Henninger, The Scarlet Letter/Juno Project

Sophia Henninger

Sexuality & Society

For the second quarter project, we had to demonstrate a theme of the Scarlet Letter creatively. I chose to do this by using color symbolism. My project consists of five drawings, each is an eye that the irises of are colored to represent certain aspects of the person’s personality and condition. Each eye is meant to be a different person; each being viewed differently in society. I wanted to show how people are not only what the majority labels them as. All people have a side that is not known by the public and aspects of themselves that not everyone can see.

Actually creating the project was a good experience because it was very independent. I enjoyed being able to do almost anything I wanted. My process involved more brainstorming then I had initially anticipated. So much so, that I went through about 4 different mostly formed ideas before deciding on the eye series. I chose to do this because I have always loved drawing eyes and when I realized how well it would fit into the project, it was simply settled. When beginning to sketch each eye, I tried to build a character in my head that may not be completely understood by others. After I had drawn out the basic shape of each eye, I tried to imagine their personalities so I could color their eyes appropriately. Every color has a certain meaning behind it and I attempted to use that, along with other physical characteristics of the eyes, to form a complete story for each person. 

Overall, I am very proud of the ending result even though I do think it could be improved upon in a few ways. I think that the drawings alone are too simple. Without the explanations, they are only cute little doodles. If I were to do this project again, I would change a few things. I would have made the eyes themselves larger. It was difficult to fit all the colors I wanted in some of the irises. If I had made them larger it would have been much easier to get a point across. I also would have stuck to one medium. For most of the project I used pencil, graphite and colored, but in a few pieces marker was used and it only makes the drawings look sloppy, in my opinion. But I am truly proud of the detail I was able to achieve on these pieces despite the size. I think with the explanations it is very easy to picture these people. At the end of the project, I am happy with my result and look forward to more opportunities to use creativity in class. 

This eye is meant to show a man who is visibly agitated, shown by the exaggerated blood vessels.

  Red - intensity/passion

  Pink - love

  Beige - shame/sadness

Men are sometimes depicted as emotionless beings, but this eye is meant to show that this man is actually suffering from his struggle to express love.

“Living Child”

This eye is meant to belong to a child who is in every way, a free spirit. The large eye and freckles show youth.

  Green - life

  Light Green - liveliness

  Yellow - energy

  Purple - independence

Sometimes children can viewed as naive and simple-minded but there is a certain understanding that comes with their youth.

This eye depicts a woman crying, shown by the tear and irritated blood vessels. 

  Brown - stability/endurance

  Bright Red - anger/power

  Navy Blue - strength

In society women are often shown as vulnerable and emotional. While this woman is externally expressing feelings, it is hidden that within her she feels powerful. 

“Old Secrets”

This eye is meant to belong to an older person. The heavy wrinkles both above and below the eye show this.

  Lavender - nostalgia

  Beige - shame/sadness

  Burgundy - maturity

  Gray - timeless

Older people are often shown as wise and all-knowing. But as with all people, they have regrets and their perception of the world has changed because of them. 

“Her Own World”

This eye is meant to be the eye of someone who is on drugs. The dilated pupil and exaggerated veins are meant to show their intoxication.

  Fuchsia - excitement

  Orange - vibrance

  Light Green - liveliness

  Red - intensity

Though many people look down on others that use drugs, users often say they feel enlightened when under the influence.