Student of the Universe: A Junior Self-Portrait Illustration by Daniela Chavez Preciado (2013)

My illustration is based on the line from my personal essay ''I am transported into the vast mesmerizing sky above me, my mind is not confined by any boundaries.'' I chose this line because it reveals my tendency to look at the bigger picture of life, including the infinite wonder and possibilities of the world, often losing myself in thought during the process. To illustrate this I drew myself with the universe inside of me, I am sitting in a desk looking out into the distance. All around me are swirls of different colors.

The galaxy pattern symbolizes my mind that likes to ponder explanations about our existence as a whole.The ideas I've come to in my mind are stars because they produce light in the never ending darkness that is inside of me. I'm at a desk to symbolize my desire to learn and understand, despite the fact I am prone to spacing out during history class. Which brings me to my next symbol, the swirls. They go all over the page, to depict my thoughts that take me outside of what is going on around me.