Giant Armadillos: Ecosystem Infographic
The original brief from the conservationist-researcher was to create a habitat illustration of the giant armadillo. Through our conversations about the species and its ecology, I learned about several studies identifying the giant armadillo as an ecosystem engineer (an animal whose behavior actively shapes its environment and benefits other species.)
We recognized an opportunity to make the illustration more impactful. Rather than simply depicting the giant armadillo within its habitat, we expanded the concept into a narrative that visualizes these ecological relationships. The goal was to use the illustration to influence public perception by building empathy for the species and communicating why conserving the giant armadillo matters beyond the animal itself.
Making the Invisible Visible
One of the challenges of the illustration was showing the giant armadillo’s underground burrow without disrupting the sense of a continuous habitat. The burrow is an important part of the animal’s ecological impact, but it exists outside the viewer’s normal field of view.
I used a cutaway view to reveal the underground environment while maintaining a clear connection to the surface. Developing this transition required careful consideration of perspective, scale, and how the layers of soil and vegetation would interact with the above-ground scene. The result allows viewers to see both the habitat the armadillo occupies and the hidden spaces it creates within it.
Guiding the Viewer
Setting the scene at night presented a visual challenge, but also created an opportunity to control the viewer’s attention. Rather than illuminating the entire environment equally, I used selective light to create a hierarchy within the scene.
This, combined with scale, contrast, and placement establish a clear path through the image, directing the viewer toward the most important elements before inviting them to explore the smaller details.