In the mid of 2018, I grieved that I could not finish my masters in the minimum time frame of two years, and only completed my masters in 2020.
During the difficult period, I heard Unwell from Matchbox Twenty. I remember listening to the song in the past and it brought back memories. The lyrics reflect my state of mind, and I create this photo manipulation.
Year
- 2018
Scope
- Photo Manipulation
Tools
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe Photoshop
02. Approach
I took time off from my research and put this song on a loop. I search for relevant images from Unsplash and combined them.
I remember I wanted the girl to touch the realistic wallpaper. While we can observe wallpaper as 2D, but the train passing by gives an illusion of reality. Perhaps, that was the train of unmet expectations, failed dreams, and changing relationships. The train appears to be moving on to the next destination as while the girl appeared to be stuck in her place.
Sometimes, we do get stuck when something unexpected happens. Therefore, we need to grieve of the loss in order to move on.
03. Challenges
I had to overcome my inner critic. I was wondering if I could do a photo manipulation since I did not touch Adobe Photoshop. I was also struggling to get certain lighting correct for this piece, but I decided I will just come up with the concept and complete it.
04. Final Thoughts
I penned these thoughts on Instagram:
Since I have ‘failed’ in life, I mustered my courage to open up about my struggles on ig a few months ago.
It was cathartic, and this piece helped me to process my emotions, which helped me to seek the help that I truly need.