Assignment 2 planning (part 4)

Continuing with my depression...

My research and conversations, have highlighted a number of recurring elements relating to feeling depressed; I have select eight elements that I believe will enable me to build a portfolio to fulfil the requirements of the assignment brief, in that, "individually have a narrative and convey a specific idea".

I want to create a set of images that portray depression from the sufferers point-of-view, at the same time as enabling non-sufferers to put themselves in the other persons shoes. In order to develop my image ideas I have been sketching (scribbling - I apologies in advance because I'm no artist) down my thoughts. 

My initial focus has been on what I believe are the easiest images to create and enable me to form a more open dialogue with M about depression.


My eight elements are, in no particular order:

1. Isolation - unbearable loneliness
2. Black dog - everything getting on top of you
3. No future - unable to see anyway forward
4. Bars - imprisoned in your own thoughts
5. Stuck - bone weary tiredness
6. Frustration - because you can't do anything to change the situation
7. Self medication - alcohol and drugs to get away from your negative feelings 
8. Everyday tasks - easy jobs become impossible 

Scribble 1 for 'bars' and 'no future'

Scribble 2 for 'stuck', 'isolation' and 'everyday tasks'

No future - it's like a nice clear day and then it's not; I could see and feel and understand and then the greyness starts to seep in. There's nothing I can do to stop it, it gets bigger and bigger and bigger until it takes over completely and everything slows to grey. 

This is not necessarily my final image for 'no future', there are a couple of options I'm working on, but along the same lines. I also need to check with my tutor as to whether captions are acceptable or whether the image is supposed to speak for itself. For M they speak form themselves, for others they may need some explanation.

I'm also debating whether the images should include the back of the individual suffering from depression, rather like we (the viewer) is looking over their shoulder and seeing what they are seeing; or whether the images should be their direct view. My original thought was to include the individual, but in 'no future' I think this might dilute the message. I need to think about this some more...