Animals

 That is a wonderful and highly personal selection of animals! Focusing your biomorphic research on the koala, frog, owl, capybara, moose, and sloth is a brilliant way to make the project engaging and uniquely yours (especially since you like koalas and frogs!).

The research challenge now is to break down these specific animals into abstract, therapeutic biomorphic patterns that fulfill the goals of Biophilic Design—calmness, safety, and visual interest.

Here is a research-based drawing and painting strategy to extract biomorphic forms from your chosen animals:

🐨 Extracting Biomorphic Forms: A Research Protocol

The goal of your research is not to paint portraits, but to use detailed study of their forms to abstract the elements that contribute to a feeling of safety, softness, and rhythm in design.

Phase 1: The Research of Texture and Softness

Biophilic design values texture that is non-threatening and inviting. Your animals provide excellent studies in this area.

| Animal | Key Textural Feature | Drawing/Painting Protocol | Biomorphic Element |

|---|---|---|---|

| Koala & Sloth | Dense, soft, insulating fur; gentle, continuous volume. | Action: Use charcoal or heavily layered paint to explore the visual effect of deep, muted texture. Focus on the transition of fur around the curved shape of the body. | Soft, fuzzy edges and mound-like, convex shapes (conveying comfort/protection). |

| Capybara & Moose | Broad, flat planes; thick, matte hide (capybara); coarse, hanging coat (moose). | Action: Use a dry brush or scratching (sgraffito) technique to capture the matte, porous surface texture. Focus on the scale of the texture. | Large, non-reflective fields and subtle, repetitive striations (conveying stability). |

| Frog | Smooth, glossy, moist skin; patterned. | Action: Use high-gloss paint or layering of glaze to study the visual properties of moisture and reflection on a curved surface. | Small, repeating, clustered circular patterns (dots/spots) and smooth, curved planes. |

Phase 2: The Research of Rhythm and Repetition

Biomorphic patterns often rely on the gentle repetition of a form. These animals offer distinct rhythmic qualities.

| Animal | Rhythmic/Pattern Feature | Drawing/Painting Protocol | Biomorphic Element |

|---|---|---|---|

| Owl | Feathers; concentric facial disc; symmetrical structure. | Action: Create a series of studies based on the concentric circles and overlapping, scalloped shapes of the feathers. Focus on the subtle variations within the pattern. | Tightly woven, overlapping, half-circle motifs that suggest visual order and softness. |

| Moose | Antlers; massive, branching, fractal structure. | Action: Line drawing research focusing only on the negative space and the branching structure of the antlers. How do the branches relate mathematically (fractally)? | Open, hierarchical branching systems that draw the eye but are non-threatening (fractal complexity). |

| Frog | Limb joints; sitting posture. | Action: Sketch studies of the resting frog form—focus on the zig-zag or 'S' curves of the folded limbs and the large, rounded shape of the body. | Interlocking, curved, and segmented shapes that suggest potential movement but are currently stable. |

Phase 3: Abstraction and Color Palette

Your research culminates in abstraction for your Digital Multimedia Design project.

 * Develop Palettes: Research the specific colors of your favorite animals (the pinks and greens of certain frogs, the muted brown/gray/pink of koala fur, the soft earthy tones of capybara).

 * Paint the Abstraction: Create a series of painted color studies that use the textural and rhythmic elements you've researched, but remove the figure of the animal. For example:

   * A painting that is pure Koala/Sloth Softness: Layered acrylics using their color palette with no sharp lines, focusing on the diffused edges of the fur motif.

   * A painting that is pure Frog/Owl Pattern: A flat background with a repeating pattern of glossy frog dots interwoven with the owl's scalloped feather pattern.

 * Document: Crucially, your research paper should detail how the softness of the koala's fur was translated into the muted, layered texture of your digital background, and how the non-threatening, rounded forms of the capybara informed the geometry of your interface elements.

This process ensures your paintings and drawings are legitimate pieces of Arts-Based Research that directly feed into your Digital Multimedia Design outcomes at Penn State.

Would you like me to help you find some specific academic resources linking animal forms to psychological comfort in biophilic design?