/ GRAPHIC DESIGN AS AN ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
The major project / MA Graphic Branding & Identity / London College of Communication / Nov 2011
297 x 420 mm / Set of posters





~ My major project consists of the design of a brand, which sells graphics as an alternative medicine for sufferers of some specific mental disorders. It consists of a set of posters that strive to help the sufferers of six mental disorders chosen from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). The overall aesthetics of the brand (identity) aim to be taken as seriously as possible, although an exquisite sense of humor is required in order to engage with the project.


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Agoraphobia
In the Agoraphobia paper object, whenever the sufferer is wearing the glasses, he will have the sensation in which he is living in a private world where he is the only one possessing the key to gain access to it. The sufferer is like a voyeur in matters of the world in which we all live in.

~ OBSERVE INSTEAD.
DO NOT FEEL LIKE YOU ARE BEING OBSERVED.
YOUR PRIVATE SPACE WILL ALWAYS REMAIN UNAFFECTED. ~

~
Insomnia
The Insomnia paper object acts like a sleeping pill. By interacting with it, the user believes that the object will actually help him to get to sleep. Thus, while counting the empty spaces/cut-outs, he forgets about his worries and anxieties. The sheep were designed to be removed from the paper object, for the deliberate reason that, whilst the sufferer is in bed, the light is not on, as he is trying to sleep. Therefore, by touching the paper, the sufferer can feel the missing sheep and keep a mental record of their number.

~ FALL ASHEEP.
DISTRACT YOURSELF FROM YOUR WORRIES.
COUNT THE MISSING SHEEP WITH YOUR EYES SHUT TILL YOU FALL ASLEEP. ~

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Kleptomania
Regarding the Kleptomania paper object, the sufferer that is lucky enough to receive this gift voucher, can enhance his satisfaction (of stealing something from a shop), by using the “thief” mask. Nevertheless, he will not really be stealing the article, as his friend is going to pay for it for him after the theft.

~ GIFT VOUCHER.
ONE’S PLEASURE IS ENHANCED WHEN USING THE MASK PLUS A SPOTLESS REPUTATION IS GUARANTEED.
PROVIDE YOUR PAYMENT DETAILS AND AVOID HAVING A CRIMINAL FRIEND. ~

~
Pyromania
The paper object for Pyromania is designed to end up with one’s failure to resist impulses of fire-setting. Seeing that he has to spend some time assembling the house, he is already planning the fire, and consequently, as he comes close to the end, his primal urge to put an end to his impulses become more and more intense. Whenever he has finished and is ready to pull out the matches from the test-tube provided by the “Graphic Medicine” brand, his work is complete and he can only contemplate it with supreme gratification.

~ SET YOUR OWN FIRE.
FOLD, ASSEMBLE, LIGHT AND WATCH YOUR HOUSE BURN DOWN.
LEARN HOW TO DEAL WITH YOUR OWN DAMAGES. ~

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Trichotillomania
Finally, with the Trichotillomania paper object, the sufferer fulfils his desire by pulling out the hair from the paper as he has to be careful not to pull them all out at once. With both the paper hair or with real hair, one must be always careful with hair management, however, it is the paper which will become bald at some point whereas the user will remain attractively hairy.

~ HAIR MANAGEMENT.
DECREASE THE RISKS OF BECOMING BALD.
PULL OUT ONE HAIR AT A TIME FOR EXTENDED ALLEVIATION. ~

~
Phobias




~ The second part of the project, which includes twenty posters related to twenty other phobias, is related to Exposure Therapy, where the users can hang their “phobic poster” on the wall. By doing this, each day the sufferer will be challenged by an image, or several images (in the case where he has more than one phobia) of his deepest fears.

"We shall try to use the symbols as the words are used in a poem: they will have more than one meaning, and the meaning will change according to where they are put. "Munari, Bruno (1966, p. 77)

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Set of Posters


~ 01/20 Fear of Infinity ~



~ 02/20 Fear of Northern Lights ~



~ 03/20 Fear of Making Decisions ~



~ 04/20 Fear of Receiving Dental Care ~



~ 05/20 Fear of Justice ~



~ 06/20 Fear of Nosebleeds ~



~ 07/20 Fear of Hearing Good News ~



~ 08/20 Fear of Marriage ~



~ 09/20 Fear of Sexual Contact ~



~ 10/20 Fear of Seeing, Thinking About or Having an Erect Penis ~



~ 11/20 Fear of Voids or Empty Spaces ~



~ 12/20 Fear of Waves or Wave Like Motions ~



~ 13/20 Fear of Childbirth ~



~ 14/20 Fear of Losing an Erection ~



~ 15/20 Fear of Metal ~



~ 16/20 Fear of Darkness ~



~ 17/20 Fear of Being Overweight ~



~ 18/20 Fear of Being Stared At ~



~ 19/20 Fear of Baldness ~



~ 20/20 Fear of Heaven ~



/ GRAPHIC DESIGN AS AN ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE / REPORT & VISUAL SUMMARY
The Major Project / MA Graphic Branding & Identity / London College of Communication / Nov 2011
245 x 180 mm / Books





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In branding, the realm of effective research lies in observing and recording the needs, wants, and viewpoints of a diverse group of consumers. The investigation must be free of a prejudicial framework, removed from the noise and common wisdom of the marketplace (pharmaceutical industry). Therefore, my project is a graphic approach to mental disorders through the eyes of a graphic designer. My intentions are neither to be pretentious nor to judge the pharmaceutical industry or the health sector. By maintaining an open mind in relation to the project I developed, I tried to perceive patterns and common behaviours within the subject matter of the mental disorders.
My purpose for doing this project is mainly to cause awareness about mental disorders and conditions, and I have no intention at all to hurt anyone’s feelings.