We did a ton of sketches to capture and communicate the characteristics of the animal that we wanted to highlight.

I wanted to make sure my vulture was neither a caricature nor a Halloween spook. I wanted to bring out the regal character more often portrayed in its more revered cousin, the eagle. I wanted to give the vulture back its rightful place in an ecosystem that is dying without it.

I chose black and red because it resonated with the kind of urgency I feel about the issue of vulture extinction. There’s also a macabre association with death and blood that the two bring up. And while there’s certainly enough evidence to tie vultures to death and blood, I wanted to show that there was more to them than just that.

Adding humour into a grim situation.