Happy 2022! Here is a summary of what Mair Perkins Ltd Animation and Illustration produced in 2021.
It’s been a busy but fulfilling year. A huge thanks to all our clients and collaborators.
We are delighted to have worked primarily on science communication, mental health and cause based projects this year.
The climate and ecological crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, rising social inequalities and increasing polarisation and disinformation online have highlighted how vital it is to communicate science and build bridges between the people involved in scientific research and different groups of the public.
We created six animations for Envision environmental scientists in 2021 to help communicate their PhD research work.
The potential for solar parks to become habitats for pollinators.The impact of sea level rise on atmospheric CO2 concentrations during glacial-deglacial periods.The behavioural responses of coral reef fish to environmental change.How ozone (O3) pollution impacts on wheat crop production.The environmental impacts of historic lead mining in Wales.A conservation project that measures oxidative stress levels in red colobus monkeys in Zanzibar (to be published later in 2022).
More science communication projects
Climate scientist Yhasmin Mendes asked us to produce this animation explaining how scientists can closely monitor environmental changes on different aspects of forests such as fires, rainfall, temperature, and the amount of carbon in the atmosphere.Environmental scientists from Bangor University hired us to create an animated video to communicate the key findings of their research into ensembles ecosystem service models.Professor James Cooper of the Geography and Planning department at the University of Liverpool, hired us to create an animated video to explain their scientific research into climate change, storms, flooding and erosion in the UK.We worked with the researchers at EnergyREV to communicate how their organisation is helping the uptake of smart local energy systems in the UK. These are primarily renewable energy sources such as solar panels and wind turbines that are combined with smart technology to store and distribute the energy efficiently.The FUTURE OAK research team hired me to produce an animation about the importance of oak trees and forests, the threats they face and how the FUTURE OAK project is working to tackle acute oak decline using pioneering microbiome research.Researchers for the Global Food Security Programme commissioned an animated video to summarise their report on the rise of plant-based diets in the UK.At the end of 2021 we worked with Welsh Science Presenter/Filmmaker, Huw James on this animation about light, radiation, the electromagnetic spectrum and cameras for the first part of an outreach and public engagement programme offered by the School of Physical Sciences at the The Open University.We also published an animation created in 2020 for the EPSRC RaNT Programme from the University of Exeter about their revolutionary all-in-one approach to disease diagnosis and cancer treatment, developing a new technology that wields the light enhancing powers of gold nanostructures.
Other animation and illustration projects
Derby Museums hired us to create a series of visual aids to help with educational sessions in the museum about Ancient Egypt. We provided them both as still illustrations and subtly animated videos. They are to accompany a story set in Ancient Egypt.Two animated videos were created for the author and academic, Dr Laura Clancy, to communicate key ideas from her book, Running the Family Firm, about how media representations of the royal family as a family mask issues of power, wealth accumulation and (post)colonialism and Empire.In 2020 Mair Perkins volunteered with Crews for a Cause on the PACT: Police Autism Community Training video. Mair designed, illustrated and rigged the animated Otter character.
We created more illustrations for The Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families about sensitive mental health and family relationships topics.
Supporting young children and families through bereavement bookletRaising concerns about a child with parents and carers
We designed infographics for Transport Action Network and Transport for Quality of Life that showed how the UK Government’s road building plans will increase carbon emissions in the transport sector when they urgently need to be reduced.
OwlIT, who we share office space with, commissioned some social media graphics for their software development and consultancy business.
Personal Artwork
Climate Emergency Plan Progress Report: April 2021
In spring of 2020, Mair Perkins Ltd. declared a climate emergency along with other concerned business owners in Business Declares.
We shared a progress report on our climate action plan in April 2021. One of the biggest changes was switching to an ethical business bank account with Triodos who do not finance fossil fuels and deforestation like many big banks do.
Looking forward to 2022
We are currently working on an animation for researchers to explain sustainable smart cities to policy makers and planners and a co-produced animation with young people about their views on climate change. We also have a few other projects in the pipeline for 2022.
