LA Designs - GQ Editorial Illustration: Hack Your Brain

This is a 4 week University Editorial Illustration brief project for GQ named: Hack Your Brain.

The interesting article involves Historian Yuval Harari explaining the detrimental effects of technology and automation on the prospect of future jobs and control. The advancing progress will theoretically disrupt the mental balance of the brain and human consciousness as we rely on technology for living. The defence he states, would be meditation and constant self-reinvention: "knowing yourself well enough that you don't get drawn to internet traps", less reliance on technology.

Reading the article gave me an incentive to create an A4 full-page illustration and multiple spot illustrations for this publication relating to the demographics of GQ: office-working adult males and the topic article: Technology and AI

My forward thinking: I highlighted key quotes from the article to summon my idea generation.

A4 full-page: The concept of an illustrated 3D arcade claw machine showcasing the claw gripping on a brain attached to an office-working body (represents a human being). There is a notable power button showcased on each body, and once the claw detaches the brain from the subject, the power button switches red (off) signifying that the body is no longer conscious and is subject to the control of the machine (represents technology and AI). This metaphorical response combined with the vintage arcade machine, and colour scheme, is perfectly targeted to the audience, as a unique and literal representation to 'Hack your brain', with a nostalgic essence.

Spot illustrations: I wanted to represent multiple concepts of the article that can be combined as a website construct and physical publication. I created three in which one relates the construct of losing consciousness to technology, one with the construct of screens pinning the neural control of the brain, and one regarding the flow of meditation and resulting from escaping technology.

Software used: Adobe illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, After Effects (animated gifs), procreate

(Below) I havee applied my InDesign skills by creating the GQ articles with the included spot illustrations. This is because there was no physical publication. I wanted to represent my work digitally and traditionally (especially since the article relates to disregarding technology)

(Below): I have applied my spot illustrations across the website, and I have created the front illustration representing the opening of the article title.