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Daphnopsis hellerana is a rare species of flowering plant in the Daphnopsis genus of family Thymelaeaceae, the Daphne family. It is endemic to Puerto Rico, where there were only four populations remaining in 1992, with a total of 125 individuals.[1] It was federally listed as an endangered species of the United States in 1988.[2] This is a shrub or evergreen tree which is limited to limestone substrates on the island of Puerto Rico. It grows in moist forest habitat among almacigo (Bursera simaruba), copey (Clusia rosea), holywood (Guaiacum sanctum), pigeonplum (Coccoloba diversifolia), and other plants.[1] This shrub or tree grows to 6 meters in maximum height. The leaves have oval blades up to 13 centimeters long by 6 wide. New leaves are golden in color. Mature leaves are green and hairless on the upper surface, drying to reddish brown. The plant is dioecious with male and female flowers occurring on separate plants. Male plants have small, hairy, tubular flowers under a centimeter long. The female plants bear smaller, hairy, bell-shaped flowers under half a centimeter long. Flowering occurs in February through April. The fruit is a white berry under two centimeters in length and containing one seed. The plants in two of the populations yield many seedlings, but the other two sites have few, suggesting the sex ratio there may be skewed toward one sex or the other.[1] The plant was first discovered in 1900 but not recorded again until 1958. Three of the four populations are in Toa Baja, and the fourth is in Isabela. It has probably always been quite rare, but the remaining plants face threats. Deforestation has limited the amount of remaining habitat for this and other endemics, such as Cornutia obovata. Forests have been cleared for agriculture, including grazing operations and yam farms, and the trees are consumed for construction wood and for charcoal.[1][2] The quarrying of limestone in the hills where the plant occurs threatens the ecosystem.[2]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daphnopsis_hellerana

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Callicarpa ampla, also called the capa rose, is a species of plant in the Verbenaceae family. It is found in Puerto Rico in the Caribbean region. It is threatened by habitat loss and is a critically endangered plant species.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Callicarpa_ampla

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Banara vanderbiltii is a rare species of plant in the willow family known by the common name palo de ramon. It is endemic to Puerto Rico, where there are fewer than 20 known individuals left in the wild.[1] At the time it was listed as an endangered species of the United States in 1987, there were only six plants remaining.[2] This is an evergreen shrub which can grow up to 9 meters tall, bearing rough-textured hairy leaves up to 12 centimeters long by 4 wide.[3] The flowers are yellow and have many stamens. The red-purple fruits provide food for birds, including the Bananaquit (Coereba flaveola) and the Western Spindalis (Spindalis zena).[1] The shrub grows in moist forests on limestone substrates. Its habitat has been subject to deforestation, the main cause of its rarity.[1][2] Land is cleared for agriculture, including coffee plantations, and livestock are grazed in the area.[1] Military exercises have also occurred nearby, with sections of the forest being trampled.[1] The plant was known to occur near San Juan long ago, but these occurrences have long since been extirpated by urban development.[2] It now occurs only in one area along the northwestern coast, with one tiny population located near Cayey and a second, smaller one near Bayamón.[3] The plant was discovered in 1899 and named for Cornelius Vanderbilt, who financed plant-collecting expeditions

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banara_vanderbiltii

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For human activity reason, this kind of plants facing the risk of extinct.

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Torreya taxifolia

Torreya taxifolia, commonly known as the Florida torreya, gopher wood, stinking yew, or stinking cedar, is a rare and endangered species found in the Southeastern United States, at the state border region of northern Florida and southwestern Georgia.

Up to 11 species of fungi attack T. taxifolia, including species of Physalospora andMacrophoma. Fungicide treatment has been shown to be effective for fungal infection, with plants showing renewed growth after treatment.

Recovery of the species may be inhibited by postglacial global warming, as it is best adapted to the cooler, moister climate found in this area during the last ice age.

file link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torreya_taxifolia

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Abies guatemalensis

Abies guatemalensis or the Guatemalan Fir is an evergreen tree native to Central America and is the southernmost member of the genus Abies being spread to the south up till 14° N. 

Guatemalan Fir is almost completely non-frost-resistant tree. Due to logging and loss of habitat, the tree is considered threatened and is protected in CITES Appendix I.

file link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abies_guatemalensis

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Picture 01 Heliconia Angusta

Picture 02 Magnolia Ashei

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Reference Data of Endangered Plants

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This is the first animation we made in Maya.

Thanks for my group member: Jia Zhou, and Fuye.

Wish everybody a Merry Christmas!

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10 Questions to define project

1. What is the design inquiry/problem are you addressing?

 I want to combine the 2D and 3D design. Sometimes the combination    would discordant, I want to make it more influence and harmonize.

2. How does technology factor in with your design problem?

We started to learn After Effects this semester, it’s amazing, and it would be the main software we use to do the motion graphics work. It’s kind of difficult, maybe everyone would learn it quickly at the beginning, however, to be an expert is not easy. And also, the Maya, which is a 3D software, is also what I want to learn well.

Another problem I think would be the language. All the softwares are English Version, it may take more time for me to understand and handle it, I would do it better. 

3. Is your project’s concept original? If so, how is it original? 

I think yes. There may be some documentaries about “endangered Plants”, but I think to make it a series of short animation film would be the original concept.

4. Is there a need and/or niche for this design concept? Explain... 

Yes, absolutely. For the development of our technology, environmental problem becomes more and more serious. Animals and plants disappeared from our planet faster and faster, which should be stopped, or, our human beings would disappear as well one day.

5. Who is your determined audience? 

Teenagers, age ranges from 13-25. 

6. How will your design be of value to this audience? 

During these ages, most of them are students, they can access the information, the knowledge from class or Internet.

Also, these short films about “Endangered Plants” would help them to build sort of thoughts, concepts, which about protecting the current hostile environment easier during this age range. 

7. How will your project contribute to the design field in a meaningful way? How will it contribute to society? 

This design is not only about how to finish the motion graphic design, but also show the way how we make use of design on a practical way. 

Firstly, the film format would attract the students to access those knowledge initiatively; secondly, the interesting design showed in this film would also help students remember the information I want to tell.

8. How practical is your design problem (Is it within your ability to realize it)? 

The technical concept I need to research should be the way of combining 2D and 3D. I want to design an advertisement by this way, however, until now, I don’t know how to make this combination in softwares. 

9. How is your project larger in scope than a mere portfolio example? 

For a mere portfolio, maybe I just design some logo of the endangered plants, or a short motion graphic film about introduce those plants. But for the project, I would finish all the process from defining my topic, collecting files, doing research, making it a series of short films, educational advertisement, and then testing it.

10. How will your project challenge you? 

Firstly, it may cost me lot of time to collect the files. For the data, images should be accurate instead of make up. Audience wants to learn something true from it.

In addition, how to arise their interesting would be another challenge, I should have some points to impact them, unless, the whole films would be nonsense. 

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Self-Assignment

1. Your favorite classes?

Music Composition, After Effects, Motion Graphics.

I like Music Composition class since I love music. To deal with audio tracks or multiple musics with Audition or Neuendo can make me enjoy the process of creating.

I like After Effects since I think this is awesome! A piece of normal video can be fantastic after re-editing in AE. Like the fire effects,the explosion, people flying, or even many disasters which were not happened.

The reason why I like motion graphics is that motion graphic design would not only focus on animation, but also focus on good design. We would not do meaningless design or just make something moving when making a good video. Everything even one spot would act its own role in it. 

2. Your favorite projects? 

Icon Design, Interior Modeling, Typography of book layout

I have finished a series of icon design for a hotel service at the class of professor Jackson. During this project, I learned how to simplify and signify my design. The most important is, professor always gave me some instructive suggestions to help me refining the icon, which also help me to build the confidence on icon design.

For the Interior Modeling, since my major during undergraduate is animation, I already knew some basic rules of modeling. I was very happy to learn the new software and new modeling methods. I am enjoy the process of modeling something from null to full. 

3. Your most challenging classes? 

Digital Design in Motion, Design History

The main problem for me on the digital design class is that I always focus more on animation instead of design graphics. Maybe since I was learned animation before, I lost the main purpose of this course. I made varieties of changes in my projects which actually not necessary, I do want to improve the skills of this part.

The challenging on the design history class is writing skills. As an International student, English writing is sort of challenging. I didn’t go to "writing center" seeking for help for first few times, which lead to some “C” grade on this part. After the help of Writing Center, my English has improved generally.

4. Your favorite designers? 

Massimo Vignelli, Simon Wild, Momo Wang, Miyazaki hayao

I learned of Massimo Vignelli after being a student of RIT. The collections which exhibit at the Vignelli Center show me a different style of design. He makes me understand that simple design can be also beautiful and meaningful. What a good designer should have is to consider people’s basic needs, and then design based on that. 

Before that, I love Simon Wild’s Design very much, since his design always use warm color. They are complex, meaningful, beautiful and full of passion. 

5.Your greatest design influences? 

Behance, Vimeo

I often browse the artworks on behance. There are so many excellent designers posting their artwork in every filed: Web design, Typography, Post design, etc. For me, the most attractive point is that most designers would like to show the process of design on it. For example, one designer designed a logo for a magazine, he would list all the processes during design: how the idea comes out? what are the basic elements of the logo? how to transform? All the steps help me a lot. 

6. Your greatest historical influences? 

The invention of celluloid. 

When I was a child, I found that the animation was so amazing! How could the pictures move? why the animals like duck, mouse and even dragons can talk and fight? In the middle school, I’d like to draw some pictures on the corner of the book, then turn the pages quickly, that was so funny since a short animation would be made! It was not until I learned the animation major in University, I found that the basic condition of animation’s development is the invention of celluloid. 

  7. Your greatest influences outside of the classroom? 

The animation and advertisements. 

When I studied the animation during undergraduate,I watched lots of 2D and 3D animation and advertisements. They came from many different countries: US, Japan, South Korea, or France. Unfortunately, few of them came from China. Most of designers in our country are lack of the spirit of “design”. They make design a boring thing since they do not love it. More and more nonsense advertisements appear on the TV. I made me decide to switch my major to visual communication design cause I think design should be a happy and exciting work, advertisements and animations should not be so boring.