MENTAL HAZE

Graphic Design Capstone Exhibition

Hemiplegic Migraine is my constant companion — and here, I inspect its source. Though significantly studied, the brain remains mysterious. My perceptual sculpture, cast in transparent fluorescent pink acrylic, portrays its complexity: separate parts coexisting to run the human machine, as much illusion as tangible matter.

Accompanying motion graphics catapult the viewer into my neurological disorder — brain fog, pain, disorientation, and electric vibrations translated through abstraction — with the intention of raising awareness while helping fellow migraineurs understand what happens physiologically during an attack

MENTAL HAZE

Graphic Design Capstone Exhibition

Hemiplegic Migraine is my constant companion. I have created motion graphics that work in tandem with the brain sculpture with the objective of catapulting the viewer into the existence of my neurological disorder. Brain fog, pain, disorientation, and electric vibrations are only a few of the symptoms that I translated through abstraction.

My intention is to simultaneously increase awareness of migraine as well as help my fellow migraineurs understand what is happening physiologically when they suffer a migraine attack.

ITERATIONS

Through an iterative process of brainstorming, sketching, refining, and incorporating feedback, the final design emerged as a visually impactful and effective communication piece. But, there were many stages and designs that lead me here. Here are just a few.

ITERATIONS

Through an iterative process of brainstorming, sketching, refining, and incorporating feedback, the final design emerged as a visually impactful and effective communication piece. But, there were many stages and designs that lead me here. Here are just a few.

THE PROCESS:

This project unfolded over 16 weeks through a process of experimentation and iteration. While each phase was informed by the last, the path forward was anything but linear.

Before making any creative decisions, I began by gathering information about the problem I set out to address.

From there, I moved into deeper research, exploring the problem space through sketching, written notes, and reflection.

Next, I worked to solidify the prominent imagery, developing it first through sketching and then moving into digital.

I didn't know exactly how I wanted to construct the physical elements of the exhibition, but I knew I wanted a larger focal structure — a statement poster — supported by supplementary materials that echoed its design. From there, I began playing with color and visual elements.

Early on, I was drawn to the idea of incorporating colored acrylic, though I wasn't yet sure how. My first instinct was to create the acrylic brain as a single piece, but this felt too simple — it didn't capture the complexity of the subject I was exploring. Drawing on the brain imagery I had been developing, I landed on a different concept: an optical sculpture.

I would build a model of the brain sculpture in SketchUp first. I would lay out the peices using sizing dimensions from the model. Then I would laser cut the pieces at a precise size and depth, the sculpture would read as a brain from one vantage point — but from any other angle, it would appear as nothing more than a collection of hanging shapes.

Early on, I was drawn to the idea of incorporating colored acrylic, though I wasn't yet sure how. My first instinct was to create the acrylic brain as a single piece, but this felt too simple — it didn't capture the complexity of the subject I was exploring. Drawing on the brain imagery I had been developing, I landed on a different concept: an optical sculpture.

I would build a model of the brain sculpture in SketchUp first. I would lay out the peices using sizing dimensions from the model. Then I would laser cut the pieces at a precise size and depth, the sculpture would read as a brain from one vantage point — but from any other angle, it would appear as nothing more than a collection of hanging shapes.

With the model complete, I used the pattern to construct a smaller prototype of the sculpture.

A crucial aspect of the project was representing the phases of a migraine. To bring these to life, I developed a series of motion graphics in Adobe After Effects — a compilation of visuals that flowed seamlessly from one phase to the next. The final video was designed to be projected behind the sculpture.