Emotional Residue
Poster Triptych / Digital
Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop
2025
The Emotional Residue trilogy explores the universal yet often unspoken emotions we encounter in life’s quieter moments. It begins with the recognition that understanding our feelings starts with knowing we are not alone in experiencing them. This series translates that shared human truth into a visual narrative, capturing both the beauty and weight of these emotions. I focused on three in particular—loneliness, nostalgia, and anticipation—each depicted to reflect not only what it feels like to inhabit these emotional states, but also the possibilities for acknowledging, embracing, and moving through them.
Sketching Out Ideas
When developing my sketches, I placed the highest priority on the imagery. In previous projects, my designs often leaned heavily on text, so this series became an opportunity to shift my focus toward visual storytelling. My goal was to encapsulate each emotion within a single, representative object, allowing the imagery to carry the narrative. While nostalgia required additional brainstorming beyond the initial sketches, this process helped me refine my vision, clarify my creative direction, and, most importantly, ensure that each element would work together as part of a cohesive and unified piece.
Initial Iterations
These represent my initial iterations for the designs. While I understood the direction I was aiming for, I am pleased with the refinements made in subsequent versions. Producing at least three to five iterations is an essential part of my process, allowing me to explore possibilities and hone in on the strongest solution. At this stage, the focus is on experimentation—testing what works, identifying what doesn’t, and using those insights to guide the final outcome.
HEX#:485D6C
CMYK: 75/56/43/20
RBG: 72/93/108
Typography Palette
When selecting a font for these designs, I aimed for a bold typeface that would immediately capture attention. Impact was the ideal choice, as its thick strokes and strong presence naturally command focus. Particularly in black, it asserts itself prominently. By incorporating color, I was able to soften its intensity slightly while maintaining its authoritative and striking character.
Colors
When selecting colors for this project, I debated between using bright, saturated hues or more subdued, dusty tones. After reviewing the project as a whole, I chose the muted palette, as it not only simplified the design process but also more accurately reflected the emotions I aimed to convey. The softer tones aligned closely with the nuanced, lived experience of those feelings.
Imagery
Choosing a visual representation for loneliness came easily—a lighthouse, steadfastly casting light into the darkness in hopes of spotting a passing ship. It is simple, recognizable, and universally understood. Nostalgia, on the other hand, offered countless possibilities. Ultimately, I chose a teddy bear, a timeless and familiar object from childhood that transcends gender and connects with nearly everyone. Anticipation proved the most challenging. While the concept is straightforward, the right symbol took time to emerge. I settled on a wrapped present—an object that perfectly captures the beauty of excitement and the joy of what is yet to be revealed.
HEX#:677532
CMYK: 60/37/100/20
RBG: 103/117/50
HEX#:A45D5D
CMYK: 30/70/56/12
RBG: 164/93/93
Quote Selection
“Loneliness… A vast ocean, and I am a boat with no sails.” – Nikita Gill
I selected this quote because it extends beyond the lighthouse metaphor, offering a powerful and vivid depiction of isolation. Imagining oneself adrift in a vast ocean, in a boat without sails, captures the essence of loneliness; being stranded, unseen, and unable to move forward. Such solitude leaves an emotional mark that is not easily healed. The muted, dusty blue was chosen to reflect the passage of time one might spend in this state, softening the starkness while conveying quiet endurance.
Loneliness
Understanding loneliness is a challenging experience that I would not wish on anyone. However, finding a visual representation of this feeling came easily to me. A lighthouse immediately came to mind, symbolizing the long wait and hopeful anticipation for something, or someone, to arrive.
Quote Selection
“Nothing is ever really lost to us as long as we remember it.” – L.M. Montgomery
This quote captures the essence of nostalgia in a tender and heartfelt way. It speaks not only to tangible objects, but also to loved ones, places, and homes that are no longer within reach. Nostalgia, in many ways, is misplaced love; something that still exists in the world, yet remains beyond our grasp. To be nostalgic is, in itself, a gift; as long as we hold something in memory, it remains a part of us.
Nostalgia
Nostalgia is a feeling I know well, and translating it into a visual format came naturally. I asked myself: what is something nearly everyone associates with childhood warmth and comfort? The answer was simple; teddy bears. From there, I brought an image into Illustrator and developed the design to evoke that familiar sense of fond remembrance.
Quote Selection
“Anticipation leads the way to every joy and every fear.” – Honoré de Balzac
While anticipation often carries excitement, it can also lead to unexpected or even disappointing outcomes. For example, opening a small box on Christmas, expecting something sparkling, only to find a $20 gift card, can dampen the moment. Managing our anticipation is a universal challenge; balancing hope without setting expectations so high that they invite letdowns.
Anticipation
I chose Anticipation because this project was one of the final pieces I completed before graduating from Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design, a milestone I had been looking forward to for a long time. Including an uplifting emotion in this trilogy felt important, as the other two carry a heavier, more somber tone. Anticipation leaves space for wonder, hope, and the possibility of the best possible outcome.
Environmental Contact
Seeing my designs in a real-world context is always deeply rewarding; it’s the moment all the hard work comes to life. I enjoy visualizing how a concept would exist beyond the screen, transforming from idea to tangible presence. This process is not only exciting for me, but also for clients, as it allows them to experience their vision in a way they may never have imagined.