Elliot Thompson - Illustrating Emotions

What Do Emotions Look Like?

 

I'm creating a series of art that will be marketed and used in book form in counseling centers, rehab centers, and also serving as a coffee table book. I will also be marketing the projects in art galleries in print form of the original pieces. 

 

A counselor often asks, "How do you feel?" The answer to this question will be unique to each person however there are some tools counselors use to guide people along the introspection path. If you ask a 9 year old "how do you feel?" they may answer "good", or "bad."

 

Admiration & Joy - Art by Elliot Trent Thompson
Admiration & Joy - Art by Elliot Trent Thompson

 

A counselor will then give them a smile face chart and ask again. The child, looking at the expressions, can then now differentiate between mad and sad, or happy and excited. If you ask an adult, "how do you feel?" they may answer differently than the 9 year old and say they feel, mad, sad angry, frustrated, annoyed, whatever it may be.

 

However there is another level to emotional intelligence. You won't hear many people describe themselves as anxious, or pensive or joyful. So to take the process one step further a counselor will give a list or a chart of emotions so an adult can better identify their emotions. 

 

Amazement & Grief by Elliot Trent Thompson
Amazement & Grief by Elliot Trent Thompson

 

A Smile Chart for Adults

 

The chart, Plutchik's Wheel of Emotion is often referred to when identifying emotion. I am creating a piece of art depicting each emotion on this chart, so a visual learner can identify with a face as opposed to just a word. 

 

Apprehension & Terror by Elliot Trent Thompson
Apprehension & Terror by Elliot Trent Thompson

 

Poetry and Spoken Word

 

I reached out to the talented Arielle Estoria. She is an amazing poet, and an absolute wizard in taking ideas and putting them on paper. So now each unique emotional image is accompanied by an equally unique poem, and a spoken word piece!



About Elliot Thompson

 

Elliot Trent Thompson is a multimedia Artist and Designer. Although born in snowy upstate New York, Trent attended Azusa Pacific University where he received a BA in Cinematic Arts. With a burning passion to create and promote change Trent has been creating projects since he could pick up a pencil.

 

Throughout his wide range of creative work Trent aims to inspire a culture unafraid to influence systems beyond themselves. His work has been published as well as displayed in a collection of  Books and venues. He currently he lives and works in Redondo, CA. You can see more on the Feel project and other works at www.etrentart.com

 

What do feelings look like? What do they sound like? This book is a structured guide of human emotion, through illustration and poetry.

 

You can purchase Elliot's book HERE

Visit Arielle Astoria HERE