Hypnagogia
Hypnagogia, the “transitional state from wakefulness to sleep, also defined as the waning state of consciousness during the onset of sleep”, according to healthline.com. Often times, people can experience vivid hallucinations during the state in which they are just starting to fall asleep and these hallucinations can include a variety of imagined experiences, ranging from physical feeling, sight, taste, smell, etc. This multimedia piece is intended to encapsulate a peaceful, dream-like state in which the subject is having a pleasant experience entering her slumber. There is a sense of calmness in the scene observing the relaxed colors of the living room, the serene sunset, the soft facial expression, and the tranquil movement of the water beneath. Taking a glimpse into the making of this piece, I used 5 different mediums/ programs including photography, hand-drawn illustrations, Photoshop, Illustrator, and Procreate.
After photographing my subject and scene, I created a “displacement map” to create the water ripple effect, (shown below). Through this effect, I was able to create the illusion of a flooded living room floor, my personal favorite characteristic of the scene. I then illustrated a pair of Red-Crowned Cranes as the wallpaper. I chose these animals as they are a symbol of long life and love and contribute to an elevated ambience. The flower in the frame was hand-drawn on a piece of lined paper and then taken into Illustrator. Lastly, I altered the scene in the window to have the background flow nicely with the theme in the foreground. Having a “tumblresque” or throwback tumblr feel, this piece evokes a sense of nostalgia in me and in a way takes me to a dream-like state as well.
