illustrations are currently
being created to raise people’s awareness on environmental issues. However, these works tend to
tell the truth in a didactic tone or a harsh voice, making it either boring or unpleasant to read,
thus lacking the vitality to spread information or affect lasting impact.For educational purposes,
storytelling is one of the most common ways to motivate the audiences because it’s engaging and
easy to understand. Fantasy is one of the most popular genres in literature today. By creating an
imaginary world that is different from the real world but shares some similarities, fantasy
provides a compelling and imaginative version of the real world, providing a powerful tool for
spreading ideas and possibilities. This thesis explores the potential of using fantasy narration as a
way for spreading ideas on environmental protection, the work creates a parallel world where the
story unfolds.

Keywords: fantasy, storytelling, environmental protection, character design

1
Using Fantasy Storytelling to Raise Awareness
on Environmental Issues
Designers encounter many obstacles in the process of trying to convey hard truth: people
question the accuracy and authority of the information; people are not inclined to hear and spread
negativity; people are reluctant to make changes that could impact their quality of life.
Research shows that people tend to avoid information in three situations: first, it makes
them feel uncomfortable; Second, the messages try to ask them to do something they don't want
to do; Third, the information challenges their identities, values, and worldviews.
1
Environmental
issues fit all the above criteria.
Designers have generated a lot of works to raise awareness of environmental problems,
but in the age of information overload, simply telling the truth or highlighting the consequences
can hardly get the message spread successfully. Therefore, instead of using posters or slogans,
this paper focuses on a new manner of information dissemination, which arouses people’s
interest, softens the unpleasant feeling caused by the fact, arouses the desire to discuss and
spread the idea, and reduces the difficulty of understanding the problem.
Fantasy is arguably the largest and most popular speculative genre
2
. It is relatively easy to
read; it tends to be more character driven; it is easier for people to emotionally engage with the
content. Fantasy can also help people to understand and think critically about real-world issues
by considering them in a fictional context. It usually doesn’t have the stereotypes and biases we

1
Kristen C. Sumpter, “Masculinity and Meat Consumption: An Analysis Through the Theoretical Lens of
Hegemonic Masculinity and Alternative Masculinity Theories,” Sociology Compass, vol. 9, no.2, pp.104-114. 2015.
2
Lyndsie Manusos, “IT’S FANTASY ALL THE WAY DOWN: A FANTASY SUB-GENRES PRIMER”,
https://bookriot.com/fantasy-sub-genre-primer/

2
often encounter in the real world; it is set in an imaginary world so there is no need to worry
about scientific accuracy or politics.
Fantasy has a very long history, found in ancient Greek and Roman literature, as well as
medieval novels. Fantasy plays a very important role in my growing up. The classical Chinese
literary works Journey to the West were made into TV series, toy companies shot fantasy
animations to sell their toys, and fantasy literature such as Harry Potter and the Lord of the Rings
became popular all over the world. Fantasy has a proven ability to break cultural barriers and
gain global popularity.
Many of us have already seen a lot of movies that use the theme of dystopia, which
shows a heavily polluted future of earth. These works usually do not describe the process of
earth's deterioration, instead they simply show a result, and the main purpose of these works are
not to arouse human awareness of environmental protection, but to provide a desperate
background for the plot. By choosing fantasy as the basis for storytelling, my work aims to help
people look at the environmental issues from a new perspective, so it is more focused on how the
background world gradually change. The story is set on a planet similar to our earth but has
several differences. It can make people realize the fantasy nature of the work, and people do not
need to understand the complexity of the science of environmental problems to appreciate the
essence and significance of this work: we need to acknowledge the importance of nature and take
care of our planet.

3
Chapter 1 - Environmental Issues and People’s Actions
Raising people’s awareness on environmental issues is always a challenge to
environmentalists. The climate strikes take place in cities around the world; social media
campaigns are used to raise awareness and engage people in discussions about possible
solutions; artists and designers have created posters and installations that highlight impact of
environmental deterioration. These actions have been effective in conveying urgency for
environmental protection, some potential problems can arise from them.

1.1 Problems for Protesters’ Protest on Raising Awareness
In the year 2022, radical climates change protesters have made multiple attacks on
famous paintings. On June 30, Just Stop Oil activists glued themselves to Vincent Van Gogh’s
painting ‘Peach Trees Blossom’ in London; On July 22, two protesters glued their palms to the
glass protecting Botticelli’s painting ‘Primavera’; On August 18, two activists glued their hands
to one of the most famous Rome sculptures ‘Laocoon and his Sons’ and unfurled their group’s
banner; On November 4, climate change protestors from Last Generation throw soup at Vincent
Van Gogh painting ‘The Sower’ in Rome.
3
These are just a few examples that indicate the
intensified conflict between environmental policy and environmentalists.

3
Vittoria Benzine, Here Is Every Artwork Attacked by Climate Activists This Year, From the ‘Mona Lisa’
to ‘Girl With a Pearl Earring’, Artnet News. October 31, 2022.

4

Figure 1. Just Stop Oil activists gluing themselves to Peach Trees Blossom

Although these paintings are protected by glass, these protestors’ behaviors have been
widely criticized and have raised controversies on whether it is legitimate to endanger famous
paintings in order to promote environmental protection. Most people in the comments section
showed their disagreement and thought the protestors’ behaviors were inappropriate and
irrational, many even saw their actions as a childish rebellion against society.
These conflictions between environmentalists, policy maker, gallery, and normal people,
reveals a dilemma we encounter in process of environmental protection: mild measures are hard
to attract mainstream attention, while extreme measures aggravate the conflict. Museums that
attract thousands of visitors every day, become ideal stages to attract journalists and gain
attention. These attacks show the protestors’ lack of ability to raise people’s awareness using
mild manners.

1.2 Limitations for designers’ practice on raising awareness
Designers may face several limitations when creating motivational posters and
propaganda for raising awareness and encouraging people to change their lifestyle. While posters

5
and propagandas can be effective tools for providing environmental protection ideas, there are
several problems that may arise. By comparing the contemporary posters for environmental
protection together, they share a lot of similarities: they contain a negative emotion; they suggest
the cruelty of human being; they aim to make the viewer feel a sense of urgency or guilty.
In a series of posters created by designer Law Kok Yew and Gigi Lee, the simple
silhouette illustration is used to indicate the relationships of trees being felled and the death of
animals living in the forest.

Figure 2. Cut a Tree, Kill a Life: Poster campaign by Y&R Malaysia.

A poster created by Medness of ONO creates a simplified image of earth and a straw are
combined to create a strong message demonstrating human greed around the topic of nature.

6

Figure 3. Got More? by Medness

These posters have strong graphics that correctly conveys the warning. However, these
designs share clear limitations: posters and propaganda are often designed to convey a simple
and memorable message which sometimes result in an oversimplification of complex
environmental issues; They often rely on emotional appeals to engage the viewer and inspire
action, while these attempts to induce guilt or urgency can trigger skepticism and confrontational
reactions; the pessimism in these posters may make people reluctant to spread it, which can limit
their reach to a wider audience.

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1.3 Skepticism about Environmental Issues
Environmental science is constantly evolving and involves the study of ecology, biology,
zoology, geology, atmospheric science, oceanography, and so on.
4
There are often areas of
uncertainty related to environmental issues, where researchers have not yet reached a consensus.
This uncertainty creates confusion and skepticism among the public, particularly if there are
conflicting studies or opinions on a particular issue.
Many people believe that the subject shown by artists and designers in their works are
exaggerated. As a environmental writer Emma Marris write in a post on the Atlantic: “But
environmentalists are so good at emphasizing worst-case scenarios that when we look to the
future, apocalypse often feels inevitable.”
5

Some environmental issues, due to their obvious consequences, have reached a certain
degree of consensus: pollution, deforestation, climate change, fluctuation in sea level, changing
ecosystems and biodiversity. Other areas, due to a lack of sufficient evidence, remain
controversial. Scientifically, it is a complicated topic, even the expert in this area can lose focus
in numerous scientific studies, and average person can easily get confused by the conflicted
conclusions drawn from different sample data. Because the severity of human’s impact on earth
is not clear yet, no one can give an absolute prediction on when the earth’s ecology would
undergo catastrophic and irreversible changes if we don’t act.
And even though now most people agree that we should protect the environment and
reduce our use of plastics and fossil fuels, there are many debates on how far we should reduce
our usage. Some people think we should stop the use of fossil fuels immediately, some suggest

4
Kte'pi, B. (2022, December 28). environmental science. Encyclopedia Britannica.
https://www.britannica.com/science/environmental-science
5
Emma Marris. (2021, February 1). Inevitable Planetary Doom Has Been Exaggerated. the Atlantic.
https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2021/02/other-side-catastrophe/617865/

8
that we make a gentler shift that won’t have a noticeable impact on our quality of life. With many
divergent points of view, it is difficult for people to reach a consensus on the scale of
environmental protection. When environmental protection measures will affect people’s standard
of living, people’s attention deviates from environmental protection and instead direct itself to
the controversy of environmental issues. Optimistic claims, such as that human activities only
have limited effects on earth’s ecology, are more easily accepted by people who don’t want to
change their lifestyle and lower their quality of life.
Due to the complexity of the science of environmental problems, difficulties in handling
diverse stakeholders, obstacles in persuading people to change their lifestyles, environmental
issues are hard to resolve
6
.
To raise awareness on environmental issues, an effective strategy is to help people form a
social consensus. When everyone starts to believe in the importance of protecting the
environment, adopt a greener lifestyle, it persuades companies and governments to make changes
that are beneficial to the environment.
Therefore, how to create designs that encourage people to protect the environment
without causing controversy, is the focus of my thesis. Fantasy storytelling is the vehicle I
choose for this purpose.

6
Frances Harris. (January 2012). Global Environmental Issues. Wiley-Blackwell.

9
Chapter 2 - Using fantasy to persuade people and raise awareness
Fantasy as a genre can be traced back to ancient myths and folklore from around the
world, such as the epic tales of Gilgamesh from Mesopotamia, the legends of King Arthur from
Britain, and the stories of dragons and gods in Norse mythology. These stories often featured
supernatural or magical elements and were used to explain natural phenomena or to convey
moral or spiritual lessons.
The genre of modern fantasy began to take shape in the early 20th century, with the
publication of J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit" in 1937 and "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy in the
1950s.
7
Tolkien's works, which were heavily influenced by Norse and Anglo-Saxon mythology,
introduced readers to a fantasy world with its own languages, cultures, and history.
Fantasy, unlike science fiction, generally involves worlds and characters that are not
bound by the laws of physics or the natural world as we know it. They often feature magic,
mythical creatures, and supernatural events that are not explained by science or technology.
Therefore, the freedom and flexibility of fantasy makes it an ideal vehicle for explore real world
issues in ways that are both entertaining and thought-provoking.

2.1 Fantasy is Symbolic and Impressive
Fantasy offers a unique way to explore complex ideas and issues through the use of
metaphor, allegory, and symbolism. When I was a child, I used to think that our thought exists in
heart. Even though now I know that thoughts come from brain, that doesn’t stop me from saying
“you have a good heart” when I praise someone’s kindness. When people say someone "has a

7
Will English. (Mar 2, 2020) History of Modern Fantasy Literature. Medium.
https://medium.com/@willenglish/a-history-of-modern-fantasy-literature-f9a02bdeb16a

10
good heart," they are not referring to the physical organ that pumps blood, but rather using the
term "heart" as a metaphor for a person's inner self.
Fantasy, just like the metaphor of heart, does not need to tell the physical truth. By
creating fantastical worlds and creatures that are not bound by the laws of reality, fantasy writers
can use their stories to explore fundamental truths and universal themes in a way that is both
imaginative and emotionally resonant.
Fantasy and science are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they can often complement each
other. Science provides a way of understanding the natural world through observation,
experimentation, and evidence-based reasoning, while fantasy provides a way of exploring the
human experience through imagination, creativity, and storytelling. Sometimes, for educational
purpose, fantasy stories can also be used to help people understand and appreciate scientific
concepts by presenting them in a more relatable and engaging way.
Some stories would use fantasy as a metaphor for real-world issues and experiences. For
example, "Maus" is a graphic novel by Art Spiegelman that tells the story of his father's
experiences as a Polish Jew during World War II, including his time spent in Nazi concentration
camps. The book uses animals to represent different groups of people, with Jews being portrayed
as mice, Nazis as cats, and non-Jewish Poles as pigs. The metaphor of using animals to represent
different groups allows for a more nuanced exploration of the complex power dynamics and
relationships between these groups during the Holocaust.. Using fantasy, the story is able to
explore complex political and social issues in a way that is accessible and memorable for readers.

11

Figure 4. A book cover design of Art Spiegelman’s MAUS

2.2 Spirit and Animism
"spirit" often refers to a non-physical essence or energy that imbues living beings,
objects, or places with magical power or significance. It is a common concept in many
mythologies and belief systems, and is often used to explain supernatural phenomena.
The idea of spirits is often tied closely to nature and the natural world, and many fantasy
stories feature spirits of the forest, the elements, or other natural features. In these stories, spirits

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are often depicted as guardians or protectors of the natural world, and their presence is seen as a
sign of the world's vitality.
Spirits are often portrayed as mysterious, powerful, and potentially dangerous entities. In
my story, spirit is an imaginary life form which can guide the direction of biotic evolution.
In science fiction, far-fetched explanations for phenomena that cannot be explained by
scientific methods often lead to skeptics from readers. Different from some science fiction works
which regard gene mutation as the cause of nuclear radiation or alien material, my story never
tries to explain it in a scientific manner, but simply explain it with spirits.
The spirit is probably one of the most deeply held beliefs in human society, and it was
once widely believed to exist in almost all civilizations. Even today, spirit still have its impact on
our believes. According to a 2017 survey of American adults, about 90 percent of respondents
believe in God or some kind of spiritual force
8
.

Figure 5. Only 10 percent of respondents do not believe in any higher power/ spiritual force.

8
When Americans say they believe in God, what do they mean? Pew Research Center’s report, April 25,
2018. https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2018/04/25/when-americans-say-they-believe-in-god-what-do-they-
mean/

13

Using the concept of spirit, on the one hand, can reflect the magical nature of the work,
on the other hand, it gives people a sense of reality to some extent. Through the spirit, the
biological mutation and human activities have a direct correlation, creatures’ counterattack
becomes a revenge for human beings. This cause-and-effect relationship is more likely to lead to
empathy for these mutated creatures, rather than seeing them as enemies against us.
Animism is the belief that all things, both animate and inanimate, have a spirit or soul.
This belief is found in many indigenous religions and cultures around the world. In animistic
belief systems, the world is seen as a complex web of relationships between living beings,
natural forces, and spirits.
9
The spirits are believed to be capable of affecting the world in various
ways, and can be benevolent, malevolent, or neutral in their influence.
The concept of animism has influenced many modern belief systems and philosophies,
particularly in the realm of fantasy and speculative fiction. In my story, a spirit is born from a
convergence of wills from living things. When environmental pollution and climate change in an
area reached a tipping point, a spirit will be born from the creature’s grievances, and it will guide
the evolutionary direction of living things within its power. As the environment deteriorates, the
spirit will cause the creatures to become more harmful and aggressive. In this setting, the
direction of evolution takes on a special meaning: the degree of biological mutation is a scale to
measure the degree of environmental degradation.
Spirits connect a simple and intuitive relationship between the change of environment,
the variation of biology, and human beings. Human activities cause the changes of the
environment, and the changes of the environment give birth to spirits. The emergence of evil

9
Park, G. Kerlin. "animism." Encyclopedia Britannica, October 29, 2020.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/animism.

14
spirits affects the evolution, directs the mutation, and changes the behavior patterns of
organisms.

Figure 6. The relationship of pollution, evil spirit, creatures, and human

Spirits are not the direct cause of mutation, but rather they guide the creatures to evolve
and mutate in response to their environment. These spirits can be seen as protectors or gods of
living things, and their influence on the creatures can be seen as a necessary adaptation to the
changing environment. By creating a direct link between spirits and biotic mutation, fantasy can
be used to explore the relationship between nature, spirit, and the impact of human actions on the
environment.
In real world, creatures that fail to adapt to their changing environment will go extinct.
While in my fantasy world, because of the spirits, living things have the means to mutate at an
extraordinary speed to adapt to the changing environment. For example, in areas heavily polluted
by plastic waste, creatures evolve a skin that makes them look like plastic bags. They hide in
plastics to attack people who come nearby. Human get punished by creatures that are born from
pollutions, and it forms a two-way relationship where people can no longer avoid the results of
environmental issues.

15
Humans play a significant role in both polluting and protecting the environment. In my
story, the presence of spirits weakens this transcendent position of human beings, and spirits can
have a significant impact on the ecology and people's lives. By Introducing the concept of spirit
and weakening the human's power, my story can encourage readers to view the environment with
more respect. It can also emphasize the interconnectedness of all living things and the
importance of preserving the balance of nature. Through questioning the notion that humans are
the most important or powerful beings of the world, the story challenges assumptions about the
hierarchy of life.
Human activities damage the environment, and the deterioration of the environment
troubles human. This is no different from the environmental problems we face today, but the
introduction of spirit makes the consequence instantaneous and more impressive, open up the
story universe to a wider range of possibilities and perspectives, allowing for more diverse and
interesting storytelling.

2.3 Evoke Empathy and Improve Understanding by Characterizing Spirits
An important aim of storytelling is to evoke empathy. Many children’s books humanize
animals so kids will regard these animals as friends and put themselves in the shoes of the
characters. By giving personalities to spirits, a story can make a abstract concept more relatable
and easier to understand for readers, especially younger readers.
Ancient people regarded natural phenomena as deities. In the West, these deities usually
took the form of human beings. In Asia, some of these deities are human beings, and quite a few
are fantastical animals. By turning natural phenomena into characters, ancient people created an

16
entity on which to place their awe and worship, so they can imagine the joys and sorrows of the
gods.
The spirits in my story use a similar idea. By personifying pollution, a story can
encourage readers to empathize with polluted environments and the living beings affected by
them, leading to a greater appreciation of the interconnection of all life. Since spirits are born
from the wills of the living beings from an area, spirits represent pollutions or nature in a
figurative form. Evil spirits symbolize specific pollution. Plastic pollution give birth to Plastic
Spirit, Air pollution give birth to Smog Ladybug, battery contamination give birth to Battery Pu,
etc.

Figure 7. A newly born plastic spirit

Distinctive design makes characters easier to remember. Readers can associate sewage,
car exhaust, plastic bags with it when it is represented in the form of Plastic Spirit, Sewage
Spirit, Tail Gas Spirit. People can feel and understand its harmful effects through their design.

17

Meanwhile, unpolluted areas also have spirits. These spirits born from natural world and
therefore represent nature itself.

Figure 8. a Woodspirit, a Flower Spirit, and a Grass Spirit

2.3 Design Principle and Illustration Style for Characters and Scenes
Characters are the driving force of the story. To create a systematic character design, the
characters’ role and purpose in the story need to be established so they can fit into the overall
plot and themes of the story. Spirits born from pollution aim to help creatures survive in polluted
areas and revenge on human; Spirits born from nature aim to curb environmental degradation;
human beings divide into different groups based on their reactions to crisis. (For a more detailed
description of the role Settings, see 3.2 The Structure of the Story.)
The relationships of spirits, creatures, pollutions, and nature need to be clearly revealed
by their appearance. Appearance of evil spirits and mutated creatures should reflect their
association with pollutants and their adaptability to the polluted environment, therefore should
conform to specific standards.

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First is to consider specific types of pollution and sort out the corresponding elements:
Plastic bags and bottles in plastic pollution; Smoke, haze, particles in air pollution; Toxic
chemicals, waste, heavy metal in water pollution and soil pollution. These related objects will be
simplified and visualized as elements seen on these spirits and creatures.
Second is to think about how pollution affects the creature’s physical characteristics and
behavior. For example, when designing creatures born from air pollution, the creature would
have adaptations for living in a smoggy environment, such as gills or specialized lungs. For
creatures born from water pollution, which can survive in contaminated water, may have scales
or gills that can filter pollutants out of the water they consume.
Finally, to describe the story better visually, a uniform illustration style is necessary. A
hand-drawn style can give illustrations a sense of authenticity and uniqueness that can be
difficult to achieve with digital techniques, which can help to create a sense of immersion for the
reader, making them feel like they are truly entering a different world. And hand-drawn style
illustration can convey emotion and expression in a way that is difficult to replicate with digital
techniques. A hand-drawn illustration has a personal touch, like the artist is sharing a piece of
themselves with the viewer. This creates a sense of connection between the artist and the viewer,
which narrows the distance between them. Besides that, the nature of hand-drawing also allows
for a more organic and natural storytelling.
The Voynich manuscript, written by an unknown author in the early 15th century, is an
illustrated codex with fantastical creatures and scenes. Although the images are not realistic and
lack detail, its journal-like style makes people feel as if the contents are seen and drawn by the
author.

19

Figure 9. A floral illustration on page 32, Voynich manuscript

Similar works include the Codex Seraphinianus, created by Italian artist and designer
Luigi Serafini between 1976 and 1978. It is a manuscript with a lot of imaginary creatures and
objects illustrated by color pencil. The creatures look bizarre and handwritten notes are illegible,
but by using a consistent hand-drawn style in copious works, it still looks convincing, like these
are the creatures living in a parallel world.

Figure 10. bizarre imaginary plants in Codex Seraphinianus

20

Leonardo da Vinci's Codex Leicester is another good example of the powerful influence
of hand-drawn style. His drawings and notes with depict inventions, machines, and fantastical
creatures that are both intricate and fantastical, yet grounded in scientific principles, has become
some of the most valuable and influential documents in the history of science and art.

Figure 11. A page of Davinci’s Codex Leicester

I chose to draw the illustrations in a paperless way to combine with the concept of
environmental protection. Therefore, one problem that needs to be solved is how to get the
feeling of electric notes close to paper. After doing a comparison of different handwriting and

21
drawing Apps on the iPad, I put together several features that make digital notes look more
natural and realistic.
Using off-white paper instead of pure white will make the page look more natural.
Similarly, the same effect can be achieved by using dark blue ink rather than pure black.

Figure 12. A page of Davinci’s Codex Leicester

Goodnotes, as one of the most popular iPad note-taking app, become the vehicle I chose
for drawing and journaling. Unlike common illustration software, Goodnotes has simple
functions which is not suitable for creating complex and elaborate scenes. This allows me to
focus more on the concept and the story itself rather than the details of the design. At the same
time, the limited brush choices make it easier to create a uniform style.
Each page of journal usually consists of two parts: drawing and writing. During the
process of creating this journal, undo and redo is avoided, and all errors in this process are
presented to create a realistic and sketchy feeling. Sketchy notes can add a sense of authenticity
and personality to a story. By showing the raw process of creating, it can make the story feel
more genuine and relatable to the audience.

22

Figure 13. An example page of the journal consists of drawing and writing

23
Chapter 3. The process of creating a systematic fantasy journal
This fantasy journal for environmental protection focuses on exploring environmental
issues and their impacts on the fictional world. The journal is used to raise awareness of those
issues among readers and to provide a platform for discussing potential solutions and actions that
can be taken to address them. The focus of my journal is on promoting environmental protection,
while using fantasy elements to make the content engaging and memorable.

3.1 Design the characters and objects
The main characters will play a decisive role in the development of the story, they run
through the story and act as anchors in the relatively fragmented content. In my story, the main
characters are the Natural Spirits and the Pollution Spirits, respectively representing the good and
evil. These spirits cause creatures to mutate in different directions, and peculiar machines have
been invented to combat some of these harmful mutations.

3.1.1 the design of Natural Spirits.
Natural Spirits are born in an unpolluted environment, and its appearance is closer to that
of a healthy living body. Most of them have the appearance and facial features similar to human
kids to form a more amiable image and evoke empathy.
Woodspirit is a spirit that has the greatest impact on the natural ecological environment. It
is born from the forest, therefore represents the conception of life and the protector of the forest.
It has the magic to reverse the mutation of creatures, so it has the power to return the ecology
back to normal. The living conditions of the Woodspirits is an indicator of the extent of
environmental degradation. Its shape design is close to that of an infant to show its vitality, its

24
possibilities, and its fragility. To reflect the feeling of branches and plants, it also has slender
limbs which looks like root and branch.

Figure 14. the original design of Woodspirit

Flower Spirits and Grass Spirits are born from flowers and grass. Their appearance varies
greatly according to plants’ species. They have a limited ability to affect the environment and can
easily get hurt by the changing environment. These spirits play victim roles in the story. Most of
them use a more slender and elegant design, presenting a feeling of beauty and fragility.

25

Figure 15. the design of a kind of Flower Spirit

3.1.2 the design of mutating creatures
When designing mutating organisms, pollution types and their effects need to be
investigated first so that these creatures can be designed coordinately.

26
In an article titled Pollution
10
published in the National Geographic, pollution is divided
into three main categories: water pollution, air pollution and land pollution. Each type of
pollution is divided into several subcategories according to the cause of the pollution.
Mutating creatures come into direct conflict with humans. They bring troubles but are
also victims of pollution, so their appearance can be harmful, but not necessarily evil.
The appearance of mutants in movies and other media is often intended to evoke a sense
of horror or disgust in the audience. This is a common trope in horror and science fiction, where
physical deformity or abnormality is often associated with evil or danger. But in my story, these
creatures are also victims and part of a new ecosystem, therefore they can look dangerous but
should not make people feel sick or uncomfortable. For example, the appearance of plastic
animals takes inspiration from the head of a whale which looks both dangerous and cute.

Figure 16. the plastic spirit and mutated creatures

10
Pollution. National Geographic Education. https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/pollution/

27
3.1.3 the design of extinct fantastical creatures
Although most organisms adapt to their environment by mutating, some of them will die
out due to their inability to survive in a polluted environment.
Introducing fictional creatures instead of real species can create emotional distance
between the issue and the audience. Sometimes, when people hear about real species going
extinct due to pollution, they might feel overwhelmed or helpless. By using fictional creatures, it
can help to create some emotional distance, which can make the issue feel more approachable
and easier to engage with. Fantasy stories often explore universal themes that can resonate with
people across different cultures and backgrounds. By introducing fantasy creatures that are dying
out due to pollution, writers and designers can tap into these universal themes and create a story
that is relatable to a wide range of audiences.
For example, Forest Fish is a kind of fish that swims in the air. It’s body is very light. In
order to float in the air for a long time, it needs a lot of oxygen. Because of rising carbon dioxide
levels in the air, it could not swim for long and eventually died out.

Figure 17. Forest Fish

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By using fantastical creatures, there is less potential for controversy and political
disagreement than when dealing with real-life environmental issues. This can make it easier to
engage a wider range of people in the issue without fear of alienating some of the audience.

3.1.4 the design of Pollution Spirits
Direct visual connections between the appearance of Pollution Spirits and the
contaminant are built to form a visual hierarchy of these evil spirits.
Different parts of the world are classified into four levels according to the severity of
pollution. Level 1 area is suitable for human to live in, Level 2 area requires people to use
specific protective measures, Level 3 area cannot be inhabited, Level 4 area is occupied by
powerful evil spirits and dangerous creatures where human cannot set foot in. The more polluted
the area, the more frightening the appearance of the spirit will be.

Figure 18. Nightmare Ladybug (original version)

29
Nightmare ladybugs were the first pollution spirits designed to emerge from smokestacks
and, when there are enough of them, they seek out and hunt Woodspirits.
Plastic Spirits are born from plastic pollution. Most people think of plastic pollution as a
relatively harmless form of pollution that has no direct impact on human health. The shape of
this newly born Plastic Spirit shows this viewpoint.

Figure 19. the design of a newly born plastic spirit

The design of a newly born Plastic Spirit may not looks frightening, while the appearance
of a Haze Dragon – a spirit born from heavy industry pollution and deadly air pollution, would be
very scary.

30

Figure 20. the design of Haze Dragon, an evil spirit born from deadly air pollution

For those pollution spirits that are born from the resentment of creatures whose habitat is
polluted, their appearances share some similarities to those creatures. For example, spirit born
from soil pollution have the appearance of a giant earthworm.

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Figure 21. the design of soil pollution spirit

3.1.5 the design of peculiar machines and props
When the environment changes, the way people live and the tools they use will also
change, and this is where speculative design plays an important role. New machines have been
created to deal with new problems. These machines adopt the shape of bionic forms to
distinguish them from traditional machines.
In my story, machines created by human represent a confrontation with nature and an
ineffective remedy for environmental deterioration.

32
Progress in science and technology is often seen as an important means to solve
environmental and social problems. Today, there are several unproven or controversial
technologies being developed or used for food production and environmental governance. A
good example is geoengineering, which involves manipulating the Earth's systems to counteract
the effects of climate change. This includes methods such as ocean fertilization, which involves
adding nutrients to the ocean to stimulate the growth of phytoplankton, which absorb carbon
dioxide from the atmosphere.
11
While some see geoengineering as a potential solution to the
climate crisis, others worry about the potential unintended consequences by this unproven
solution.
Nature is a complex system, and the misuse of technology is likely to backfire despite its
good intentions. In this section of design, I try to get people to think about the careful use of
technology and respect for nature rather than trying to reinvent it with the introduction of
dangerous or useless technologies.
Mr. Smile is a biomechanical tree with a smiling face that combines tree genes with
computer systems. It functions as a tree, with the hexagonal canopy and built-in code that allows
it to maximize sunlight and reproduce quickly. Their incomparable speed of reproduction and
greed for nutrients in the soil quickly caused a serious biological invasion.

11
Ava Bertolotti. WHAT IS GEOENGINEERING? EARTH'S "CLIMATE PLAN B"? The Trustees of
Princeton University. September 27, 2020

33

Figure 22. the design of Mr. Smile

Figure 23. Mr. Smile can reproduce quickly and can survive in extreme environment

The smiling face of Mr. Smile is an ironic symbol of the contradiction between the
goodwill of the inventor and the complexity of ecosystem.
At the same time, the functionality of some machines is just overrated and failed to meet
the demand of human beings. These machines are unable to counteract the negative effects of the

34
mutated creatures born from pollution. Instead of start protecting the environment, they try to
escape and eventually allowing the problem to accumulate to an irreversible situation.
The design of these machines reveals different people’s attitude towards environmental
issues. The people in the polluted areas are divided into three groups.
The first group believes that environmental problems can be solved by technological
progress, that science can conquer and control nature, and that environmental problems will
eventually be solved through constant trial and error. Known as controllers, they try to transform
the environment by biochemical means, destroy mutated creatures with weapons, and even try to
create a sword that can kill spirits. They show both the optimistic and cruel side of human
beings.
The second group is pessimistic about the environment. They are terrified of changing
ecology, convinced that the world is doomed, and all they can do is keep escaping until the last
day. Those people are called escapists. They make movable inner circulation systems, dispatch
investigators to regularly observe ecological changes in surrounding areas and build multi-terrain
vehicles that can withstand extreme environments. The shape design of these machines usually
uses an organic shape, but presents an artificial, stiff, and lifeless temperament.

35

Figure 24. Carrier Turtle, A bionic vehicle that allows people to move around in a Level 3 area

Carrier Turtle is a solar-powered bionic vehicle with a fully enclosed inner circulation
system that allows people to move around in a Level 3 area for about 3 weeks, the track is
designed to cope with difficult terrain, its eyes act as periscopes, and its long neck allows for free
movement to give people inside a wide view.
The third group believes human beings and spirits can understand each other and by
communicating the pollution spirits will finally realize that hatred cannot protect the earth, and
stop the harmful mutation. And by communicating with others, people can form a common sense
to protect the environment together. Those people are called communicator, they put great efforts
on enhance communication, and the inventions they created clearly showed this belief.
The Mask Face is a special kind of mask that does more than just filter polluted air. A
normal mask would block a people's faces, so people can't tell other people's emotions from their
expressions, resulting in a sense of social alienation. The Mask Face is a face-like mask designed
to simulate the wearer's expression using special sensor and artificial muscle.

36

Figure 25. Mask Face, a face mask that can mimic the expression of owner’s face

Although intellectually speaking, it would be easier and more practical to use a
transparent mask rather than using a complicated system to collect facial signals and simulate
them. But the goal of fantasy storytelling is not to make the actual product, but to inspire people
to think through an unusual idea. The complexity of the Mask Face is the manifestation of
alienation between people. This design explores how people should communicate with each
other when they cannot be face to face.

3.2 The Structure of the Story
The story is mostly about pollution and its consequences, but it does not show the already
heavily polluted world directly. Instead, it starts with a relatively normal world and gradually
shows signs of change. By showing the world becoming increasingly polluted over time,
audiences can witness the consequences of pollution and become emotionally invested in the

37
story. In this way, a variety of spirits, mutated creatures and machines will gradually be
introduced, reflecting the process of increasing pollution.
The story also shows the relationship between the general concept of man and nature as
the world changes. To achieve that, the story weakens the idea of traditional protagonist, but
rather jumps through different scenes and spaces to show as much of the world as possible.
Therefore, the story can subvert readers' expectations and create a sense of unpredictability and
intrigue, offering readers a richer and more diverse range of experiences and ideas. Weaken the
idea of protagonist also encourages reader to think critically. Without a clear protagonist to root
for, readers may be more likely to engage critically with the story and its themes, considering
multiple perspectives and forming their own opinions. In some chapters, a first-person
perspective is used to improve the sense of engagement, and in others a third-person perspective
is used to give clarity.

3.2.1 First Stage- How the Story Begins
The story begins with the introduction of the world in the voice of a child. Children often
approach the world with a sense of wonder and imagination, and they sometimes cannot
distinguish the reality from their imagination, which allows a fresh and new perspective on the
world being created. Introducing a fantasy world through a child's voice can also provide an
opportunity for the reader or viewer to learn about the world alongside the child character. This
can make the story more educational and informative, particularly when exploring environmental
or social issues.

38
In the first chapter a child of a fisher man talked about the story of fishes. The fish’s body
changes in just a few hours to adopt to the shape of the container, and these changes are
irreversible, so the fish’s shape changes are used as a measure of freshness.

Figure 26. the fish’s shape will change based on the container

In a square tank, the shape of the fish will become square, and in a round tank, the body
of the fish will form an arc.
This concept of environmental influences on biological form is derived from Lamarck's
theory of evolution. Lamarck proposed that individuals could acquire certain traits during their
lifetime based on their experiences, needs, and desires, and that these acquired traits could then

39
be passed on to their offspring. In other words, Lamarck believed that an organism could
intentionally modify its behavior or physical structure to adapt to its environment.
12

This seemingly reasonable but completely different setting from the real world will
stimulate readers' desire to explore. At this stage, readers cannot tell whether these biomorphic
changes are based on scientific theory or magic, but they know the core setting that biological
forms are affected by the environment. Afterwards, they will see more of the effects of man-
made objects on living things, and how the ecological environment gradually changes.
Three stories are used to show the initial stages of change, taking place in urban, rural,
and coastal areas. In a corner of a city, a plastic bag-like creature attacked and swallowed a
passing rat; on a farm, a farmer was spraying herbicides when he noticed that some weeds had
pulled out their roots and escaped; In the ocean, a fisherman(who is the father of the child at the
beginning of the story) caught a fish whose eyes were bottle caps.

Figure 27. A plastic bag-like creature attacks and swallows a passing rat

12
Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopedia. "Lamarckism." Encyclopedia Britannica, March 29, 2023.
https://www.britannica.com/science/Lamarckism.

40

Figure 28. A farmer spraying herbicide and running weeds

Figure 29. A blob fish with its eyes turned into bottle caps

41
These unusually rapid mutations draw attention to the people in the story. At this stage,
biological changes have taken place, but there is no noticeable impact on human life. These
changes, while getting a lot of attention and discussion, were not taken seriously. This stage also
corresponds to the Level 1 area, where people can still live.
In the next stage, biological variation will have an impact on human life, and even
threaten people’s safety. Therefore, people must find the causes of these variations and introduce
corresponding countermeasures.

3.2.2 Stage Two - Further Development
The first stage starts with an environment that is close to real human society, thus creating
a sense of familiarity. It might even make some wonder if these things could happen in the real
world. In the first stage, the boundary between fantasy and science fiction is relatively blurred,
while in the second stage the world becomes truly grotesque, and the symbolism of the story is
more obvious. At this stage, the shape design of creatures will be more dangerous to reflect their
harmful effects to human society. This stage corresponds to the Level 2 area.
At the same time, compared to the first stage where human beings as individuals only
have a limited harmful effect on the environment, humans have a greater impact in the form of
organizations or corporations, and the resulting mutations are more dangerous. At this stage,
people began to search for the source of the mutation and discovered the existence of spirit.
The second stage of the story begins at a steel mill, where plant seeds are poured into
molten steel to create a very light and strong alloy. This alchemy is highly symbolic, suggesting
the power hidden in plant seeds. It also metaphorically describes the control and exploitation of
human industry to nature. The result is a new form of life in the steel: a vine-like creature that

42
grows out of the cooled molten iron, which tolerates heat, moves like tentacles, and will attack
people and energy facilities due to their sensitivity to heat.

Figure 30. A vine-like creature that grows from molten steel

At this stage, many creatures are no longer in the form that can be understood by
common sense. Some of them may render an area uninhabitable for humans. At this stage,
human beings can no longer ignore the mutation, and must take measures to try to solve the
problem. But their attempts to solve the problem often fail.
The story of the Asphalt Dragonfly is about the revenge of dragonflies and people's failed
attempts to address it. The story takes place on a road under construction, a group of dragonflies
landed on the road were crushed by a roller and buried in the road. Instead of dying, the
dragonflies become asphalt-eating creatures that travel under the ground, dig small holes in the
surface that make the road quickly shatter.

43

Figure 31. Dragonflies buried in roads become new creatures

To clean up this road-wrecking creature, a bionic machine called the Crane was
developed to detect the asphalt dragonflies underground. It has long beak that can punch through
their shells, but due to the excessive amount of asphalt dragonflies, the roads eventually became
too potholed for cars to run on, and the transportation system was finally paralyzed.
At this stage, people began to search for the source of the mutation and discovered the
existence of spirit.

44
3.2.3 Stage Three - A Polluted World
This is the main part of the project. At this stage, a variety of spirits emerged, each of
which had a significant impact on the ecological environment. Various spirits will be presented in
a list of situations and their impact on the ecological environment. The diversity and complexity
of spirits can help people realize the smallness of human beings as a part of the nature.
This stage expresses a sense of tension. The number of natural spirits is decreasing while
the number of pollution spirits is increasing due to the deforestation and ecological damage.
Some of Woodspirits even become evil spirits, which creates an atmosphere of despair.

Figure 32. a Woodspirit turn into Deadwood Spirit

45

Figure 33. Deadwood Spirit born from deforestation

The Deadwood has the strong cursing power, and those who live within its power begin
to suffer from unknown diseases. Their bodies begin to stiffen and lignify from the belly button.
Before this stage, although there had been a very small number of human mutations due
to influence of spirits, the degree of variation was limited and never life-threatening. People have
always thought that they are special, that their souls are more stable than those of other species,
and therefore less susceptible to physical mutation. Until this strange disease, called deadwood
cancer, spread through human society.

46

Figure 34. Human bodies got deadwood cancer and start to mutate and lignify

Despite the urgency of the situation at this stage, there is still hope. People invented
protective suits with higher performance for extreme conditions, and tried to find and
communicate with surviving Woodspirits, hoping to reverse the environmental degradation with
the joint efforts of Woodspirits and human beings.

47

Figure 35. a young investigator with nuclear powered protective clothing

3.2.4 Stage Four - Search for A New Planet
As the environment has deteriorated to the point of no return, people have completely lost
control of the earth, so they intend to go into space to find a new planet suitable for human
habitation.
The episode about sending a man into space is arranged to give readers a broader view of
their own planet. When humans see the earth in space, they are looking at themselves in the past
and the sins they have left behind. This part describes the vastness of the universe and the
preciousness of the earth.

48

Figure 36. See the polluted earth from the outer space

This bad ending adds a sense of realism to the story, reflecting the harsh reality of
environmental damage and the potential consequences of inaction. Although the story takes place
in a fantasy world with a fictional solar system and galaxy, people can still feel the similarities
between this world and reality.

49

Figure 37. The solar system in this fantasy world

50

Figure 38. The galaxy in this fantasy world

The story ends after the astronauts say goodbye to Earth in space, so it doesn't have a
definite ending. It is possible that people will discover a new habitable planet and start over.
Perhaps the human beings left on the earth finally find a solution and the environment will
slowly improve. It's also possible that human eventually dies out and that earth becomes a planet
of evil spirits and monsters.

51
An open ending in a fantasy story can have several advantages. One of the main benefits
is that it can allow the reader to use their imagination to come up with their own interpretation of
what happened after the end of the story. This can make the story more memorable and thought-
provoking, as readers will be more likely to think about the story and its themes long after they
have finished reading it. An open ending can also create a sense of mystery and encourage
readers to speculate about what might happen next, which can be particularly engaging for
readers who enjoy mysteries. Finally, an open ending can allow a story to feel more realistic, as it
allows for the possibility of multiple outcomes and acknowledges that life does not always have
neat, tidy endings.

52
Chapter 4: A Website for Spreading the Story
To make the story accessible for the wider audience, my solution is to present the story as
an interactive website with translations accompanying each page of handwritten notes.

4.1 Website Design
There are many differences between web pages and traditional books. On the one hand,
compared with the linear narrative of books, web pages allow users to jump in multiple different
locations and has better flexibility. On the other hand, the flexibility of a web page, if not
properly designed, can cause users to get lost and lose interest in the story.
Because the story is designed to contain a lot of text and images, the content needs to be
properly connected. The primary goal for this web design is to make the content clear and well-
structured.
When browsing the website, different readers often have different needs for the content:
some readers want to browse the story as a whole; some readers want to get to the bottom of the
story quickly; some readers want to see all sorts of bizarre biological designs. For those different
needs, the website is divided into three pages: stories, characters, outline, and the content is
organized accordingly.

4.1.1 Stories: The Linear Narrative of A Journal
Stories page systematically tells the story in the form of a series of posts. A brief
introduction to the story is written on the main image, with images and translations for each post.

53

Figure 39. The website page with a main image

The purpose of the homepage image is to capture the reader's attention, so the emphasis
is placed on drawing different creatures. As the most important character in the story, the Wood
Spirit is placed at the center of the picture. The posts below display the pages of the journal in a
gallery view.
Websites and blogs are relatively simple vehicles for telling stories. They are not subject
to strict structural constraint and can expand and optimize the content within a given framework,
and eventually become a complete and systematic story.

54

Figure 40. Posts presented in a gallery view

4.1.2 Outline Page: A brief overview of the story and plot
For readers who are not in the mood to read the full text but want to have a general idea
of what the story is about, the outline page is the best choice. This page should carefully select
the plot and content of the story, and extract the most attractive and reflect the development of
the story to form a clear line.
This page will be made up of four sections, the composition and general content refer to
3.2 The Structure of the Story.

55
4.1.3 Character Page: A Catalogue of Bizarre Creatures
The story is strung together through a variety of mutated creatures and spirits, so a page
gathering the different types of characters and their connections is necessary. On this page, the
design of the characters is more important than the plot, so I decided to use more distinct and
vivid colors and add more detail to the character. This is also the page to show the character
design process.

Figure 41. The gallery view of characters

56
Chapter 5. Conclusion
Woodspirit is a complex project with fantasy storytelling and character design at its core.
During the development of the project, I found that it has a wide range of possibilities and can be
applied to different vehicles. But no matter how its presentation changes, its core lies in the story
itself. It is important to resist the temptation to over-complicate the project as it progresses and
focus on the essentials.
It can be a movie, it can be an interactive website, it can be a book, it's characters can be
made into toys, but only stories can bring these characters to life. How to tell this story clearly,
so that people will be attracted the moment they read the story or see the characters in the story,
is the primary objective of my fantasy storytelling.
Through systematic character design, I built a worldview; By breaking the story into four
parts, I created a clear structure; Through the web, I organized the content. It has the flexibility to
allow more people to understand the story and reflect on the world they live in. I hope that
everyone who sees this project, as they travel through this story, can relate to the Earth they are
on, cherish their planet more, and be more conscious of protecting the environment.

57
Bibliography
Ava Bertolotti. _WHAT IS GEOENGINEERING? EARTH'S "CLIMATE PLAN B"?_ The
Trustees of Princeton University. September 27, 2020

Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopedia. "Lamarckism." Encyclopedia Britannica, March 29,
2023. https://www.britannica.com/science/Lamarckism.

Emma Marris. Inevitable Planetary Doom Has Been Exaggerated. February 1, 2021. the
Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2021/02/other-side-
catastrophe/617865/

Frances Harris. Global Environmental Issues. Wiley-Blackwell. January 2012

Kristen C. Sumpter, “Masculinity and Meat Consumption: An Analysis Through the Theoretical
Lens of Hegemonic Masculinity and Alternative Masculinity Theories,” Sociology Compass,
vol. 9,no. 2,2015,pp.104-114.

Kte'pi, B. environmental science. Encyclopedia Britannica. December 28, 2022.
https://www.britannica.com/science/environmental-science

Lyndsie Manusos, “IT’S F ANTASY ALL THE WAY DOWN: A F ANTASY SUB-GENRES
PRIMER”, https://bookriot.com/fantasy-sub-genre-primer/

Park, G. Kerlin. "animism." Encyclopedia Britannica, October 29, 2020.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/animism.

Pollution. National Geographic Education.
https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/pollution/

Pew Research Center’s report. When Americans say they believe in God, what do they mean?
April 25, 2018. https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2018/04/25/when-americans-say-
they-believe-in-god-what-do-they-mean/

Vittoria Benzine. Here Is Every Artwork Attacked by Climate Activists This Year, From the
‘Mona Lisa’ to ‘Girl with a Peral Earring’, October 31, 2022. Artnet News.

Wills English. Inevitable Planetary Doom Has Been Exaggerated, the Atlantic, February 1, 2021

Abstract (if available)

Abstract With abundant scientific data showing the rapid deterioration of earth’s environment, raising people’s awareness on environmental issues is an urgent topic. However, people’s lack of understanding of the complexity of the environmental science, their doubts about the accuracy of scientific data, concerns about conflicts between environmental protection and economy, and skepticism of the need to address environmental problems, have turned this topic into an endless debate and confusing conversation.
Many visual campaigns using posters, videos, articles, and illustrations are currently being created to raise people’s awareness on environmental issues. However, these works tend to tell the truth in a didactic tone or a harsh voice, making it either boring or unpleasant to read, thus lacking the vitality to spread information or affect lasting impact.
For educational purposes, storytelling is one of the most common ways to motivate the audiences because it’s engaging and easy to understand. Fantasy is one of the most popular genres in literature today. By creating an imaginary world that is different from the real world but shares some similarities, fantasy provides a compelling and imaginative version of the real world, providing a powerful tool for spreading ideas and possibilities. This thesis explores the potential of using fantasy narration as a way for spreading ideas on environmental protection, the work creates a parallel world where the story unfolds.

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Asset Metadata

Creator Liu, Xuan (author)

Core Title Using fantasy storytelling to raise awareness on environmental issues

School Roski School of Art and Design

Degree Master of Fine Arts

Degree Program Design

Degree Conferral Date 2023-05

Publication Date 05/01/2023

Defense Date 05/01/2023

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag character design,Environmental protection,fantasy,OAI-PMH Harvest,Storytelling

Format theses (aat)

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Wojciak, Ewa (committee chair), Burruss, Laurie (committee member), Ellenburg, Jason (committee member), Trujillo, Osvaldo (committee member)

Creator Email moland100@icloud.com,xliu3074@usc.edu

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-oUC113096989

Unique identifier UC113096989

Identifier etd-LiuXuan-11750.pdf (filename)

Legacy Identifier etd-LiuXuan-11750

Document Type Thesis

Format theses (aat)

Rights Liu, Xuan

Internet Media Type application/pdf

Type texts

Source 20230503-usctheses-batch-1035 (batch), University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the author, as the original true and official version of the work, but does not grant the reader permission to use the work if the desired use is covered by copyright. It is the author, as rights holder, who must provide use permission if such use is covered by copyright.

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA

Repository Email cisadmin@lib.usc.edu