The University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences’ Communications and Creative Services (CAES) department works with alumni, students, the school, and the community to produce publications, branding, marketing, and other designs related to agriculture, animals, the environment, education, and research. I worked with CAES as a design intern in 2015 and after graduating from the University of Georgia, I continued to work as a freelancer with Southscapes Magazine as an editorial illustrator.
Working on projects for CAES taught me a lot about researching things outside of my field of study to design and illustrate assets for academics. Additionally, the supportive team at CAES encouraged us to push ourselves creatively to turn dry subject matter into engaging content.
International Agriculture Day
“While many of us spend spring planning our summer vacations, dozens of College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences students are set to embark on the adventure of a lifetime—traveling to Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Europe to learn about agriculture and the environment.”
– UGA celebrates global outreach at CAES Office of Global Programs
International Agriculture Reception By Merritt Melancon
International Agriculture Reception By Merritt Melancon
International Agriculture Day celebrates agriculture, education, service, and adventure. I created an illustrated landscape of terraced rice fields in the style of American Regionalism, connecting two farming cultures from opposite sides of the globe to represent the global agricultural spirit of the event. The color scheme and illustration were used throughout the event.
The illustration was printed as a large backdrop and I created hand-lettered chalkboards for attendees to use in their photos.
Recruitment Poster for the College of Ag
This poster was created as a recruitment piece for prospective students for the College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences. Created with pen and ink and colored in Photoshop, the panels include imagery from the departments under the College of Ag. Scenes include themes from irrigation, veterinary sciences, turfgrass research, dairy and poultry sciences, entomology, and major crop production in Georgia (blueberries, strawberries, and cotton).
Sunbelt Agricultural Expo Signage
Can you say 6-foot-tall-pecan-pie five times fast? These large illustrations were created for the University of Georgia's College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences for their displays at the Sunbelt Agricultural Expo. Recognized in 2015 by the Association for Communication Excellence with a Gold Award in Exhibit Design.
The Complete Guide to Native Plants for Georgia, UGA Extension
A series of watercolor illustrated covers for an educational series published by the UGA Extension team. The overall book was meant to be a compilation of four smaller books, represented by the lighter covers below.
Southscapes Magazine Illustrations
Southscapes Magazine is published semi-annually for alumni, friends, and supporters of the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences by their Office of Development and Alumni Relations. I worked with Southscapes to create editorial illustrations from 2015-2019. You can see a collection of spot illustrations for UGA publications here. Below are a couple of my favorite features.
Science of Your Supper, Fall 2015
"The College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences aims to whet your appetite by developing research methods, tests and flavors that improve food quality. In this issue of Southscapes, explore the research and education CAES puts into the food on your plate."
Live from the Lab, Spring 2019
"Every other month, the fascinating work of CAES researchers is featured on the college's interactive Facebook series, "Live from the Lab." In each 10-minute episode, science write Merritt Melancon takes viewers behind the scenes for a conversation with a CAES researcher right in the lab, followed by viewer-submitted questions."