I Wonder: The Journey of the Wise Tortoise and the Curious Otter
2023 Visual Communications Honours Project.
‘I Wonder’ is an illustrated and written exploration of self-reflections examining how we perceive ourselves and our surroundings. It’s intended as a tool to improve one’s state of mind. Through the journey of two anthropomorphised characters, the Wise Tortoise and the Curious Otter, the Otter discovers the importance of slowing down, letting go, reflecting, and viewing the world from a different perspective through the insightful words of the long-lived Tortoise.
From the beginning of this project, I realised what I was trying to do was improve my state of mind so in turn, I could provide a moment of calmness for others. As a self-exploration, I had to decide where in the world and what things brought a sense of peace and tranquillity into my life so I could depict and use these ideas throughout the illustrations to enhance those ideas further and create this melancholy atmosphere within the work.
“Sometimes we just need to be a never-ending body of still water. Calm and peaceful, quiet, and observant, protected from outside disruption, otherwise the water’s ripples may grow into a swirl that becomes a stormy sea.”
— SOPHIE JANE.
“Life is like a mountain top, frosty and uninhabitable at times, flourishing with flowers the next. Life is ever-changing, just like the seasons come and go.”
— SOPHIE JANE