Between 1 The Devil & the Deep Blue Sea Project 2 | 4.5 Weeks
2
3
4
5
“There are only two industries that call their customers ‘users’: illegal drugs and software.” Edward Tufte 6
So, what leads to compulsive social 7 media use, isolation and depression? This project asks you to explore links between the use of social media and mental health. How is our notion of self anchored in a society that is not defined by boundaries be they physical or moral? What does a like really mean? How do we perceive our significance and define success? Options: 1. Documentative approach A short film or video (1-3 minutes) or an illustrated editorial article (or brochure) documenting an experience of depression, anxiety or isolation as a consequence of compulsive social media usage. Note that you need to approach this topic with great caution. Offer anonymity, and treat sensitive information with care. 2. Awareness approach An awareness campaign to be delivered through a series of posters, adverts, or - as ironically as it may sound - through social media. Mental illness is often perceived as a taboo subject in Asia. Being a culture less inclined to express our emotions, the fear of being judged, often stops people from sharing and seeking help. The three main areas to overcome the stigma are: awareness, care and prevention. 3. Charity identity Your third option is to create a visual identity for a charity who is either involved in the support of people with mental health issues, and/or engaged in the prevention of mental health issues.
12 Oct: First meeting Week 00: Unpacking the brief 8Initial idea from brief I got when I was about to sleep: Embracing the idea of groups with mental disabilities. Being proud & owning it (branding type of project with different sub groups in mind?) - Step one is acknowledging i’m part of this group Steps to take when I get home: 1. Mental health groups 2. Re-read brief 3. See the market - whats out there for mental health campaigns. Continuing with ideas from the top of my head: “I am part of this group & I am proud of it” “I own it, i’m part of it” “This is my identity” OR Promoting the idea of owning it & enjoying the process of growing, all about trusting the process and having a mindset of “never a victim of what I face”
Chrissie’s Discussion: Things to watch: *Do you have a pet peeve? (Can it be used for this topic?) *Connected: surveillance (Talks about the Tinder aspect) “You have the responsibility on how to make them strategically *The social dilemma above average than the rest” *Michael Moore: Bowling for columbine Intention Action (Intention drives your positioning) 9 Attaining fulfillment through the process IKIGAI Figuring out what drives your audience & using your skillset to help sway them. Inspiration Manipulation What is wrong with them? Figuring out the perspective: Tension which eyes are you looking from? - Growth centric - Comfort centric (victim mentality “why is this happening to me?” Identity is the label we give ourselves. Giving things that are unknown to us a label so we can categorise them.
15 Oct: Consult w Chrissie Week 00: First consultation! Strategic objective (in the scenario of a science fair) Objective: what is your purpose? What do you want your promotion to do? 1. Awareness 2. Sales Do you want to generate more Who are your stakeholders? interest / love for science? What’ll help you generate leads? 10 Starting from taboo Asian culture has a lot of Idea 1: catching up to do. Traditions and To get people to eat more culture in our Asian society - vitamins? “Choi” mentality. Idea 2: *The minute we start shunning Instead of paying for vitamins something, it’s shameful and not / anti-depressants, just use supposed to be talked about it. natural remedies: sunlight, water, Unlike the flu, we understand fertiliser. it, but mental illness, we can’t see it hence the natural reaction Idea 3: from people is seeing it as an Helping designers with mental intangible sickness. illness problems Interesting fact: Research has discovered that mental illness can be cured / fixed with vitamin C, D and magnesium. People don;t have the balanced chemicals, it’s a chain reaction - it’s a complex strategy.
1 hr aftn sess w Chrissie Week 00: Missed this but Val recorded! 3 Levels of learning 2. Emotional 3. Identity Eg. “I know smoking isn’t good Eg. I don’t smoke 1. Intellectual but I don’t quit” until my kids = Your mantra - what Doing your research actually tell me they don’t like it you identify with. *Knowing but not doing = not (Now you’re emotionally tied in) doing at all *Committing to learning Egoistic Labels 11 Creatives, our identity, the capes we put on The problem about these rules, owning an identity is placing ourselves in some type of category / giving ourselves a certain set of rules to act by. Eg. An entrepreneur = I need to be successful and have loads of cash in my bank. These then becomes my rule set & hence in the case of many designers, we suffer from imposter syndrome.
Egoic Label = Identity Egoic labels are Identity is nothing our identity we without intention. tell ourselves Your action - not (unconscious effort faking it till you make that we are unaware) it but instead, owning your intention. I am _________________. This is a very powerful phrase. The words that I put after I am, are the words that define me. Apart from my name (that was given to me by my parents), what identity am I gonna dress myself with? 12 I am a designer~ You won’t catch yourself saying this or boasting to your parents. This can be claimed as your egoic label as you have the ability to put on and off labels hence you need to be sure & comfortable with who you are! Who am I?
Big Brain Time T^T Week 01: Thinking about the direction Strategic objective: For ad campaign You are a designer not an artist You need to know your target What is your design solving? audience, not broad brush strokes - make sure it is researched away. Answering from their voice - Have a strategic approach their words, the anxiety and pain - Have a strategic objective! points (in business terms - what is the problem?) What is the pain point form their POV? What problem does your campaign fix? What is the design problem? *Research & thoughts from show: Bojack Horseman* 13 Miller cites a scene in the first half of season six where Diane, played by Alison Brie, questions whether or not to go on antidepressants, as she worries she will lose her creativity as a writer. “There are people who don’t seek mental health treatment because they worry it will affect their ability to be creative,” said Miller. The sixth episode of season four, “Stupid Piece of Shit,” is another highlight of representation. It is so named for Bojack’s internal monologue as he goes throughout his day. The self-loathing mantra is very familiar to those who currently or have suffered from depression, like myself. One of the shows strengths is that it never tries to come up with an easy answer for any of these problems, because frankly, there isn’t.
Potential topic on Toxic Positivity? Dealing with Toxic Positivity Invalidating the real hardships 1. Acknowledging your emotions faced during this time. - Avoiding = prolonging the discomfort Why is it especially hard right now? 2. Recognising toxic positivity (The pressure to be productive?) messages “I started a side hustle!” - Words that dismiss genuine “So productive today!” emotions eg. If positivity is the best way to Hence people who don’t cope go, that’s problematic with stress by being busy = increase in depression & anxiety. 3. Reminders “It’s ok not to be ok.” 4. Being aware of social media - What is portrayed online is not always the truth but a consolidated effort of what people want you to see of them 14 Ikigai 5. Realism - Do not jump on your emotions What you love Passion Mission What Ikigai What the you’re world good at needs Profession Vocation What you can be paid for
Current situation for P2 15 Research Inspiration is with one of my favourite shows: Bojack Horseman.
16Let’s focus on: Diane Herself as a creative Specifically, her “I am scared to take anti- struggles with depressants because it makes depression, and the me unproductive” Diane states search of her value. as she writes her book (Ep: Good Damage) Relationship with Mr. Peanutbutter - Self-doubt the constant thought She wants to beautify her trauma of “am I broken?” (inner turmoil and being on anti depressants of questioning the fault for has suppressed that hence she certain things) says “I have to go to a dark place” to evoke emotion and write. Process depicted in show: Brutal lows vs fantastic highs Dialogue between princess - A process. Despite having carouline and Diane about progress, there are moments writing her book: where growth / healing is halted. But then she gets back on the D: “I’m not writing a book to have journey of self acceptance. fun. If I don’t write my book of Recognition: How her past led essays now, I never will.” her to where she is PC: “So? Don’t write your book of essays” D: “I have to! Because if I don’t, that means that all the damage i have isn’t good damage, its just damage. I haven’t gotten anything out of it.”
In response, Princess Carolyn gently (and probably correctly) suggests that Ivy Tran, Food Court Detective (the book Diane did not want to write about) will do more to help and inspire little girls like Diane than a bleak, harrowing memoir ever could. But Diane’s question still hangs in the air: What was it for? The sad and powerful answer is that trauma, on its own, doesn’t really have any meaning. The meaning comes from the way each individual survives it and, in the end, learns how to grow both through it and past it. And if she never puts out a memoir that distills all those hard-won lessons into a single coherent package — well, it’s a good thing her life itself does the same thing. 17
Monday: Illustration w Jon Week 02: Split into specialty groups Subgroups: Echo Chamber Pick up 3 areas Do your research - Reinforcing their own Pick your favourite perspectives: Having only one way to do things. Due to the way the algorithm, we are being fed the ideas we say yes to (An echo chamber) other people feeding your same ideas or confirmation biased. The idea of authenticity - what is authentic on social media now? 18 What is the impact of social media on 1. Pick themes & areas out creative work? (breakdown into 2 parts) - What is it saying? If you’re to Continue looking deeper condense it down to a line, what about the things you’ve been would it say? researching all about! - Any general points? (Keywords / quotes / phrases) To future Nina: watch social dilemma!!! 2. A working statement - Can be an initial image 2-3- sketches next week - Can be a description on a quote Starting with the human head. - First image that you think of (v Can be more literal first. literal, will probably feel flat) Portrait of the human condition - what will be the traits? 3. Find a metaphor The you move on to adding and - The big picture metaphor subtracting from the image! eg Children’s riddles Social media deepens due Minimum: A3 size - 300 DPI, for to algorithm - it’s a gradual organic work: always bigger. addictive seemingly harmless. Vignette - illustration without hard outline or frame.
Metaphors can be found with science, popular culture and literature. How can you make the audience ask questions, uncomfortable situations but not in a literal way. - Mythology - Philosophy - History - Popular culture - Science - Religion - Literature 23 Triggers Subtract Disguise 19 Repeat Hybrid Add Contradict Transfer Parody Animate Prevaricate Superimpose Analogies Change or Empathize score Substitute Fragment Distort
References to check out Week 02: Artists to look up (from Jon) Editorial: More abstract approach: Dave Mckean - Jack Unruh (organic Arkem Asylum water colour ish) Digital: 20 Wisnu Tan Darren Tan (Wraithdt) Cellar FCP (Hong Other artists: Kong illustrator) James Victorie Moon patrol art Limbert Fabian Mark Ryden (Satirical) (Matt Conningham)
Dave Mckean Moon Patrol - Matt Conningham 21 Desmond Wong (Art station) Mark Ryden (Satricical)
22 Notes from Social Dilemma
23
Ideation Week 02: Thinking (Coffee not included) process begins... 241. Bad leadership on social media - weaponising it. Comparing how weapons were initially used in mind to protect but now they’re associated to kill, harm and attack. Purpose: A wake up call to realise that something must be done. TA: To people in power (perhaps can choose a person to specifically attack?) The beauty of social media is that there are no rules, hence there is not that much control hence it can take another turn and become detrimental too. Trends spotted on social media: - Heightened sensitivity - Raised exposure of topics - A disruption of daily lives Examples of failure in leadership: - Lebanon ship explosion [Beirut explosion] They think they’re doing good but it’s at the expanse of others. Target their 2am problem.
2. Toxic Positivity 25 TA: creatives - Comic depicting the process of how people fall victim to toxic positivity? - Objective: to raise awareness about this phenomenon Forming a happy dystopia which will ultimately crumble (this is a symbol of toxic positivity) ^ Emotions are undermined. A superficial type of ‘solution’. Like ‘hey positive vibes only!” Solving anxiety of pent up emotions, un-expressed feelings. While many of us use social media as a way of keeping in touch with other people, for younger generations it’s all about curating a self-image. It’s a way for teenagers to present an idealised version of themselves to the world and stay connected with their peers. But overexposure to social media can bring about strong feelings of isolations, inadequacy, dissatisfaction, envy, and self- centeredness (De Choudhury, Gamon, Counts, & Horvitz, 2013). Not only that, but social media also creates a culture of constant distraction that teenagers escape to when they feel bored, lonely, or upset which stunts their emotional growth and keeps them from developing healthy coping mechanisms and mental resilience (White, 2013). *Questioning a sense of reflection Focusing on the fact that you are enough Awareness Action (mindset change) #Significance
22 Oct: Consult w Chrissie Week 03: Consultationssssssss What is your original thoughts? You have to research and go Roll over effect wide, and then go into things - Family that are actually similar and see what is that connecting biased - Social (an assumption) - then test the assumption. Listening with biasness due to - Economy different life experience and whatever that comes out, there is What you lack, the gift you’ve already an interpretation to that never received & then you give insight - in a different way. it to someone else after you’ve learnt it. Everyone thinks they’re Comfort centric experience: lacking something. How do you Validation from others, life is bottle self-worth? unfair to me boo hoo. 26 Life gave you a pair of dumb Being comfortable with ‘I am bells, the idea of growth and _________’. contribution. Idea: #IOTD - identity of the day Toxic positivity playing on the idea of #OOTD = Temporary happiness You choose that ID. ‘This is mine’. When people are sad, they like No one chose it for you. to give cryptic messages. Eg ranting on social media ‘Cheer up’ ‘It’ll be ok’
26 Oct: More consults Week 03: Consultationssssssss Lesson w Jon Consult with Mike - Find a fun way to do a metaphor - Using articles (in newspaper) to ^ If it’s complicated - do create metaphors something big [A2] - so you’re Tarot card format? (fortune telling able to add elements. -depicting how you should feel) - A3-A4: Golden rule - Changing the notion of Tarot Final result vs artwork cards (using this is a nice *Never draw something small and metaphor), re-iterating the fact then increase in size* but instead of reflection. - Positivity is seen in a toxic way Tarot Card -However, is there any other way 27 Moodboard inspos: or forms into telling the future besides tarot cards? - Paradoxical warning (not all positive thinking will lead to something good) - Pointing out the toxic aspect *Tibor Kalman (illustrator) - perspective optimist - Create a name or definition for the ‘tarot cards’ so don’t need to associate it with tarot cards.
More references: George Tooker (Government Bureau) Elias Kafouros Edward Hopper (Dealing with topics on solitude) 28 Neil Webb Roderick Mills Went on to later influence: Mr. Bingo
Ideation: Execution stage Week 03: Planning execution illustration 1. Juxtaposition - theatrical masks Meaning: Happy on the outside, struggling inside. “Sad” outside, contented inside - Masks: used to express various emotional states? 2. Symbolism - the poison tree The poison tree 29 [literary text] I was angry with my friend; Manchineel tree - fruit: little I told my wrath, my wrath did apple of death [Spanish] end. ‘pleasantly sweet’ but the I was angry with my foe: aftermath results in excruciating I told it not, my wrath did grow. pain. And I watered it in fears, Manchineel tree: Night & morning with my tears: Most poisonous tree And I sunned it with smiles, And with soft deceitful wiles. And it grew both day and night. Till it bore an apple bright. And my foe beheld it shine, And he knew that it was mine. And into my garden stole, When the night had veil the pole; In the morning glad I see; My foe outstretched beneath the tree.
30 3. Symbolism - Epicurus [Greek Philosopher Meaning: Showcasing a happy dystopia that will ultimately crumble. Eudaimonia: a contented state of being happy dystopia which will ultimately crumble. Zeno thought that happiness was a ‘good flow of life’
Project Summary Week 03: Typing this to not get confused Tutor: Mike & Jon 31 Topic: Effects of social media on our mental health Angle (Big Idea): Warning people about toxic positivity - positivity isn’t always good, it becomes toxic Tone of voice: Paradoxical Target Audience: Youth (my generation) Message: Are you actually aware of this? Consultation from Chrissie: - Quality and disqualify audience What do you want your audience to see and do? What do you want to say to your target audience? “I have to stay positive” - the story of staying positive all the way. Icon of positivity, symbol of happiness. What cultural icons do you want to make fun of? What we aspire to be in comics - the pretty bond, positive vibes in comics only but not irl. It’s fake. 1. Unconscious incompetence (Idk what I’m not good at) 2. Conscious incompetence (I know that I’m not good at it “not cut out for it”) 3. Conscious competence (I know what i don’t know but I’m trying to get it right) 4. Unconscious competence
Beginning of Execution Week 03: Hustle hustle time! 32 A series of 3 illustrations for my final execution, I started off with the idea #1 of using masks to demonstrate the idea of toxic positivity. Where on the happy mask, its paired with a body in pain. Whereas the sad mask is paired with a happy carefree body. This was to tell people to look beyond the surface. What we show is often not what we are truly feeling.
33 Idea #2 Taking inspiration from the poison tree poem by William blake, the illustration features one of the most poisonous fruits on earth - from the manchineel tree. As a metaphor of toxic positivity and even one bite (or a small exposure to the phenomenon) can be detrimental.
34 Idea #3 The last illustration features the bust of Epicurus, crumbling. Eg how people portrays themselves as constantly happy but are actually breaking from the inside. The idea of Eudaimonia (saying by Epicurus) about happiness and using this as a notion towards toxic positivity and how it will affect you.
Last consultation Week 04: Oh no Last consultation with Chrissie 35 “Why do I...?” - Shutting out - Putting up a front (of being constantly happy) ^ These are all starting points of feeling like shit How about thinking: “let me work at my level first” *It’s important to have access to the root cause of your problem - eg what are you solving? *Using this as an example - creating a narrative *Where do we see Greek philosophy coming from? - Statues of the Greeks? ^ Forced respect ^ Physical manifestation kinda thing - What does this represent [what are you trying to say] Mashing idea #1 (masks) & #3 (Epicurus bust) - Cracks on Epicurus bust - Illustration / animation of a exaggerated smiling face (to show extreme emotions) Facade of face starts to crumble Perhaps can be applied like how the US presidents faces are carved into the sides of the cliff - SG context, carved into CBD building? Something with high reverence? -MBS -Bukit timah hill? Feedback on tarot card idea: - Love language doesn’t match with asian experience, tarot cards bank too much on their history, it’s a easy way out to just use the design and connotation that tarot cards already have due to their history.
Continuing Execution... Week 04: Drawing in progress... Verdict after consultation: 36 The initial idea of using 3 tarot cards as a warning towards toxic positivity (different scenarios of toxic positivity) wasn’t well received. ^ Tarot cards and their association behind it, using the connotations & all is not relevant to Singapore culture and you’re just banking on the whole idea and notion that tarot cards already hold. Alternative approach: - Warning posters - Hazardous posters - Hazardous bottle labels
1. Manchineel Ointment 37 Poster 1: Manchineel Ointment To minic warning labels on bottles like in the olden days Apply on ears, relives daily where toxic liquids were labeled. worries momentarily. The instructions / usage explains Side effects; Aggression, the illustration of the manchineel repressed emotions and amnesia. fruit and its connection to toxic positivity where as the application and side effects directly tally with what entails toxic positivity.
2. Eudaimonia Drop 38 Poster 2: Eudaimonia Drops For this, the illustration showcases how toxic positivity Application: 2-3 drops in eyes is, or when people see others in daily. (Relieves impression of the positively toxic state, hence others ) the denial, how people portray a perfect state of themselves but Side effects: Denial, self-conflict they are crumbling on the inside. and agitation. The use of Epicurus and the Eudaimonia phenomenon to showcase the effects of toxic positivity.
Final 39 Outcome: Mental health is often seen as a taboo in our asian society. We often shun away from it and harbor feelings of shame towards it as if it’s something not to be talked about. This project focuses on covering the phenomenon: toxic positivity as it is a rampant subject matter which I feel should be talked about. If I could sum up the state of mind people who are victims of this phenomenon face, it’ll be “a happy dystopia which will ultimately crumble” My final posters consist of the effects toxic positivity has on people using metaphors such as a manchineel fruit and bust of the Greek philosopher Epicurus. They act as symbols for the phenomenon, representing toxic state of minds people have.
Crit Feedback Week 04: Feedback from Mike & Shirley 40
Adaptations after crit Week ??: Needa start thinking for WIP T^T After the feedback, I wanted to adapt it to make it into a packaging project, using these warning labels on potential medicine bottles. 41
42 Feedback (after WIP) Industry feedback: Feedback from Jon: Instead of such big bottles, what Interms of illustration aspect, if you use little ointment bottles the feel seems mis-matched, as instead? Mimicking viles of I’m using the feel of that period poison, slated to give you joy but and era of time (they didn’t have instead it slowly kills you. It can such bright colours) be presented in small exquisite sizes instead. - desaturate - Play with contrast Bank it on something as easy - Use wood type instead as a means of joy, like as easy (Check out dave smith) as popping a pill. TA should be * Keep in mind the type of emotionally vulnerable people, technology used during that they buy into the fantasy the period in time. best and you tell them the ‘easiest’ way to get positivity.
More adaptations: Week ??: For Summative Coffee time (Part 1932817) Re-worked on the illustration of Epicurus after illustration workshop with Jon. (Removed the hard outlines and played around more with shadows and colour blocking) 43
Shopping list + Research List Week ??: zzz almost done Went on shopee to get the bottles (got a 5ml one initially but it was too small so I had to rebuy a 10ml one) 44 I also begin searching on instruction & warning labels based on those leaflets of paper you get in medicine boxes with the serum and creams.
45 Moodboard I really liked this font --> But I couldn’t find a free version D:
Manual Execution Week ??: Making up the warnings 46 I crafted and came up with the warning label for the bottle after referencing a few manuals and how to use instruction sheets. This is the final execution!
Box Execution Thought I’d make a dark and light version for the drops for packaging variations. 47 After test printing, I realised that the locking mechanism was wrong so I had to redo it :’D
Final Box Week ??: Hurray!!! 48
49
50 It is FINISHED. Well well well, this brief was definitely one of my favourite ones to embark on and it really got me excited after hearing the feedback and possible routes I could bring the project to - such as packaging. Perhaps after graduation I can potentially make this into a range of products to address the issue of Toxic Positivity! But until then, it’s time for some rest.
Search
