EXPLORING VISUAL ELEMENTS THROUGH NATURAL RESOURCES: FOREST, TREE AND LEAF AT KHAO NAM KHANG NATIONAL PARK, THAILAND

Abstract

Located in the south of Thailand, there hides a quiet and peaceful tropical rain forest called ‘Khao Nam Khang National Park’. The 220 square kilometers national park holds plenty of conserved plant and important woods that sustain the balance in the environment. The area served as the Malayan Communist fighters’ hideout during the 40 years of political insurgency between Thai government and the Communist Party of Malaya. With that reason, the area was almost abandoned from the outside world. It was somehow benefit to the biodiversity of flora and fauna that wait for the natural exploration.

Aiming to explore the beauty of nature, the research has applied visual elements from “Leaf” together with fundamental of L-system and Fibonacci theory. Although “Leaf” is a small element, it can represent trees in the forest. It also demonstrates a small universe about life and beauty. Furthermore, leaf is able to tell us about climate change, seasons and ecology. Visual elements, occurred in leaves, are able to tell us about life nourishing and growing. The purpose of this research is to collect data from leaf which composes of visual elements such as shape, form, color and vein’s pattern to decode and use in visual communication design system. All elements showed on leaf can be developed and applied in many design fields. Referring to the purposes of the research, it targets to assemble data collection for the designers to employ in their careers and provoke their concern and awareness about climate change as well as the benefit of forest through story telling (Illustration).

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