Briny Seas from A to Z is an Oceanographythemed card set designed to educate and inspire curiosity about the oceans. The set takes the audience through the entire alphabet, with each letter representing a unique term from the field of Oceanography, accompanied by a corresponding illustration. Having spent much of my life near the water; whether swimming, paddleboarding, or fishing; I've always felt a deep sense of wonder and excitement. This project was created to share that passion and appreciation for the ocean with others.

The research process was a valuable experience in itself. Oceanography is so rich with a vast array of terminology that I found it challenging to select the terms for each letter of the alphabet.

Mood Board

What Is It?

Sketches

I knew I wanted to include illustrations on my cards from the beginning, but how I went about doing so without distracting from the typography was where I found myself juggling back and forth between ideas. I finally arrived at the decision of making the illustrations a darker hue and lowering the opacity so it's there, but not jumping at your face while reading. The effect I chose also causes the illustrations to appear as if they're underwater.

Color Palette

I chose a color palette of blue and coral, along with their respective hues, to represent water and coral reefs; elements that immediately come to mind when I think of oceanography. Each card is color-coded based on its content, some marine life terms, such as squid or krill, are depicted in coral, while blue is reserved for topics related to aquatic elements, including species like tuna, and scientific terms associated with weather, ocean currents, and storm surges.

Illustrations

Card Examples

Box Variations

Production