The Face of Mental Health

This was my entry for the Canada Post Corporation contest that was open to the public last year to create a stamp for mental health awareness. I placed fifth which is an accomplishment considering that it was a nation wide contest.

My stamp is designed to be aesthetically pleasing and interesting while trying to project the idea of mental illness as an important issue in our time. The face represents the many people who suffer alone. In my mind, a stoic resignation lends itself well to a generic projection that in my mind portrays the wide spectrum of people that are afflicted in one way or another by mental health issues. The hand represents the hope that we can embrace those who struggle with mental health issues. The left eye symbolizes the stigma associated with mental illness in society. The keyhole represents a portal to the mind, with which we can make strides to understanding mental health issues in order to help and accept those afflicted with it.

Please visit the site of the Canadian Mental Health Association for more information: http://www.cmha.ca

The first image is my base drawing for the design. The second image is the digitally rendered final concept.