Video link: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/_RqbMBxk1SU
Video link: https://youtu.be/LAEYHbES9zk
Invading Virtual Eyeballs
This is an illustrated book project inspired by my personal experiences. There was a time when I felt tired and lost in the digital world. People around me were dedicating more and more of their time to the internet. Trends online are imitated by many, but their true value remains uncertain. People are often drawn to online news, believing it without question.
I often found myself unconsciously lost in the temptations woven by algorithms, followed by regret and emptiness over wasted time. This project is a way for me to remind myself, as well as others, to focus on our own lives and to preserve independent thought amidst the waves of illusion.
Target audience
The project is primarily aimed at university students and adults aged 18 and above. In high school, students are often too busy with exams. But after entering university, their lives may suddenly become dull because of a mass of free time and the lack of a long-term goal. As a result, they often get trapped in their cellphones, unable to break free.
Mindmap
Research Interview
<Amusing
Ourselves to Death>
"We are immersed in the carnival of entertainment but may overlook the crisis behind it", ...
"Our politics, religions, news, sports, education, and business have willingly become the handmaidens of entertainment, without a complaint or even a whisper. And the result is that we have become a species addicted to entertainment."
Wenjing Yang’s illustrations use bright and lively colours. This composition and color align well with the tone of my story.
I asked four questions, which include “Is mass media controlling or influencing the information we receive?” “How has the way we communicate changed our thoughts?” “Do you feel troubled by the amount of time you spend on your screen?” “What would your life be like if the internet disappeared?”
Colour Storyboard
We scheme top hits, then we cash the flow.With a speck of flow imputed, all walks of life satisfied. We spark a row with the most extreme posts, turn every attention into a bargaining chip. Every sensation, a big fortune. Our goal — to invade virtual eyeballs. If the virtual world is compared to a boundless sea, we take our targets as the lighthouse, guiding us forward.Set sail, to the sea!
—Radar activated—Scanning: Who else hasn't iterated? —Report: Target identified. Our targeting Eyeballs belong to readers:who stuck to newspapers - "the primeval forests", who were outdated like silenced reels of film, and who trekked across deserts of ignorance all alone. Issue our command: an investigation to be launched immediately, an analysis over the needs of the target!Devote to them: A swarm of hot news,capturing their attention with immense information like a high-speed sports car with automatic cruise, presenting them well-refined megapixel portraits,an unprecedented eye feast.Mission accomplished. Even those mavericks,deserve to savor every dance with AI. Cruising, examining every Eyeball online.
Drown them into surging waves of video games,root them in fertile soil of TV series. Our sincerest gratitude,to the Eyeballs that hold back sleepiness late at night just to sound off about current events on social media. Ah, dear Eyeballs,Do dedicate to my virtual kingdom,Even in your dreams.
Come Sit in the Park!
Inspiration
How long has it been since the last time you get relaxed in nature? The fast-paced city life leaves urban dwellers exhausted. According to the “20-Minute Park Effect,” spending at least 20 minutes in a natural environment, especially a park, can significantly reduce stress, and boost mental well-being. I enjoy visiting parks and observing people. Inspired by this, I created these illustrations to portray the diverse ways people unwind in parks. Through these depictions, I hope to soothe the negative feelings from busyness in everyday life.
My focus often lands on the “benches” in parks, where people gather— whether they are daydreaming, walking their dogs, or watching over children.
Final work
