“I Am Design,” is a generational, illustrative exploration, in short.
The driving question behind it is whether a person can be a communication as well as a communicator. Can a person, no matter their age or wealth of life-experience, be visually represented through a reflective illustration?
It is theorized that graphic design and fine arts are related but are not mutually exclusive extensions of one another. Communication is the key to successful graphic design, alongside aesthetic value. In essence, graphic design is a visual representation with a purpose. It is created with a story or idea driving it, and ‘good design,’ is design that can be read and understood. In this exploration, the ‘story,’ behind the graphic design is not traditional. It isn’t about selling or displaying a product. It’s not about promoting or showcasing a place, object or a brand. It’s not designed to catch the consumers interest, but purely to tell the story of a person and what has made them, and continues to make them, into the person they are.
The subjects for this exploration range in age, from young children all the way up to retired grand-parents. The purpose of this choice of subjects is to illustrate growth. While the driving thought behind the explorative nature and illustrative personas is the
reflection of an individual, it is important to map the growth of character and what defines such, in humankind as a whole. By selecting people from a range of age groups, their illustrations and stories offer insight into how we grow as a person. The mind of a child is vastly different from that of an adult, and the journey between these points in life is complex and character-building.
