mind-map + the research for assignment 1~

According to our assignment 1, it is about visual expression and we have to create an artwork using the understanding of visual expression to communicate our views based on current issues by using creative visual representations.

Before the final artwork, we need to do mind-map, choose a topic that we decided to choose and brief on it.

And i was worrying about money when my lecturer was asking us to do this assignment. So i choose money to start my mind-map. At last, i got the topic of depressed which represented my feeling.

Based on the topic of depressed, i have to do some research on the meaning, pictures, and also do some sketches to proceed my final artwork.

" Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a person's thoughts, behavior, feelings and physical well-being. It may include feelings of sadness, anxiety, emptiness, hopelessness, worthlessness, guilt, irritability, or restlessness.

Depressed people may lose interest in activities that once were pleasurable, or suffer cognitive impairments (e.g., difficulty concentrating, remembering details, making decisions). They may contemplate or attempt suicide. Their weight may change dramatically. Insomnia, excessive sleeping, change in sleep patterns (e.g., waking in the middle of the night or early in the morning and being unable to fall asleep again), fatigue, loss of energy, and aches, pains or digestive problems that are resistant to treatment may be present.

Depressed mood is a normal reaction to certain life events, a symptom of many medical conditions (e.g., Addison's disease, hypothyroidism), and a feature of certain psychiatric syndromes. "

sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depression_(mood)

Every colour can represent a mood, yet what's the colour for depressed? Normally when we think of depressed will automatically connected it to black and white and also grey colour. Let's have a look why these colour represented depression.......

BLACK.
Positive: Sophistication, glamour, security, emotional safety, efficiency, substance.
Negative: Oppression, coldness, menace, heaviness.

Black is all colours, totally absorbed. The psychological implications of that are considerable. It creates protective barriers, as it absorbs all the energy coming towards you, and it enshrouds the personality. Black is essentially an absence of light, since no wavelengths are reflected and it can, therefore be menacing; many people are afraid of the dark. Positively, it communicates absolute clarity, with no fine nuances. It communicates sophistication and uncompromising excellence and it works particularly well with white. Black creates a perception of weight and seriousness.

GREY.
Positive: Psychological neutrality.
Negative: Lack of confidence, dampness, depression, hibernation, lack of energy.

Pure grey is the only colour that has no direct psychological properties. It is, however, quite suppressive. A virtual absence of colour is depressing and when the world turns grey we are instinctively conditioned to draw in and prepare for hibernation. Unless the precise tone is right, grey has a dampening effect on other colours used with it. Heavy use of grey usually indicates a lack of confidence and fear of exposure.

WHITE.
Positive: Hygiene, sterility, clarity, purity, cleanness, simplicity, sophistication, efficiency.
Negative: Sterility, coldness, barriers, unfriendliness, elitism.

Just as black is total absorption, so white is total reflection. In effect, it reflects the full force of the spectrum into our eyes. Thus it also creates barriers, but differently from black, and it is often a strain to look at. It communicates, "Touch me not!" White is purity and, like black, uncompromising; it is clean, hygienic, and sterile. The concept of sterility can also be negative. Visually, white gives a heightened perception of space. The negative effect of white on warm colours is to make them look and feel garish.

And i would like to share some photos which represented depressed. And this is something what i planned to do for my final artwork. 

sources: http://www.soapnights.com/2010/11/10/advice-for-living-with-a-depressed-person/, http://myfaithandfate.blogspot.com/2011/05/depressed.html

Will update my sketches soon! =)