Task 2: Visual Analysis

 1. Task 2 brief recap:

    Conduct a visual analysis on the selected art/design work in Task 1. Study the design principles and the size, placement, purpose, and effectiveness of the design in relation to the UNSDG also chosen in Task 1

Link to Task 1: gabbagoo

2. Visual analysis of the selected design:

    The scene's main focus is the ocean and thus uses a lot of blues in the shot. The scene itself depicts a joyous moment of when Tulkun return from their migration to meet with their Na'vi spirit brothers and sisters. A lot of harmonious colours are used, most of them being shades of blue with a few shades getting closer to green. In the beginning, a pod of Tulkun can be seen entering the large cove where the Na'vi live.

    Repetition can be observed here because of the multiple Tulkun in the scene. A little later, Na'vi can be seen riding in on Skimwings and wielding a spears. Emphasis is put on the Na'vi in this shot because they take up most of the screen. From this we are able to tell that the Na'vi are a sentient humanoid species that are able to tame creatures like Skimwings and are also technologically advanced to a point where they are able to use tools like spears for maybe tasks like hunting or fishing. 

    In the next shot, a Na'vi child can be seen running through the village houses to find his sister. The houses are made of local materials such as wood and dried leaves as well as some sort of blue semi-transparent material which could be some kind of fabric. This could also be explained because of the jewelry that they wear on their person. The largely dull colours of the houses also bring emphasis to the Na'vi in this scene because of their blue skin in contrast to the dark background.

Seen at 0:22

It can also be pointed out that the Na'vi are a tribal race because of all the decor and items in their houses, advanced to a point where they can use tools and containers but not technological enough to have vehicles or mobile devices, although they are smart enough to use them. 

Seen at 0:19

This could also be explained because of the jewelry that they wear on their person. The largely dull colours of the houses also bring emphasis to the Na'vi in this scene because of their blue skin in contrast to the dark background.

    Later in the scene, Tulkun can be seen circling alongside other sealife in the waters which involves movement and repetition which also creates a harmonious scene. A Tulkun crosses the screen moments later and tattoos can be seen on it's underbelly. Since both the Na'vi and Tulkun have these tattoos, they could probably be related to one another through a tribal or ritualistic sense. This is probably what they mean by spirit sisters and brothers, Na'vi and Tulkun with similar tattoos etched into their bodies. 

    Some Tulkun and Na'vi children do not have tattoos though, so the tattoos might only be attained at a later point in life or maybe after a rite of passage. 

    As for how this design relates to the UNSDG I chose, in the movie Tulkun are hunted for a golden chemical fluid in their brains, Amrita, which can stop human aging completely. This draws parallels to real life, where back in the 1960s, humpback whales were almost hunted to extinction for the oil extracted from their blubber. If the Tulkun hunting had continued on Pandora, the home planet of the Na'vi and Tulkun,  they would have gone extinct just like the humpbacks almost did back then. The main antagonists of the movie, humans, are depicted as a dystopian, technologically advanced race that came to Pandora to strip it of it's resources. This also mirrors a side of humanity currently seen in the current times with all the destruction of habitats and pollution. Na'vi are able to "bond" with certain animals, creating strong bonds between them, some even being able to be called brothers or sisters, even if they come from completely different species. Although we, being humans, do not have the ability to make a direct connection to the wildlife around us, we can still gain a deep understanding of them through thorough research and observation. If we are able to have this understanding of the wildlife around us, we will be able to better sustain and conserve the ecosystems around us too.