“An Unseen World” is an illustrated book to be used for the purpose of visualizing the feeling of anxiety. In today’s society where mental health awareness has become a pertinent area of discussion, the exploration of mental wellbeing has taken on various forms. “An Unseen World” is a captivating form of artistic expression providing insight into anxiety, a feeling that is often intangible but experienced deeply nonetheless. Readers embark on a journey that delves into the intricacies of human emotion, giving a spotlight for the unseen experience of the anxious mind. “An Unseen World” serves as a reminder that, despite the isolating nature of anxiety, there is a sense of unity to be found as each of us navigate our own storms.
When discussing the topic of mental health, books can be useful in helping individuals to understand the different mental disorders and implications of each. Most mental health related books on the market are children’s stories tackling the concept of worry and fear, or self-help guides containing medical information and tips on how to overcome inner turmoil. With that being said, there is a space in the market for books that serve more as visualization tools for mental health which is exactly what “An Unseen World” aims to accomplish. It uses illustration as a vehicle to aid readers in their understanding of how it feels to struggle with mental health, specifically anxiety.
The main question throughout the production of “An Unseen World” has always been the following: how might we illustrate the experience of anxiety for those struggling with it in a way that makes them feel heard and understood? Functioning as a visualization tool rather than a medical guide or self-help book, “An Unseen World” allows readers to see anxiety through a new lens by immersing them in imagery that provides a deeper understanding of the trials and tribulations of anxiety. Mental health can be a challenging subject to broach and books like “An Unseen World” can serve as an ice breaker and aid in making the conversation easier. Its distinctive format differentiates it from other books on the market and serves as a new and exciting method of storytelling.
In terms of primary competitors, the book entitled “It’s All in Your Head” by Shawn Coss is the closest that could be found. He explores various mental health conditions through the use of illustration such as anxiety, anorexia, depression, and bipolar disorder. He creates a unique character for each condition which are heavily stylized human figures, appearing almost alien-like. Similar to “An Unseen World,” Coss uses illustration to ignite emotion in the reader and accompanying text to match each image. His stylized figures serve as representations of the disorder he is discussing. For example, he draws a figure with a hole in its stomach holding a baby to symbolize postpartum depression. However, Coss also uses his book to talk about his own personal experiences and provide readers with facts related to each mental health disorder. He treats his book more-so as a diary and educational tool in order to provide insight to his audience. Similarly, “An Unseen World” aims to provide insight on mental health, albeit in a different fashion.
“An Unseen World” specifically focuses on anxiety and does not include medical information or tales of personal adversities. Having one central topic as the focus provides less confusion for readers and allows them to better immerse themselves in the book. The illustrations are meant to give readers more of an understanding of how it feels living with anxiety, thus functioning as a visualization tool. The accompanying text is used not only to aid readers in making sense of the images, but also to serve as an integral part of their composition. This is a format not often seen in books that will serve as a point of interest over others that may have similar content. “An Unseen World” will not force readers to digest clinical definitions that they may not understand as they must in “It’s All in Your Head,” making it a more enjoyable read.
The secondary competitor to “An Unseen World” is the comic series entitled “Socially Awkward Misfit: A Day in the Life” by Ross Hendrick. These comics tackle the experience of anxiety, specifically social anxiety, in a humorous and quirky way. Readers follow the central character, Sam, as he navigates his discomfort in social situations. While Hendrick’s comic series and “An Unseen World” share the mission of illustrating the experience of anxiety, they do so in radically different ways and cater to different audiences. Hendrick’s work is appealing to comic lovers and puts a lighthearted spin on mental health, whereas “An Unseen World” is more serious and representational in its theme. Hendrick also focuses on a particular form of anxiety, whereas “An Unseen World” tackles anxiety as a general emotion. Moreover, there is no central character to follow but rather a series of illustrations that represent anxiety in different ways.
The audience for “An Unseen World” are broken up into two categories: The Worry Wart and the Concerned Companion. The Worry Wart is the primary persona for An Unseen World and represents an individual struggling with anxiety who feels misunderstood by family, friends, and society as a whole. They’ve battled anxious thoughts for years which have taken a toll on their self esteem and perception of the world. Although they try extensively to overcome their anxiety, the hold it has on them is seemingly unbreakable. This individual finds it difficult to express what they’re going through and when they do, those they confide in don’t resonate or empathize with their experience.
The Concerned Companion, serving as the secondary persona for An Unseen World, represents a friend of The Worry Wart who wishes to understand their struggle. The Worry Wart often seeks refuge in them, sharing their thoughts and feelings in hopes of receiving valuable insight and coping advice. Though they try to empathize, The Concerned Companion finds it challenging because they don’t experience anxiety to the intensity at which their friend does, if at all. They believe anxiety is normal and sometimes feel as though their friend has a tendency to make mountains out of molehills. The Concerned Companion finds themselves at a loss for words and worries each conversation with their friend is unproductive, leaving them in no better position. Additionally, they take special precaution not to be dismissive of their friend’s feelings, but fear their lack of perspective on the issue is apparent in their responses. They care deeply about The Worry Wart and strongly desire a way to know the challenges they are facing.
One of the most important questions asked during the interview process was “what is one thing you wish more people understood about anxiety?” The general sentiment was that it is not a choice, nor is it something that can be easily turned off. By visualizing this emotion, “An Unseen World” bridges the gap between individuals who are struggling with anxiety and those who aren’t. According to data collected, 83.9% of individuals believe that illustrating anxiety would be beneficial in helping others understand what it feels like. “An Unseen World” brings solace to those grappling with the emotion by helping them realize they are not alone in their experience. Furthermore, it provides insight into the anxious mind for individuals who may not fully understand.
Individuals were asked to describe in detail or through a metaphor what anxiety feels like for them. This question was asked in order to gain insight into other’s experiences, eventually contributing to the concept of each illustration. Below are the ones that stood out the most.
The creation of “An Unseen World” was a lengthly, multi-step process. The drawings are interpretations of experiences shared through interview and survey responses. Individuals were asked to describe in detail or through a metaphor how anxiety feels for them. This question yielded over two-hundred incredibly descriptive accounts of emotion which served as inspiration for each illustration. Reviewing the responses painted a picture in the mind’s eye of each particular experience which were then narrowed down to the eight strongest ideas.
Originally, “An Unseen World” was going to strictly be a visual book containing no text so as to allow readers to draw their own conclusions from the images. However, it was decided to include short captions of what the images are representing to aid the reader in making more sense of what they are looking at. Although “An Unseen World” does not follow the format of a traditional book, having some form of text to accompany the images is essential to maintain the reader’s interest.
The illustrations were done by hand using pastel pencil on pastelmat. First, the initial sketches were created with regular pencil on standard 8.5x11 paper. Second, the initial sketches were then traced over on a new sheet of paper in order to obtain a clear outline of the image. Third, the tracing was flipped over and traced once again on the backside in a lightly colored pastel pencil. Lastly, the tracing was flipped again and placed on top of the pastelmat to be traced for a final time, revealing a light outline of the illustrations to then be fully rendered. Once each drawing was completed, they were photographed and further edited in Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop. The fonts used for each caption vary and are meant to coincide with the aura of whichever piece they are accompanying. Rough and sketchy fonts were selected to fit the mood of the book and create a more personal and handwritten feel.
Quote Inspiration: "It feels like I'm trapped in my own body."
Quote Inspiration: "It takes control of my body. I'm only a puppet of the anxiety."
Quote Inspiration: “Like being in a snow globe. You’re the fixture, rooted in place on display and every piece of snowflake represents those around you. Every once in a while, someone gives the snow globe a big ol’ shake, and suddenly there is a flurry of activity and energy, an onslaught of chaos that you can’t escape. It’s miserable and exhausting.”
Quote Inspiration: “It’s like a solid brick wall I can’t break through that keeps me confined to my own mind.”
Quote Inspiration: “It often feels like being a child trapped in an adult’s body. I don’t entirely feel “grown up” due to it.”
Quote Inspiration: “Overwhelming dread and racing thoughts when having to do things outside my comfort zone.”
Quote Inspiration: “Everyone has a social battery . It feels like the only thing that can recharge that battery is isolation and time to decompress from the day’s events.”
Quote Inspiration: “Even if I know logically that no one is paying attention to me, I can feel every single set of eyes burning into me and watching my every move, waiting eagerly for me to make a mistake so they can beat me to a pulp.”
Advertisements for “An Unseen World” take the form of wild postings, murals, and subway ads. Artworks from the book are to be displayed in the advertisements to ignite curiosity and also serve as a sneak peak. The goal is to catch the attention of individuals as they go about their daily life, enticing them to want to explore what the book is about. Additionally, social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook will be used to spread the word and garner more interest.