Visual Representations of Phobias
3D Posters
For my Bachelor's Degree in Graphic Design I decided to explore a more unconventional topic, a side of human psychology that is not fully understood yet, the topic of Fear. Phobias represent undetected aspects that affect our everyday life, they can be common (fear of animals) or more complex (fear of wide crowded spaces). Most phobias can be kept under control, but some require professional assistance (the first step in curing a phobia is admitting its existence and identifying its causes).
My work consists of 10 posters each dedicated to a different phobia. They present the world as it is seen through the eyes of the phobic.
1. Achluophobia is the fear of darkness. The person who is affected by it is terribly afraid of the imagined dangers that might lurk in the dark. This phobia can be influenced by fear of ghosts, monsters, demons, etc.
2. Asymmetriphobia is the fear of asymmetry, of unbalanced objects and compositions. It is often encountered in methodical persons who end up developing a phobia for chaos, disorder and irregular arrangements.
3. Hyalophobia means fear of glass. People affected by it are afraid that they are in danger of swallowing pieces of glass. This phobia is based on the fear of getting cut or being injured by pieces of broken glass.
4. Myrmecophobia is the fear of ants. People that suffer from this phobia become anxious or get sick at the thought of ants. They feel powerless in front of an imagined infestation, thinking of the unpleasant feeling of their tiny dirty legs walking all over their body.
5. Pediophobia is the fear of dolls. It is based on the fear of inanimate objects with human aspect which are seen as having destructive and evil intentions.
6. Pogonophobia is the fear of beards. It is a real phobia which can start in early childhood if the person suffering from pogonophobia was scared by or had any traumatic experiences caused by a bearded person. This phobia is also associated with fear of lack of hygiene.
7. Sesquipedalophobia means fear of long words. It affects people that are afraid of reading, especially in public. It is associated with lack of education and embarrassment caused by the impossibility to pronounce a certain word.
8. Symmetriphobia refers to symmetry and fear of balanced proportions. In extreme cases, those affected by this phobia can isolate themselves completely from society and are unable to function properly in a symmetrical world.
9. Telephonophobia is the irrational and exaggerated fear of telephones (receiving and dialing). It is considered to be a form of social phobia or a social anxiety problem.
10. Triskaidekaphobia is the fear of the number 13. It comes from the Greek ”tris” - three, ”kai” - and, ”deka” - ten. It is generally based on superstitions.
