Psychology art project- ur photos needed!

[Joane]

Hello everyone =)

THE POJECT:
I have lacked inspiration for my drawings lately, but now there is this huge amazing art series forming in my head, only I am missing the references.
I want to create a series of drawings called faces of psychopathology. I want to try to portray the different kinds of disorders that I have been studying lately and combine it with famous poetry or song lyrics that go along.

HOW YOU CAN HELP:
I need references of photos of yourself or friends on the topics of mental disorders. Anything you have an idea of.
I guess it's very hard to try to explain what I am after. I will probably only use the reference photo as a guideline, so the actual drawing might not look a whole lot like you once I'm finished, or it might look exactely like you. I will let you know in case I draw you though! Just some inspiration would be great. And I know that many of you take very great, emotional photos, so I thought I'd ask =)

SUGGESTIONS:

I already have a lot of ideas that you draw from, or just amaze me with your own ideas and inspirations as you always do

Phobias:
If anyone could do acloseup of their face with very wide eyes in which they look really scared? I want to use this for anxiety and create an image of maybe a spider or something else related with phobia in the reflection of the eye So it's quite important that the eyes are big, scared and the photo is HQ.

Eating disorder and multiple personalities
For these, shots with a mirror would be great. I might use them for showing the person having a distorted image of themselves or two show two different personalities. So if you have lots of time and want to help me heaps, you could take several different photos of you with a mirror, where the position stays the same, but your expression changes? I could draw a different face in the mirror and the actual person that way- kinda merge two photos

Sleeping disorders
Something with a bed, pillow, sleeping mask, or anything sleep related that depictures someone who can't sleep would be cool.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder
A shot where you maybe look at a table and you are about to order something and have this very focused, blank look, or maybe one in which you are very deliberately washing your hands- anything related with all kinds of compulsions would be great.

Bipolar disorder
Many of you have posted great photos of sadness so far that I could easily use for the depressive episode. If any of you who have done that could take another one in a similar position with a very extremely euphoric expression? The core of mania is not really happiness, it's more lunatic, having those grandiose thoughts to be chosen to do something, feeling almighty and often losing a grip on reality. So a normal smile would be... too normal I guess

Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a very versatile disorder with a lot of symptoms. I was thinking of either a photo in which you look over one shoulder very scared and I could draw the scheme of a person in the background to transfer the whole idea of being followed. Or one in which the person scratches their face or dugs their nails in to their skin, because sometimes in schizophrenia tactile symptoms make the patients believe there are bugs crawling under their skin. Another idea I have is someone holding up one of their eyes very wide, like you wanted to put in a contact, to check if there is anything in there. I might draw a tiny camera in there or a barcode, something that shows the person thinks they are being watched...

Hypochondriasis
Maybe a photo of someone with a statoscope, lisening to their own heartbeat, looking anxious or nervous. Not totally frightenend in this one though.


But please remember what I might use your references for. You might be recognisable in the drawing and as these are serious topics, you might not want to be portrayed that way.

Thank you very much!!!

Joane <3





If you are diagnosed with a mental disorder or feel like you might fit into one of these categories please read this:

Please think about whether you want to post your photos here and share this.
I do in no way want to exploid anyone's real pain for my art poject and am therefore not encouaging anyone with an actual disorder to post their photos here.
If you want to do so, as some did already, you are of course still welcome to post you photos. However it is very important to me that eveyone, and especially the ones who post their photos know the following:

A mental disorder is comparable to a disease, like a flu. It is something you catch, that causes you pain, and that you want to get rid of.
It does not make up everything the person is. Therefore I might feel uncomfortable with portraying anyone's actual disoder, as a drawing only tansports a very limited aspect of a person. I do not want to reduce anyone to their disorder.

Also, if anyone needs to be pointed into a direction as for how to access help, etc. feel free to PM me anytime.

[Zindy]

Strange I didn't see this earlier, might be that it's the forum area with almost the most activity I think that's a great project and if more viewed this thread I am sure you'd get a lot of volunteers.
I have lots of older photos of me I could send you. Most of them are the sad (could be depressed) theme, if you need that let me know

[thephoenix]

I don't know how much help I will be photo-wise... I'm no model. However, I had to comment (so much so that I created an account finally) that I absolutely LOVE the idea of this project. I, too, am studying Psychology, and I think this will make for a very powerful series of works.

Good luck with this, and I look forward to seeing what you do with it should you decide to share. :]

[Helene]

Hey Joane!

I think this is a wonderful idea. I tried looking through the photos on my parents' computer (been at their place for the past two weeks) and I found some photos. Don't know if you can use them, but here they are.







This last one was taken by a photographer friend years back, I'm sure he wouldn't mind if you used it.

[Forest_genie]

its a wonderful idea, give me 24 hour :P I will post a lot of pictures

[Daffy]

I might try to dig some up of me; i have anxiety/depression so ill have a look. I only really have one photo that relates to this at the moment but it doesn't show my face. I'll put it below anyhow; inspiration may peruse?

Prisoner of my mind,
because i can't escape you,
i can't control you,
your a stranger to me,
just let me be,
be free...

[Joane]

Hey guys!
Thank you so much for your replies!

@Zindy: I would sure love to have those
@Helene: The second one with the mirror is awesome, I'm pretty sure I will use that =)
@forest genie: looking forward to it a lot =)
@Daffy: this is a really cool picture, but I'm more after portraits. If you have any other stock, I would love to see it

Thanks everyone! I'm really excited to get started soon

[OmneyasWish]

Here is 2 shitty days..well all my days are shitty and I am Bi-polar and not a model, but here are 2 of me.

[OmneyasWish]

Here are some pics of my daughter, she is 23...always looks like the weight of the world is on her shoulders

[Vall]

I don't know if one of these can help you: