Best of CASE District III Award
 

Institution: Auburn University

Title of entry: Pandemic Silver Linings

About this entry: Amidst the shutdowns and sorrow, the pandemic also forced organizations to change, often for the better. To illustrate the positivity and growth presented in the article we created a blue paper mask butterfly. The blue disposable mask has become a symbol for the pandemic but is often shown crumpled and worn indicating exhaustion or restriction. By turning a paper mask into a butterfly, it communicates growth rather than despair. The paper mask butterfly was created in Adobe Photoshop. An image of a butterfly was used to reference the shape and all the pieces of the butterfly were clipped and blended from one image of a mask. Additional shading was applied to complete the visual metaphor. The illustration’s straightforward shape and the design’s use of ample, clean white space quickly indicate to the viewer the positive nature of the article. The illustration was successful in communicating the essence of the story and feedback from readers on what could have been a sensitive subject was overwhelmingly positive.