Illustration | Storytelling - Duration 5 Weeks
People Peopling
A celebration of relationships.
The Brief.
People Peopling is a narrative illustration that investigates the human condition and celebrates people of all backgrounds. The subjects visualize found family, with their likenesses captured through a literal lens in an annual trip to a photo booth. It denotes the passage of time with a snapshot that captures unposed expression. Dreamy colors represent a memory that is already partially faded as time moves with and without you in a singular moment.
Ideating - From places to things that unify people.
When drafting initial impressions to the project, I began exploring ways that people show up in the world. The first of which, is in physical presentation. I wondered about how one person might show up in the world within many situations (images 1 and 2), and then how different people have their own spin on the same outfit (images 3 and 4). But, what was missing was the reason that brought them all together in this particular moment.
Creating the story.
Visually, togetherness is most apparent with clothing, which led to the question of why a group would share a common outfit. To answer this question of situational context, I referenced a vivid memory of a family trip to a photography studio.
For those in the group, I chose a range of kids from varying ages and ethnicities, a found family, and created a narrative about their shared experience. Most importantly, I wanted the characters to feel real and connected to each other through narrative and shared looks.
Final touches.
The final touch was to personalize every character through name and unique signatures. A name, and the way that it is written are very personal, and offer a deeper look into the character’s inner worlds. By making themselves familiar to the audience, I wanted their story to create a feeling of connection.
