The Earth melting is not an image anyone would really like to see, dramatized as it is, the issue of global warming the climate and environment as a whole is a pressing one. One that artist Roxana Radulescu took on directly in her online series Global Issues A-Z, which is a series of illustration about global events. The image that I chose is called “Climate change” (Radulescu.) The artist uses a large number of features such as shape, color/contrast, unity and scale to depict her opinion on our environment and show her true meaning behind the illustration. I will show you Radulescu’s meaning and purpose of the image through the four features listed as well as explain how in particular these four effect the purpose so greatly.Generally, I think the meaning on the most basic level of this work would just be that climate change is a real issue, one that is not to be taken lightly as it’s having a very large negative impact on our planet, as shown by the disintegration on the planet represented by the large scoop of ice cream and its cone. 

The image and it being Earth melting addresses specifically the polar ice caps and the temperature extremes that are sending our environment into complete disarray. But climate change is more than the ice caps melting, it is the issues that our environment faces every day because of a lack of change from the human race as a whole.  The very limited amount of text used with the picture make the image even more open to interpretation then it already was. However even with this basic interpretation of the artists meaning, there are layers below this that are a little more specific about how and why she described climate change in this way. Starting with shape, and what it does to the different elements of Radulescu’s image. 

The simplicity of the meaning is part of what makes the illustration even more powerful than just a normal image about the climate. As stated earlier the simple interpretation is that the Earth is slowly being decimated and slowly destroyed over time, fading just as an ice cream cone in the summer. Also just like an ice cream cone, once an area melts there is no reshaping or fixing it, there is only stopping the cycle, there is no regeneration, no full recovery. Without the use of shape this point would be lost on all of us because it simply would just not have been depicted.  One of the few positives that could be pointed out with something so negative is that the melting seems to have just begun. And in terms of the time we have been around and causing serious damage the amount melted seems accurate. The shape implies hope, that we can still fix this and stop the complete change of the climate. Without shape the entire illustration is essentially pointless to the argument because there would literally just be a globe that looks like an ice cream cone sitting out in space, implying nothing, meaning nothing, conveying nothing. Radulescu’s image also follows the line of making these cartoons or cause charged illustrations blunted and a little in descript in terms of shape. Yet this can still be listed as somewhat detailed as well or detailed enough but still has a decent amount of fluidity for a drawling that really does not give the viewer much to look at besides Earth and its cone. This large sphere that is our planet melting is moving just because Earth is so powerful, and big and something that just seems indestructible to us being as small as we are in comparison. Shape gives the real juice behind the message, however the other main features of the illustration are equally as important. 

The point of size or scale, is also another very important aspect of what gives even more meaning to a piece of art such as the one being analyzed. What stood out to me most was the size that the sun is compared to the size of the Earth. At first I did not think anything of it, but I believe it is an element to the image that does represent part of the human dynamic and part of how we allowed our planet to get the way it is in terms of climate change issues. When talking about the scale of the Earth and Sun and their relationship it is important to note the apparent distance between the two. Without Radulescu making very clear as to the distance between the two, I do not think I would have even gotten the fact that this image was addressing our impact on climate change, besides that the title of the work is “Climate Change” (Radulescu. Climate Change.) I would have just assumed that the sun was melting it and the search to try and find the meaning would pretty much be an impossible and most likely fruitless search. The human dynamic portion to what I am saying plays off the idea of how felt that Earth is the center of the universe, whether we like it or not our basic instinct is to just think that Earth is bigger than everything. Because what would we ever see that is bigger than Earth? Which is why Earth being far in the for front with nothing at all comparing in size because the size represents how humans think we are dominant overall and feel as though we and our planet are untouchable and that anything can really be done with no consequences. As you see here however the effects on the Earth are very evident. The way the image is scaled shows the subtle details that Radulescu threw in there to send the full message of the issue. Scale allows for a far more up close analyzation of the image and what it means, the lack of this presence would leave the image too open for interpretation without much detail to assess what is really going on. 

Radulescu’s work goes about using color and contrast in a somewhat normal way, but it is intricle to the functionality of the illustration and the meaning it has. The manner in which she gets her cone to pop and be the absolute focal point of the piece is making it the only color in the entire work. The background of space and just a few stars enables the rest of the work to speak for itself with little other unnecessary distractions that may throw the viewer off from what she wants to convey in terms of climate change. When this image is printed in black and white it immediately takes away from what makes this work so effective. Even noticing the melting of the ice cream is difficult without color. The cone and ice-cream do not have as a distinct beginning and end to them. The coloring itself is also very appropriate for her and just keeping the image simple and making the message behind the image what is memorable and not the coloring or illustration itself. I am sure that if it was flamboyantly colored and ultra-detailed the point would still make it across but would it be as effective? I really do not believe it would because you would focus on the art, not so much the message when, at least in this case, it should be the opposite of that sentiment. 

The final feature that plays a major influence on what the meaning is of Radulescu’s picture is unity and not only the literal unity within the picture but the unity represented beyond the picture. What struck me about unity and how it pertains to this picture is that even though climate change is present everywhere there are areas that are effected a lot more than others so with the artist still depicting the planet melting as one instead of small sections that are truly effected helped with the message of the image. Which brings up the point once again that simplicity is bliss, Radulescu does way more with way less and it works out very nicely. For the literal unity, well that is somewhat obvious in terms the ice cream and its cone and how this image would not work what so ever if either one was not present. Also though the unity of everything, not just the Earth and cone but the Earth, the blackness of the rest of the galaxy, the stars, the sun, all of it. It all makes up the environment together that gives us this imagine and this unity is also what gives the viewer a strong understanding of what this image means. Out of the four terms this is the one that may not have all the in depth and meaning behind it. But what it lacks in depth it makes up for in broadness and how important it is for this feature to be somewhat broad because the terms are unity and if it does not encapsulate the entire essences that is this image and this message then it is not doing its job. The image just does not have the same kick to it if unity is not functioning or present.  

Radulescu and her illustration “Climate Change” go about showing climate change and condemning it in a rather unique way. This work and how effective it is at conveying its message could not have been down without the prominent features of unity, shape, color/contrast and scale which supported and where the main reasons why the image worked in the way it did. The simplicity of a cartoon-like illustration, yet the fact it came straight after the topic and really said a lot with a little led this to being a very effective picture. An image that leaves you thinking about the topic of climate change and the environment in general and what will be done about this ongoing and current issue. 
