Drawing inspiration from the melancholic and longing tone of Conan Gray's "People Watching," I delved into the text to understand its emotions and themes. The text, in my opinion, evoked a sense of sadness and longing, which became the core inspiration for the illustration series. By immersing myself in the text, I aimed to visually interpret the complex range of emotions experienced during the act of people-watching.
The illustrations employed a minimalist approach, utilizing simple line work to capture the essence of each scene. This allowed the emotions and themes to take center stage, as the simplicity of the line work emphasized the raw emotions being conveyed. The watercolor backgrounds played a crucial role in enhancing the atmosphere, with colors representing rain, tears, or even blood, depending on the text. These backgrounds served as visual metaphors, intensifying the emotional impact of each illustration.
The illustration series aimed to portray the inherent longing and a range of feelings that accompany the act of people-watching. Through careful composition and choice of symbols, the illustrations evoked a sense of envy, sadness, shame, and other deep emotions. By incorporating elements that resonated with the text, I created visuals that intensified the connection between the viewer and the emotional landscape depicted in the book.
In this illustration series for the "People Watching" book assignment, I sought to visually capture the longing and complex emotions present in the text. Through simple linework and watercolor backgrounds symbolizing rain, tears, or even blood, I aimed to convey the sadness and introspection inherent in the act of people-watching. By portraying a range of emotions, the illustrations invited viewers to connect with and reflect upon their own experiences of longing and observation of others.
