Description Training - Describe an image

One of the most important features of fictional or fantasy books is the scenario description. One good way to practice is to describe scenarios that you can see, or images easy to follow, to only later start to describe what is on your mind more easily. In this post, I'll describe a picture:

The effects of pollution in the environment are a highly discussed topic nowadays, and with a simple research you can find numerous debates, action programs, or sustainable events. Nonetheless, the reason for this lot of concern might not be so clear at first glance, as the consequences do not directly impact everyone's routine. It can, therefore, turn out to be quite hard to relate a material that was not properly discarded with the death of a turtle, or even the sludge in the local stream with the fat spilled into your sink months ago.

The major issue that this type of gradual damage brings is self-explanatory: it is gradual. This causes individuals not to fully understand the long-term consequences of their actions. Human beings, the so-called rational species, the ones that can understand the past to better the future, are apparently making a very reckless use of this capability. The picture being described sets this idea of extrapolating into the environment's future, according to today's consumption rate.

iStock. Conceito Eco.

The image shows, as its central object, a globe cut in half horizontally, which takes up almost the entire frame of the picture. The portion of our planet that is normally depicted as the Earth's inner layers was replaced by a flat surface to become the base where the scenario is held. The image is further divided in half, this time vertically, to visually demonstrate both the Earth as it is today, on the left side, and the way the artist imagines it will become, on the right side.

The bright blue sky on the left side of the image reminds us of the vibrancy and joy we expect from summer days. Additionally, fluffy white clouds create a comforting coverage for the many cities' buildings and constructions. The green portion of the planet grows in harmony with the gray that was added to it, outlining their base. Fields of grass extending in front of the constructions have been used for sustainable energy production systems. Beyond, there is a lake, right in the middle of the field, providing a harmonious final detail for a complete and functional system.

The right portion of the picture, however, is devastated. The oceans have gone dry, which made the Earth crack like a dry lip. The vivid green has been replaced with brown shades, areas of deforestation, and the lake no longer exists. Now, instead of outstanding buildings, the image depicts three rocky mountains, placed in a row. The one in the middle, bigger than the rest, is emitting black smoke, while the other two are emitting white smoke. The clouds are now represented as grayish-brown, matching the dirty-looking sky. Devastation takes place in all parts of the right side.