The Tree of Isolation: A Junior Self-Portrait Illustration by Kevin Chan (2012)

My illustration features a tree with a lock around its roots, which to me shows 'meeting new people' and 'isolation.' The tree is green, with its branches wide open, which to me signifies 'meeting new people'. The only thing that holds the tree back is the lock around its roots, which signifies isolation, because I feel like my isolation is what keeps me from having many friends. My original idea was to show a handshake with a lock around it, but the idea seemed too conventional for meeting new people. When I came up with the tree idea, I had to decide between a more realistic approach or a more simplistic, stylized approach. What I ended up with was the more time consuming realistic approach, where I drew out each individual leaf, instead of just a big green tree top. For me, this more difficult way of illustrating also shows my dedication to meeting new people, which I've worked hard at.

My illustration project relied entirely upon Adobe Illustrator to create the artwork. I first used images from the internet as guides for my artwork, and then added more details after the general outline was complete. When working in Illustrator, I mainly used the pen tool for the outline and the brush tool for the details. Using Illustrator was difficult for me, as I was not used to the workspace and the way that the tools differed from programs like Photoshop. Eventually, I was able to complete the illustration, despite the minor technical problems.