Because I am focusing on colour theory and how colour changes the ideas and represents emotions, thoughts and feelings I decided to edit the colouring of my coffee paintings.

I simply adjusted the hue and colouring on photoshop to add these blue features on the drawings. I played them out in rectangular boxes with a black background for a very finished, clean appearance and traditional graphic novel.  The models in the painting are hugging and holding each other tight but the painting is fairly abstract and lets the viewer have their own ideas on the emotions. The blue juxtaposes the ‘happiness’ and ‘love’ of the couple holding each other, if the viewer sees them as happy and in love. The viewer could perceive the couple as sad or distant and then the colours work for that emotion.

Here I edited the same three paintings but I adjusted the hues and colours to be a bright yellow. Yellow is often associated with joy, fulfilment, youth and happiness. It creates a completely different outlook personally on the paintings. When I drew them, I felt as if the couple where desperate and holding on to each other but the memories and their time was nearly over but altering the colours creates a completely new meaning where they look like  every inch of their bodies are touching and radiating happiness from one and other, they are melting into each other.

I really liked the ideas I have gathered on portraits and figures that are purposefully unfinished, rough and ‘messy’.

I created this chalk portrait using warm tones such as red, orange and pink. The features are harsh and jagged, and the hair and background are smudged and distant. I used a black piece of card to do this on so the colours are more vibrant.

Here is another portrait that has lots of unfinished areas and jagged, scribbled lines. It represents trauma and the blocking out of memories. It also represents to loss of individuality and self identity. I used blue, red and white oil pastels.

I decided that I was going to paint with coffee and a paintbrush. I really like the effect this creates as I can layer the strokes as they dry and create depth and dimension.

I wanted to paint abstract figures, hugging and holding each other, as this represents the fading away of the relationship.

I really enjoy the outcome of these, the fading away and the lack full figures and features has a sadness to it, especially as the figures are holding each other yet slowly fading away. It’s ghostly.

I really enjoy the outcome of oil pastels and how they can create abstract illustrations so I decided to further this.

This sketch is representing looking in the mirror and having no clue on who you are as a person. The figure in the mirror is scribbled out and there’s a questino mark on them. The room surrounding the figure also has question marks. This represents confusion.  The water in the sink is red and blue, and the mirror is blue, which are split complementary colours.

Here is another oil pastel illustration of two figures holding hands in some water, The figures are faceless and one appears much clearer than the other.  The figure that is fading away has a gradient from the water to the white, harshness of the sky. The clear figure is visible and bold because of the red clothing,

I also used the red, white and blue oil pastels to create this distorted, ‘unfinished’ portrait. I didn’t add certain facial features to represent the loss of identity and self awareness.

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I used Pro Create to create an illustraion of eyes that are crying.

I initally used the colour pallete of cool toned  turquiose and green shades with a hint of pink.  I did enjoy this outcome but I don’t think it portrays many emotions. It looks very clean and pure and I think the fact that the figures bags below her eyes are so droopy and her nose is running, the colours need to be more ‘dirty’ and rugged.

I altered the colours to an analogous colour pallet of cool toned greens and yellows with some dark blues instead of blacks.  I think this portrays the sadness and expression of the model alot better.

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Now I have gathered ideas, I decided to use digital illustration to create a comic strip version.

I wanted to use hands to portray the different narratives of happy relationship vs sad and bad relationship. I used the photograph references of mine.

In this first ‘page’ I decided to use the colour yellow and generally portrays the sense of happiness, joy and fulfilment. I used the references of hands that are touching gently and softly and show the endearment of a loving relationship. The hands touching are delicate yet really show the emotion of love.  I decided to use monochromatic colours of various shades of yellow.

Here is the second version of the comic strip idea, using the same monochromatic style yet using the colour blue which portrays the sadness and loneliness and possibly defeat. The first sketch is of a figure with her mouth covered by a hand, showing she’s being controlled, overpowered and even manipulated. The second sketch is of hands yet they seem more aggressive because one hand is holding onto the other ones wrist which further emphasises that aggression and abuse.

This style of comic has the illustrations coming out of the box, which I really enjoy the effect of.

Here I have created two drawings, that are both one lines. One using a red posca pen and the other a black biro. I created abstract figures who were crying and kissing as well as eyes and a skull. I think that eyes really represent emotions and the loss of freedom and identity, The skull and the red work hand in hand on the danger that abuse can cause, The kissing figures almost create the shape of a broken heart which ties into the idea of falling apart yet still being in a  relationship.

Here is a caricature piece that I created on black cardboard with red and white posca paint pens.  I created a female figure, with a worried and lonesome facial expression in white. In my colour theory and colour psychology research, white often represents purity and innocence. I used a red posca paint pen to add smaller details surrounding the figure. I added some red hands that are facing directly towards the female figure, like arrows.  I added some small, spiral eyes and some red tears coming from her white eyes. I also added a black chain around her neck, like my initial charcoal sketches in the beginning of the project.

Here is another charicature piece using the same idea and same coloured pens. This time I added a male figure behind the female figure, who I have sketched using the red posca pen. His smirk is eery and appearing evil and his arms are trapping her against him, like the hugging figures I have previously drawn.

I decided as these two pieces were similar in style, to collage them together to create a narrative of some sort. I ripped them so the edges were rough and messy,  I also used a biro and a red Posca paint pen to create an illustration of a hand grabbing onto a wrist from my photographic references of hands.

In my personal opinion, when I was in an abusive relationship I had this overpowering feeling of drowning and claustrophobia so I decided to portray this into some pieces.

I did 5 min sketches of some drowning figures/hands using a black biro. It is really out of my comfort zone to sketch and draw hands as I feel like that is where my skills are lacking so this was really pushing myself.

I found this reference photograph on pinterest of a female ‘falling’ which I thought I could intepret into a digital illustration of drowning.

Here is my sketch I created that would be the base of m drowning pieces.

I filled the base piece with black, and made the background a dark shade of blue, I then added lighter blue colours surrounding her and coming from above, which creates the illusion that she has just fallen into deep dark water. The blue  in this feels very peaceful uet at the same time extremely isolating.

I also altered the colours and created a red version, which I don’t enjoy as much, I feel like it doesn’t portray as many emotions as the first version. It feels more deathly and evil,

I decided to create some Oil Pastel pieces using the colour theory and psychology .

For this first piece, I created a female head figure with no facial features. I scribbled out the face, to represent that ongoing idea of loss of identity and being alone and feeling empty/lost/numb.

I used red which portrays the idea of rage, overpowerment but also love and passion.
Being in a toxic, abusive relationship is very contradicting in the way your feelings are. On one hand, you are being controlled, overpowered and are generally feeling less and less like yourself but you also most likely have very deep, strong feelings for this person, such as infatuation. This is probably due to being manipulated over time, to love this person even after they are doing you wrong.

I decided that this piece needed more texture and detail to be more captivating, so I used the oil pastel to create a dark and misty appearing background to emphasise feeling alone and in the dark.

Here is another piece using oil pastels with the colour theory. I used black initially as the base, creating an abstract corridor with a very distant figure walking down.

The black colour really feeds into the idea of mystery and power, which the abuser will have on the victim. I added blue to add depth and detail to the piece, blue conveying the general idea of lonliness and sadness. Considering the figure is in this corridor, and feeling so small, I think the blue works well. I also added a tiny bit of red, to just add that glimmer of love and passion. Mixing the blue and red oil pastels created a dark shade of purple, which also shows the mystery of what is going on. This is quite an abstract piece and the viewer can have their own ideas and opinions on what they think is occuring.

Another oil pastel piece I created was of two figures hugging. Although hugging is most often a form of endearment and adoration, this piece has a very melancholy feel. There are no facial features to imply the loneliness or loss of hope yet it is easy to tell. I used the black oil pastel for the abuser, who seems to be hugging the other figure tightly, their arms gripping around them. The other figure I have created with a blue oil pastel to represent that idea of sadness and even fear. They are not hugging the other person back, they look limp and lifeless as if they have completely lost who they are by being in this relationship.

I decided to add some depth and detail to this piece as well. I coloured in the figures and added some shapes and line work around them. This changes the narrative as the blue figure now looks as if they are facing the viewer instead of hugging the other figure back. It looks less of a hug, more of a hold as if they are trapped.

As the brief wants us to create a comic book, I decided to research into what this could appear as and the variations.