Project: Gang Violence

Completion Date: 2010

Description

I do not intend to glamorize the gang lifestyle, or condone any of the illegal or violent actions that often come hand in hand with gangs, rather, I want my design to evoke a sense of sympathy and compassion from people who may or may not know about the gang problem in our state.  The portrait is of a young gang member who at first glance may seem intimidating, but I hope that after looking at him for longer, the viewer gets a feeling of kindness as well.  There are 500 teardrops that represent the number of gang-related homicides in CA per year since 1981. I chose teardrops to represent this number because the teardrop tattoo, in gang culture, means that the wearer has murdered someone or it symbolizes the loss of a loved one. The young man could be a murderer, he could have lost a loved one, or he could be one of the loved ones that are lost.

Technical Skills

Information visualization using Illustrator and Photoshop

Gang Violence