Blackheart

Living with depression and anxiety can be both mentally and physically painful, and even crippling. This is because of the negative effects these disorders can have on our emotions, self esteem, energy, and primary outlook on life. For my Senior Capstone Project I created Blackheart. It is a multifaceted company that helps to communicate what it is really like to live with depression and anxiety and the negative effects they can have on one's mental health. Blackheart’s goal is not just to reach a benchmark for profit, but rather to promote the freedom of expression through music and clothing. My hope is that the brand will help to create an open and understanding community, where individuals feel safe in sharing their experiences with these disorders. This act of sharing will spread mental health awareness in itself. My sales intention is to donate 50% of profits to the organizations that help spread awareness as well such as the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, National Alliance on Mental Illness, and Anxiety and Depression Association of America.

Process

I started brainstorming by allowing myself to sketch something everyday. I not only succeeded in doing this for a whole semester, but I also made sure that each drawing fit the same theme and aesthetic. While I was working on the sketches I was also writing and creating new music. This music would later be critiqued, edited, and recorded in order to become my debut EP - Blackheart. What is interesting about this project is how the music inspired the imagery to be used on the clothing and vice versa. Below, you will find the initial sketches I produced that would become the building blocks for what the brand is today.

Target Audience:

Anyone who wants to spread mental health awareness in regards to depression and anxiety. This audience can consist of those who are struggling with the disorders, recovering from them, wanting to learn more about them, etc. As long as people are respectful of these disorders, Blackheart will target a universal audience, which is why I have included unisex garments such as T-shirts and hoodies, at affordable prices. Below you will find a link to these products and more.

Blackheart Webstore

Role:

Through dark lyrics and graphics, I was able to pull myself out of a deep depression and face fears that were inhibiting my confidence and well-being. Creating Blackheart was therapeutic for me because it helped me to better understand what I was going through in order to move past it and get the help I needed. I want others to know they are not alone, and that through creative expression it is possible to heal.

Face your Blackheart to bring out the light within.

Skills:

logo design, art direction, music production, creativity, symphonic thinking, color theory, digital art, big picture thinking, social media marketing, consumer analysis, writing, communication, organization, competitive analysis, marketing research, adobe indesign, adobe illustrator, adobe photoshop, microsoft word

Duration:

6 months

Challenges:

Bringing my artistic vision to life, while accommodating a universal audience. In order to do this, I really had to make sure that the idea behind each design would be comprehendible to both the average consumer and the niche market I was targeting.

Successes:

Being able to wear my own designs on hoodies, long sleeve T's, and more. Also, seeing friends and family wear the products as well in order to spread a positive message.

Final Results and Evaluation:

It was amazing to have the freedom to create this beautiful work of art for my senior capstone project! I am beyond grateful for all those who supported me along the way and hope the clothing and music will continue to make a positive and lasting impact on the world! Below you will find my own webpage on the VPA section of the Merrimack College website, which was the final component of this project.

VPA Webpage

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