Finalized infographic link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/y0u5zasy05tu43h/Finalized%20Project%203.pdf?dl=0

Michael Samudio
English

Project 3 Artist’s statement


Purpose: I composed the work for this specific topic because I have always found genetic engineering interesting, and the way it is utilized for crops and livestock is often portrayed in a bad light, so I wanted to research valid reasons on why GMOs can actually be more helpful than cause harm. I portrayed examples of foods such as Corn and grapes, which are some of the most commonly genetically modified food crops, to showcase some of the ways that Genetic modification has helped with its popularity. A lot of crops use Genetic modification to deal with issues such as pests/disease, surviving a wider range of temperatures, and growing larger and faster. Furthermore, this stretches out to animals as well, as some livestock are genetically modified too. I wanted to showcase the ways that genetically modified animals help society. I used examples such as mosquitoes fighting against other mosquitoes to limit the spread of deadly diseases such as Malaria, Zika, and Dengue, which in turn will save many lives in the long run. Rats/mice are also genetically altered to make studies on how biology works, and this helps us determine how humans would react to certain drugs. We are able to develop medicine and potential cures in the future with this research. We have a lot that we can take from the investment we put towards genetic modification,

Audience: I initially aimed this to be for activist groups that advocate the opposite (Banning GMOs), but also wanted to make it colorful and easy to understand so grade schoolers can absorb the information as well. This was an appropriate choice, because grade schoolers are still open minded and have much to learn in some of these fields, so a lot of the information may be new to them, so it is appropriate to demonstrate my ideas more vibrantly and using more welcoming terminology. I am able to convey my main points and ideas in a brief and indulging manner. 

Genre: The genre I chose was an infographic. I chose this genre for my audience because it is colorful and easy to absorb the necessary information. It is eye catching and indulging for all audiences. This was good for my argument, because I am able to display facts, and information in the form of a poster, where it’s easy to understand and grasp. Pictures and good color contrast in the words and background make my text pop-out. 

In the end, looking back at my creation, I think I did an okay job achieving my goals with my infographic. I was able to include all the important information that I felt were necessary, and keep it brief so that at a glance, you are able to retain the information needed. I feel like I could have had better structure with how the poster looked, and maybe add less text around the bottom, because too much text in an infographic will only turn people away, but I had a hard time finding a way to shorten it while conveying what I wanted to say accurately. Initially I had it as more of a “slide show” infographic, but adapted it to a long poster style on a single page. This was more practical, since infographics tend to be posters. If I had more time, I probably would have been able to figure out a better way to format it, so that I can increase the likelihood of hooking a potential viewer, and making it more appealing to the eye. 

Works Cited:

https://www.wilsoncenter.org/article/infographic-mexico-genetically-modified-corn-and-usmca#:~:text=90%25%20percent%20of%20US%20corn,trade%20between%20the%20two%20partners

https://www.cdc.gov/mosquitoes/mosquito-control/community/emerging-methods/genetically-modified-mosquitoes.html#:~:text=GM%20mosquitoes%20are%20mass-produced,GM%20mosquitoes%20in%20the%20wild

https://www.statista.com/topics/2062/genetically-modified-crops/#topicOverview

https://www.kqed.org/education/59537/would-you-buy-a-genetically-modified-pet