MAX SANTORO '24

I am exploring the theme of nostalgia in my life, from my days as a toddler to the last summer with my best friends. How do these elements of nostalgia live with me today? How can I illustrate the subject matter that represents these memories along with where I currently am in my life, by utilizing color, shape, and emphasis as primary motivators for design? Which present-day rendering techniques would best complement my connection to these flashbacks into my life? How can the past not only influence me in the present, but in the future as well? How can I tie all of these themes together?

From nostalgic areas of my life, namely self, friends, my sister, and environment, I chose objects from my childhood to relay these memories. I experimented with stippling as a mature, controlled rendering method, contrasting my subject matter. Its long process inspired detailed reflection. Using saturated color, I incorporated silhouettes within my work to integrate present and past. Experimenting on mirrors to connect present and future, I kept the four colors while introducing the ambiguity of space and the changing reflections within the illustrations as an interactive and present-tense reflection.