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My prototype is 14 pages total, not including the cover.  In conjunction with the storybook theme, I decided to add texts to backdrop the “story”, which are excerpts form Bob Dylan’s poem “Last Thoughts on Woodie Guthrie”. The text isn’t meant to illustrate the art or vice versa, but on a level they echo each other.  Its purpose is to engage the reader, whereas the visuals would merely entertain.  I don’t expect anyone to read these (yet), but just for the record: (following the numbering in the photos) page 2: When your head gets twisted and your mind grows numb
 When you think you’re too old, too young, too smart or too dumb If the wind got you sideways it’s one hand holdin’ on
 And the other starts slippin’ and the feelin’ is gone And your sun-decked desert and evergreen valleys
 Turn to broken down slums and trash-can alleys And your minutes of sun turn to hours of storm
 An’ to yourself you sometimes say 
”I never knew it was gonna be this way
 Why didn’t they tell me the day I was born?” page 3: And you start gettin’ chills and you’re jumpin’ from sweat And you’re lookin’ for somethin’ you ain’t quite found yet And there’s something on your mind that you wanna be sayin’ That somebody someplace oughta be hearin’ 
But it’s trapped on your tongue, sealed in your head 
And it bothers you badly when your layin’ in bed And your eyes get swimmy from the tears in your head
 An’ your pillows of feathers turn to blankets of lead page 4a: You say to yourself just what am I doin’
 On this road I’m walkin’, on this trail I’m turnin’ On this pathway I’m strollin’, this space I’m taking
 And this air I’m inhaling?
 Am I mixed up too much, am I mixed up too hard
 Why am I walking, where am I running What am I saying, what am I knowing  In this ocean of hours I’m all the time drinking 
Who am I helping, what am I breaking
 What am I giving, what am I taking? page 4b: But you try with your whole soul best
 Never to think these thoughts and never to let
 Them kind of thoughts gain ground 
Or make your heart pound
 But then again you know when they’re around 
Just waiting for a chance to slip and drop down 
’Cause sometimes you hear ‘em when the night time come creeping And you fear they might catch you sleeping
 And you jump from your bed, from the last chapter of dreamin’ And you can’t remember for the best of your thinkin’ 
If that was you in the dream that was screaming spread 5: And you know that’s somethin’ special you’re needin’
 And you know there’s no drug that’ll do for the healing
 And no liquor in the land to stop your brain from bleeding You need somethin’ special You need a fast flyin’ train on a tornado track To shoot you someplace and shoot you back
 You need a cyclone wind on a stream engine howler
 That’s been banging and booming and blowing forever
 That knows your troubles a hundred times over You need a Greyhound bus that don’t bar no race 
That won’t laugh at your looks Your voice or your face page 6: You need something to open up a new door
 To show you something you seen before
 But overlooked a hundred times or more
 You need something to open your eyes
 You need something to make it known 
That it’s you and no one else that owns 
That spot that you’re standing, that space that you’re sitting
 That the world ain’t got you beat It can’t get you crazy no matter how many times you might get kicked  page 7: You need something special, all right
 You need something special to give you hope
 But hope’s just a word
 That maybe you said, maybe you heard
 On some windy corner ‘round a wide-angled curve spread 8: And it ain’t in the marshmallow noises of the chocolate cake voices That come knocking and tapping in Christmas wrapping 
Sayin’ ain’t I pretty and ain’t I cute, look at my skin, 
Look at my skin shine, look at my skin glow,
 Look at my skin laugh, look at my skin cry,
 When you can’t even sense if they got any insides
 These people so pretty in their ribbons and bows
 No, you’ll not now or no other day
 Find it on the doorsteps made of paper maché 
And inside of the people made of molasses
 That every other day buy a new pair of sunglasses
 And it ain’t in the fifty-star generals and flipped-out phonies
 Who’d turn you in for a tenth of a penny
 Who breathe and burp and bend and crack
 And before you can count from one to ten
 Do it all over again but this time behind your back, my friend,
 The ones that wheel and deal and whirl and twirl
 And play games with each other in their sand-box world spread 9: But that’s what you need, and you need it bad And your trouble is you know it too good
 ‘Cause you look an’ you start gettin’ the chills ‘Cause you can’t find it on a dollar bill And it ain’t on Macy’s window sill
 And it ain’t on no rich kid’s road map And it ain’t made in no Hollywood wheat germ And it ain’t on that dim-lit stage
 With that half-wit comedian on it
 Rantin’ and ravin’ and takin’ your money No, you can’t find it neither in no night club, no yacht club And sure as hell you’re bound to tell 
No matter how hard you rub
 You just ain’t a-gonna find it on your ticket stub
 No, it ain’t in the rumors people’re tellin’ you
 And it ain’t in the pimple-lotion people are sellin’ you 
And it ain’t in a cardboard-box house
 Or down any movie star’s blouse
 And you can’t find it on the golf course 
And Uncle Remus can’t tell you and neither can Santa Claus
 And it ain’t in the cream puff hairdo or cotton candy clothes 
Ain’t in the dime store dummies an’ bubblegum goons page 10: And you can’t find it either in the no-talent fools
 That run around gallant
 And make all the rules for the ones that got talent 
And it ain’t in the ones that ain’t got any talent but think they do And think they’re fooling you
 The ones that jump on the wagon
 Just for a while ‘cause they know it’s in style 
To get their kicks, get out of it quick 
And make all kinds of money and chicks
 And you yell to yourself and you throw down your hat
 Saying, “Christ, do I gotta be like that? 
Ain’t there no one here that knows where I’m at
 Ain’t there no one here that knows how I feel 
Good God Almighty, that stuff ain’t real”: back cover:  No, but that ain’t your game, it ain’t your race
 You can’t hear your name, you can’t see your face
 You gotta look some other place
Zoom
My prototype is 14 pages total, not including the cover.  In conjunction with the storybook theme, I decided to add texts to backdrop the “story”, which are excerpts form Bob Dylan’s poem “Last Thoughts on Woodie Guthrie”. The text isn’t meant to illustrate the art or vice versa, but on a level they echo each other.  Its purpose is to engage the reader, whereas the visuals would merely entertain.  I don’t expect anyone to read these (yet), but just for the record: (following the numbering in the photos) page 2: When your head gets twisted and your mind grows numb
 When you think you’re too old, too young, too smart or too dumb If the wind got you sideways it’s one hand holdin’ on
 And the other starts slippin’ and the feelin’ is gone And your sun-decked desert and evergreen valleys
 Turn to broken down slums and trash-can alleys And your minutes of sun turn to hours of storm
 An’ to yourself you sometimes say 
”I never knew it was gonna be this way
 Why didn’t they tell me the day I was born?” page 3: And you start gettin’ chills and you’re jumpin’ from sweat And you’re lookin’ for somethin’ you ain’t quite found yet And there’s something on your mind that you wanna be sayin’ That somebody someplace oughta be hearin’ 
But it’s trapped on your tongue, sealed in your head 
And it bothers you badly when your layin’ in bed And your eyes get swimmy from the tears in your head
 An’ your pillows of feathers turn to blankets of lead page 4a: You say to yourself just what am I doin’
 On this road I’m walkin’, on this trail I’m turnin’ On this pathway I’m strollin’, this space I’m taking
 And this air I’m inhaling?
 Am I mixed up too much, am I mixed up too hard
 Why am I walking, where am I running What am I saying, what am I knowing  In this ocean of hours I’m all the time drinking 
Who am I helping, what am I breaking
 What am I giving, what am I taking? page 4b: But you try with your whole soul best
 Never to think these thoughts and never to let
 Them kind of thoughts gain ground 
Or make your heart pound
 But then again you know when they’re around 
Just waiting for a chance to slip and drop down 
’Cause sometimes you hear ‘em when the night time come creeping And you fear they might catch you sleeping
 And you jump from your bed, from the last chapter of dreamin’ And you can’t remember for the best of your thinkin’ 
If that was you in the dream that was screaming spread 5: And you know that’s somethin’ special you’re needin’
 And you know there’s no drug that’ll do for the healing
 And no liquor in the land to stop your brain from bleeding You need somethin’ special You need a fast flyin’ train on a tornado track To shoot you someplace and shoot you back
 You need a cyclone wind on a stream engine howler
 That’s been banging and booming and blowing forever
 That knows your troubles a hundred times over You need a Greyhound bus that don’t bar no race 
That won’t laugh at your looks Your voice or your face page 6: You need something to open up a new door
 To show you something you seen before
 But overlooked a hundred times or more
 You need something to open your eyes
 You need something to make it known 
That it’s you and no one else that owns 
That spot that you’re standing, that space that you’re sitting
 That the world ain’t got you beat It can’t get you crazy no matter how many times you might get kicked  page 7: You need something special, all right
 You need something special to give you hope
 But hope’s just a word
 That maybe you said, maybe you heard
 On some windy corner ‘round a wide-angled curve spread 8: And it ain’t in the marshmallow noises of the chocolate cake voices That come knocking and tapping in Christmas wrapping 
Sayin’ ain’t I pretty and ain’t I cute, look at my skin, 
Look at my skin shine, look at my skin glow,
 Look at my skin laugh, look at my skin cry,
 When you can’t even sense if they got any insides
 These people so pretty in their ribbons and bows
 No, you’ll not now or no other day
 Find it on the doorsteps made of paper maché 
And inside of the people made of molasses
 That every other day buy a new pair of sunglasses
 And it ain’t in the fifty-star generals and flipped-out phonies
 Who’d turn you in for a tenth of a penny
 Who breathe and burp and bend and crack
 And before you can count from one to ten
 Do it all over again but this time behind your back, my friend,
 The ones that wheel and deal and whirl and twirl
 And play games with each other in their sand-box world spread 9: But that’s what you need, and you need it bad And your trouble is you know it too good
 ‘Cause you look an’ you start gettin’ the chills ‘Cause you can’t find it on a dollar bill And it ain’t on Macy’s window sill
 And it ain’t on no rich kid’s road map And it ain’t made in no Hollywood wheat germ And it ain’t on that dim-lit stage
 With that half-wit comedian on it
 Rantin’ and ravin’ and takin’ your money No, you can’t find it neither in no night club, no yacht club And sure as hell you’re bound to tell 
No matter how hard you rub
 You just ain’t a-gonna find it on your ticket stub
 No, it ain’t in the rumors people’re tellin’ you
 And it ain’t in the pimple-lotion people are sellin’ you 
And it ain’t in a cardboard-box house
 Or down any movie star’s blouse
 And you can’t find it on the golf course 
And Uncle Remus can’t tell you and neither can Santa Claus
 And it ain’t in the cream puff hairdo or cotton candy clothes 
Ain’t in the dime store dummies an’ bubblegum goons page 10: And you can’t find it either in the no-talent fools
 That run around gallant
 And make all the rules for the ones that got talent 
And it ain’t in the ones that ain’t got any talent but think they do And think they’re fooling you
 The ones that jump on the wagon
 Just for a while ‘cause they know it’s in style 
To get their kicks, get out of it quick 
And make all kinds of money and chicks
 And you yell to yourself and you throw down your hat
 Saying, “Christ, do I gotta be like that? 
Ain’t there no one here that knows where I’m at
 Ain’t there no one here that knows how I feel 
Good God Almighty, that stuff ain’t real”: back cover:  No, but that ain’t your game, it ain’t your race
 You can’t hear your name, you can’t see your face
 You gotta look some other place
Zoom

My prototype is 14 pages total, not including the cover.  In conjunction with the storybook theme, I decided to add texts to backdrop the “story”, which are excerpts form Bob Dylan’s poem “Last Thoughts on Woodie Guthrie”. The text isn’t meant to illustrate the art or vice versa, but on a level they echo each other.  Its purpose is to engage the reader, whereas the visuals would merely entertain.  I don’t expect anyone to read these (yet), but just for the record:

(following the numbering in the photos)

page 2:

When your head gets twisted and your mind grows numb


When you think you’re too old, too young, too smart or too dumb

If the wind got you sideways it’s one hand holdin’ on


And the other starts slippin’ and the feelin’ is gone

And your sun-decked desert and evergreen valleys


Turn to broken down slums and trash-can alleys

And your minutes of sun turn to hours of storm


An’ to yourself you sometimes say


”I never knew it was gonna be this way


Why didn’t they tell me the day I was born?”


page 3:

And you start gettin’ chills and you’re jumpin’ from sweat

And you’re lookin’ for somethin’ you ain’t quite found yet

And there’s something on your mind that you wanna be sayin’

That somebody someplace oughta be hearin’


But it’s trapped on your tongue, sealed in your head


And it bothers you badly when your layin’ in bed

And your eyes get swimmy from the tears in your head


An’ your pillows of feathers turn to blankets of lead


page 4a:

You say to yourself just what am I doin’


On this road I’m walkin’, on this trail I’m turnin’

On this pathway I’m strollin’, this space I’m taking


And this air I’m inhaling?


Am I mixed up too much, am I mixed up too hard


Why am I walking, where am I running

What am I saying, what am I knowing

 In this ocean of hours I’m all the time drinking


Who am I helping, what am I breaking


What am I giving, what am I taking?


page 4b:

But you try with your whole soul best


Never to think these thoughts and never to let


Them kind of thoughts gain ground


Or make your heart pound


But then again you know when they’re around


Just waiting for a chance to slip and drop down


’Cause sometimes you hear ‘em when the night time come creeping

And you fear they might catch you sleeping


And you jump from your bed, from the last chapter of dreamin’

And you can’t remember for the best of your thinkin’


If that was you in the dream that was screaming


spread 5:

And you know that’s somethin’ special you’re needin’


And you know there’s no drug that’ll do for the healing


And no liquor in the land to stop your brain from bleeding

You need somethin’ special

You need a fast flyin’ train on a tornado track

To shoot you someplace and shoot you back


You need a cyclone wind on a stream engine howler


That’s been banging and booming and blowing forever


That knows your troubles a hundred times over

You need a Greyhound bus that don’t bar no race


That won’t laugh at your looks

Your voice or your face


page 6:

You need something to open up a new door


To show you something you seen before


But overlooked a hundred times or more


You need something to open your eyes


You need something to make it known


That it’s you and no one else that owns


That spot that you’re standing, that space that you’re sitting


That the world ain’t got you beat

It can’t get you crazy no matter how many times you might get kicked 


page 7:

You need something special, all right


You need something special to give you hope


But hope’s just a word


That maybe you said, maybe you heard


On some windy corner ‘round a wide-angled curve

spread 8:

And it ain’t in the marshmallow noises of the chocolate cake voices

That come knocking and tapping in Christmas wrapping


Sayin’ ain’t I pretty and ain’t I cute, look at my skin,


Look at my skin shine, look at my skin glow,


Look at my skin laugh, look at my skin cry,


When you can’t even sense if they got any insides


These people so pretty in their ribbons and bows


No, you’ll not now or no other day


Find it on the doorsteps made of paper maché


And inside of the people made of molasses


That every other day buy a new pair of sunglasses


And it ain’t in the fifty-star generals and flipped-out phonies


Who’d turn you in for a tenth of a penny


Who breathe and burp and bend and crack


And before you can count from one to ten


Do it all over again but this time behind your back, my friend,


The ones that wheel and deal and whirl and twirl


And play games with each other in their sand-box world


spread 9:

But that’s what you need, and you need it bad

And your trouble is you know it too good


‘Cause you look an’ you start gettin’ the chills

‘Cause you can’t find it on a dollar bill

And it ain’t on Macy’s window sill


And it ain’t on no rich kid’s road map

And it ain’t made in no Hollywood wheat germ

And it ain’t on that dim-lit stage


With that half-wit comedian on it


Rantin’ and ravin’ and takin’ your money

No, you can’t find it neither in no night club, no yacht club

And sure as hell you’re bound to tell


No matter how hard you rub


You just ain’t a-gonna find it on your ticket stub


No, it ain’t in the rumors people’re tellin’ you


And it ain’t in the pimple-lotion people are sellin’ you


And it ain’t in a cardboard-box house


Or down any movie star’s blouse


And you can’t find it on the golf course


And Uncle Remus can’t tell you and neither can Santa Claus


And it ain’t in the cream puff hairdo or cotton candy clothes


Ain’t in the dime store dummies an’ bubblegum goons


page 10:

And you can’t find it either in the no-talent fools


That run around gallant


And make all the rules for the ones that got talent


And it ain’t in the ones that ain’t got any talent but think they do

And think they’re fooling you


The ones that jump on the wagon


Just for a while ‘cause they know it’s in style


To get their kicks, get out of it quick


And make all kinds of money and chicks


And you yell to yourself and you throw down your hat


Saying, “Christ, do I gotta be like that?


Ain’t there no one here that knows where I’m at


Ain’t there no one here that knows how I feel


Good God Almighty, that stuff ain’t real”:


back cover: 

No, but that ain’t your game, it ain’t your race


You can’t hear your name, you can’t see your face


You gotta look some other place

Theme: Escape A character who is drawn into the sketchbook will try to escape, at times physically through pop-up scenarios (and towards the end, when it will climb out of the back cover) As the character escapes, it journeys through lands of abstract forms, ranging from architectural to organic.   My original idea was to have the character “photo bomb” scenarios of escape we see in the real world, but I decided to make this more of a visual experience rather than one full of cultural, social, overall biased iconography.  I don’t want this project to be personal in a sense that MY ideas are gotten across, but rather create an experience that anyone can appreciate, enjoy, and understand with fluidity. On the left is a rough story board of my most recent take on the project, and on the right is my past storyboard.   I still plan to incorporate lino.
Zoom Info
Camera
EPSON Perfection V200

Theme: Escape

A character who is drawn into the sketchbook will try to escape, at times physically through pop-up scenarios (and towards the end, when it will climb out of the back cover)

As the character escapes, it journeys through lands of abstract forms, ranging from architectural to organic.  

My original idea was to have the character “photo bomb” scenarios of escape we see in the real world, but I decided to make this more of a visual experience rather than one full of cultural, social, overall biased iconography.  I don’t want this project to be personal in a sense that MY ideas are gotten across, but rather create an experience that anyone can appreciate, enjoy, and understand with fluidity.

On the left is a rough story board of my most recent take on the project, and on the right is my past storyboard.  

I still plan to incorporate lino.

in lieu of revisiting lino artmaking, I decided I would like my sketchbook to have a children’s book feel, but with mature (and therefore inevitably dark) undertones.  Lino is perfect for this feel, since the look I like to achieve with it is folky and illustrative - think Aesop fables.  Each section of the book, which can range from a page to two, will depict a form of escape.  I’m considering having a character roaming about through the book, witnessing these things as he/she him/her self is trying to escape the sketchbook.  On the two page spreads, I would like to incorporate pop-up stuff that the viewer can interact with, such as pull-outs or envelopes or something.  Very much like a children’s book, though I’m still very entertained by stuff like that (and I imagine those viewing my sketchbook will think so too!)   On second thought, it might be fun to add a single caption below each (or a few select) pictures. I’m considering using just black ink, as I’ve never tried to incorporate different colored inks at the same time (let alone own any) but this is something I’ll consider exploring, although it might ruin the monotone, dark, suppressing feel of the theme. The point is to have this play out like a children’s book, but read as a silent pg-13 b&w film…sort of.  We’ll see.  Those sorts of things never get sorted out until I actually start and see where my physical manifestations take me. As for bringing this on a digital platform, I would consider using facebook, since I can make the face of the character in my book the face of my advertising platform.  But then again, I want to use as little text as possible, so tumblr seems more apt to the direction I have in mind.  Either way, the ad page would feature lino art with the title of the theme, and depict adventurous scenes.  Escape goes very well when placed in hand with adventure, so I thought this would be a great way to appeal to people who enjoy being physically adventurous, or witnessing/reading about adventures.  Everyone loves a good adventure story, methinks. http://www.arthousecoop.com/library/7976#page-slide_3 The artist lets no space go to waste, even when space is left alone.  They know how to balance content with the medium its being viewed in.  I hope to achieve this same balance of space and beauty, so that they complement one another. http://www.arthousecoop.com/library/5969#page-slide_5 Each page tells a different story, each page is refreshing and conjures different feels for a new experience instantaneously.  And yet, you can feel that they belong together.  This is integral to my sketchbook - to tell a story in parts, that doesn’t have a beginning or end or chronological order, so that the viewer feels curious all over again after every turn of a page.  The style keeps it all connected. http://www.arthousecoop.com/library/4788#page-slide_5 There are no words or captions, and yet, I feel like I’m reading a narrative of some sort.  The pictures are illustrative and akin to something you might find in a children’s book, yet, it feels rather chilling at times, or unsettling at the very least. This is why I’m considering opting for no captions.
Zoom Info
Camera
Canon PowerShot ELPH 300HS
ISO
100 		Aperture
f/2.7
Exposure
1/30th 		Focal Length
24mm

in lieu of revisiting lino artmaking, I decided I would like my sketchbook to have a children’s book feel, but with mature (and therefore inevitably dark) undertones.  Lino is perfect for this feel, since the look I like to achieve with it is folky and illustrative - think Aesop fables.  Each section of the book, which can range from a page to two, will depict a form of escape.  I’m considering having a character roaming about through the book, witnessing these things as he/she him/her self is trying to escape the sketchbook.  On the two page spreads, I would like to incorporate pop-up stuff that the viewer can interact with, such as pull-outs or envelopes or something.  Very much like a children’s book, though I’m still very entertained by stuff like that (and I imagine those viewing my sketchbook will think so too!)  

On second thought, it might be fun to add a single caption below each (or a few select) pictures.

I’m considering using just black ink, as I’ve never tried to incorporate different colored inks at the same time (let alone own any) but this is something I’ll consider exploring, although it might ruin the monotone, dark, suppressing feel of the theme. The point is to have this play out like a children’s book, but read as a silent pg-13 b&w film…sort of.  We’ll see.  Those sorts of things never get sorted out until I actually start and see where my physical manifestations take me.

As for bringing this on a digital platform, I would consider using facebook, since I can make the face of the character in my book the face of my advertising platform.  But then again, I want to use as little text as possible, so tumblr seems more apt to the direction I have in mind.  Either way, the ad page would feature lino art with the title of the theme, and depict adventurous scenes.  Escape goes very well when placed in hand with adventure, so I thought this would be a great way to appeal to people who enjoy being physically adventurous, or witnessing/reading about adventures.  Everyone loves a good adventure story, methinks.

http://www.arthousecoop.com/library/7976#page-slide_3

The artist lets no space go to waste, even when space is left alone.  They know how to balance content with the medium its being viewed in.  I hope to achieve this same balance of space and beauty, so that they complement one another.

http://www.arthousecoop.com/library/5969#page-slide_5

Each page tells a different story, each page is refreshing and conjures different feels for a new experience instantaneously.  And yet, you can feel that they belong together.  This is integral to my sketchbook - to tell a story in parts, that doesn’t have a beginning or end or chronological order, so that the viewer feels curious all over again after every turn of a page.  The style keeps it all connected.

http://www.arthousecoop.com/library/4788#page-slide_5

There are no words or captions, and yet, I feel like I’m reading a narrative of some sort.  The pictures are illustrative and akin to something you might find in a children’s book, yet, it feels rather chilling at times, or unsettling at the very least. This is why I’m considering opting for no captions.

1)  What I know best about the theme of escape is what I’ve personally experienced and witnessed, which, if I had to generalize, would lead me to the conclusion that the most popular form of escape involves leaving one’s state of mind for an experience that isn’t necessarily uplifting, but causes one to be transported to another world.  This can be literal, when one feels that for whatever reason they just need to LEAVE the space they’re occupying for a total change of pace/scenery.  Another way could be through using devices that tamper with your dopamine &/or serotonin levels, such as with drugs or food.  Lastly, I think another popular way most people escape is through simply taking one’s mind off of their situation.  Be it through distractions or repression, I’ve noticed that many people try to “escape” just by taking their mind off of what they want to escape from. 2) I don’t know how correct I am, I don’t know how other people try to escape, I don’t personally know how dangerous it can be to escape things, or if fighting is more dangerous.  I don’t know if escape in it’s most literal sense can truly solve problems, and if “running away” is truly a bad thing just because it has a bad rap or if it is truly better to weather the things you wish to escape from.  I don’t know how others escape, all in all.  I don’t know how people escape hostage situations when they are literally tied down and in physical harm’s way.  I don’t know what it feels like to be in this situation, where escape feels essential (and probably is, unless the hostage is unaware that someone is trying to free them).  I don’t know if Stockholm syndrome has a metaphoric counterpart in everyday life, though I imagine it would (and considering my love of analogies, I’ll probably find one). lizards and escape birds and escape fish and escape I looked up random information on the theme of escape without any direction besides typing the word in the search bar, since I figured there was more I didn’t know than I knew I didn’t know about my theme.  I ended up with a well of information about escape behaviors in animals, which was actually more complex (and interesting) than I could’ve possibly imagined.  Escape theory takes into account fitness cost, risk factors, flight initiation distance, escape cost, when escape is deemed a fruitful endeavor by the prey, if there is food or mates nearby, etc etc etc.  There are just so many tiny aspects which determine a split second decision, and it all falls under a set of instinctual parameters and calculations.  It makes you realize how frivolous a lot of the things we think about are, since so many of the things we do (if not most of them) are guided by thoughts we don’t control, but instinctively adhere to. 3) Emotions I associate with my theme: bliss, hope, desire, negativity, positivity, tired, longing, sad, nostalgia
Zoom Info
1)  What I know best about the theme of escape is what I’ve personally experienced and witnessed, which, if I had to generalize, would lead me to the conclusion that the most popular form of escape involves leaving one’s state of mind for an experience that isn’t necessarily uplifting, but causes one to be transported to another world.  This can be literal, when one feels that for whatever reason they just need to LEAVE the space they’re occupying for a total change of pace/scenery.  Another way could be through using devices that tamper with your dopamine &/or serotonin levels, such as with drugs or food.  Lastly, I think another popular way most people escape is through simply taking one’s mind off of their situation.  Be it through distractions or repression, I’ve noticed that many people try to “escape” just by taking their mind off of what they want to escape from. 2) I don’t know how correct I am, I don’t know how other people try to escape, I don’t personally know how dangerous it can be to escape things, or if fighting is more dangerous.  I don’t know if escape in it’s most literal sense can truly solve problems, and if “running away” is truly a bad thing just because it has a bad rap or if it is truly better to weather the things you wish to escape from.  I don’t know how others escape, all in all.  I don’t know how people escape hostage situations when they are literally tied down and in physical harm’s way.  I don’t know what it feels like to be in this situation, where escape feels essential (and probably is, unless the hostage is unaware that someone is trying to free them).  I don’t know if Stockholm syndrome has a metaphoric counterpart in everyday life, though I imagine it would (and considering my love of analogies, I’ll probably find one). lizards and escape birds and escape fish and escape I looked up random information on the theme of escape without any direction besides typing the word in the search bar, since I figured there was more I didn’t know than I knew I didn’t know about my theme.  I ended up with a well of information about escape behaviors in animals, which was actually more complex (and interesting) than I could’ve possibly imagined.  Escape theory takes into account fitness cost, risk factors, flight initiation distance, escape cost, when escape is deemed a fruitful endeavor by the prey, if there is food or mates nearby, etc etc etc.  There are just so many tiny aspects which determine a split second decision, and it all falls under a set of instinctual parameters and calculations.  It makes you realize how frivolous a lot of the things we think about are, since so many of the things we do (if not most of them) are guided by thoughts we don’t control, but instinctively adhere to. 3) Emotions I associate with my theme: bliss, hope, desire, negativity, positivity, tired, longing, sad, nostalgia
Zoom Info
1)  What I know best about the theme of escape is what I’ve personally experienced and witnessed, which, if I had to generalize, would lead me to the conclusion that the most popular form of escape involves leaving one’s state of mind for an experience that isn’t necessarily uplifting, but causes one to be transported to another world.  This can be literal, when one feels that for whatever reason they just need to LEAVE the space they’re occupying for a total change of pace/scenery.  Another way could be through using devices that tamper with your dopamine &/or serotonin levels, such as with drugs or food.  Lastly, I think another popular way most people escape is through simply taking one’s mind off of their situation.  Be it through distractions or repression, I’ve noticed that many people try to “escape” just by taking their mind off of what they want to escape from. 2) I don’t know how correct I am, I don’t know how other people try to escape, I don’t personally know how dangerous it can be to escape things, or if fighting is more dangerous.  I don’t know if escape in it’s most literal sense can truly solve problems, and if “running away” is truly a bad thing just because it has a bad rap or if it is truly better to weather the things you wish to escape from.  I don’t know how others escape, all in all.  I don’t know how people escape hostage situations when they are literally tied down and in physical harm’s way.  I don’t know what it feels like to be in this situation, where escape feels essential (and probably is, unless the hostage is unaware that someone is trying to free them).  I don’t know if Stockholm syndrome has a metaphoric counterpart in everyday life, though I imagine it would (and considering my love of analogies, I’ll probably find one). lizards and escape birds and escape fish and escape I looked up random information on the theme of escape without any direction besides typing the word in the search bar, since I figured there was more I didn’t know than I knew I didn’t know about my theme.  I ended up with a well of information about escape behaviors in animals, which was actually more complex (and interesting) than I could’ve possibly imagined.  Escape theory takes into account fitness cost, risk factors, flight initiation distance, escape cost, when escape is deemed a fruitful endeavor by the prey, if there is food or mates nearby, etc etc etc.  There are just so many tiny aspects which determine a split second decision, and it all falls under a set of instinctual parameters and calculations.  It makes you realize how frivolous a lot of the things we think about are, since so many of the things we do (if not most of them) are guided by thoughts we don’t control, but instinctively adhere to. 3) Emotions I associate with my theme: bliss, hope, desire, negativity, positivity, tired, longing, sad, nostalgia
Zoom

1)  What I know best about the theme of escape is what I’ve personally experienced and witnessed, which, if I had to generalize, would lead me to the conclusion that the most popular form of escape involves leaving one’s state of mind for an experience that isn’t necessarily uplifting, but causes one to be transported to another world.  This can be literal, when one feels that for whatever reason they just need to LEAVE the space they’re occupying for a total change of pace/scenery.  Another way could be through using devices that tamper with your dopamine &/or serotonin levels, such as with drugs or food.  Lastly, I think another popular way most people escape is through simply taking one’s mind off of their situation.  Be it through distractions or repression, I’ve noticed that many people try to “escape” just by taking their mind off of what they want to escape from.

2) I don’t know how correct I am, I don’t know how other people try to escape, I don’t personally know how dangerous it can be to escape things, or if fighting is more dangerous.  I don’t know if escape in it’s most literal sense can truly solve problems, and if “running away” is truly a bad thing just because it has a bad rap or if it is truly better to weather the things you wish to escape from.  I don’t know how others escape, all in all.  I don’t know how people escape hostage situations when they are literally tied down and in physical harm’s way.  I don’t know what it feels like to be in this situation, where escape feels essential (and probably is, unless the hostage is unaware that someone is trying to free them).  I don’t know if Stockholm syndrome has a metaphoric counterpart in everyday life, though I imagine it would (and considering my love of analogies, I’ll probably find one).

lizards and escape

birds and escape

fish and escape

I looked up random information on the theme of escape without any direction besides typing the word in the search bar, since I figured there was more I didn’t know than I knew I didn’t know about my theme.  I ended up with a well of information about escape behaviors in animals, which was actually more complex (and interesting) than I could’ve possibly imagined.  Escape theory takes into account fitness cost, risk factors, flight initiation distance, escape cost, when escape is deemed a fruitful endeavor by the prey, if there is food or mates nearby, etc etc etc.  There are just so many tiny aspects which determine a split second decision, and it all falls under a set of instinctual parameters and calculations.  It makes you realize how frivolous a lot of the things we think about are, since so many of the things we do (if not most of them) are guided by thoughts we don’t control, but instinctively adhere to.

3) Emotions I associate with my theme: bliss, hope, desire, negativity, positivity, tired, longing, sad, nostalgia

The only theme I could think of as doing for years and years and years was that of escape.  I used to feel the need to do so often, and still do to a certain extent, but now that I feel that I’m on that path this was mostly of an exploration of my past notions of escape.  All of these things are personal, but most of them are relatable.  Issues with money, for example, make it impossible to do everything that you’d like to, be it own something or go somewhere.  Family often ties us down too.  Perhaps not everyone sees that as a burden, but for me the fact that I’m never truly an “individual” in the most literal sense of the word makes me frustrated.  I used to briefly imagine what it would be like if all my family members had died and I was left alone to face the world.  Imagination is also a form of escape that I’m sure everyone has engaged in. Articles: I chose these articles in order to explain some of my sketching choices.  Perhaps they will make more sense just by reading the titles of these articles.  They are all very interesting on their own (although a few drag on) and I highly recommend them to all. The theme of escape, for me, is linked closely to depression.  The reason why I had the urge to escape so often in the past was because I was unhappy with the place I was at, but what I didn’t necessarily accept was that the “place” was not a tangible one I could leave, but a state of mind.  These articles mostly explore the relationship between things which cause and (possibly) allow one to “escape” the throes of depression. Can Food Make People Happy? How Stuff Works Creative Depression “Every mile I drove healed my heart” The Money Trap Is Medicinal Marijuana an effective treatment for depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and similar mood disorders? The Sociological Imagination Gender Differences in Depression Actual Intimacy is Vastly Superior to Love Video Games - An Escape From Reality? Spacing Out? Good!
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The only theme I could think of as doing for years and years and years was that of escape.  I used to feel the need to do so often, and still do to a certain extent, but now that I feel that I’m on that path this was mostly of an exploration of my past notions of escape.  All of these things are personal, but most of them are relatable.  Issues with money, for example, make it impossible to do everything that you’d like to, be it own something or go somewhere.  Family often ties us down too.  Perhaps not everyone sees that as a burden, but for me the fact that I’m never truly an “individual” in the most literal sense of the word makes me frustrated.  I used to briefly imagine what it would be like if all my family members had died and I was left alone to face the world.  Imagination is also a form of escape that I’m sure everyone has engaged in.


Articles:

I chose these articles in order to explain some of my sketching choices.  Perhaps they will make more sense just by reading the titles of these articles.  They are all very interesting on their own (although a few drag on) and I highly recommend them to all. The theme of escape, for me, is linked closely to depression.  The reason why I had the urge to escape so often in the past was because I was unhappy with the place I was at, but what I didn’t necessarily accept was that the “place” was not a tangible one I could leave, but a state of mind.  These articles mostly explore the relationship between things which cause and (possibly) allow one to “escape” the throes of depression.

Can Food Make People Happy? How Stuff Works

Creative Depression

“Every mile I drove healed my heart”

The Money Trap

Is Medicinal Marijuana an effective treatment for depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and similar mood disorders?

The Sociological Imagination

Gender Differences in Depression

Actual Intimacy is Vastly Superior to Love

Video Games - An Escape From Reality?

Spacing Out? Good!

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