Calm Amidst Chaos - Mixed Media Comic

For this project, I spent a day walking through Church Street, Bangalore, observing the details that often go unnoticed in everyday urban life. I photographed anything that caught my attention, from a distinctive cap worn by a passerby to an unusual staircase jutting out of a building. The aim was to discover an urban theme through observation rather than assumption. Using these photographs as a starting point, I explored associations through rhyming words, which eventually evolved into a poem. The final outcome was a visual collage that combined the printed photographs with the poem, capturing my personal interpretation of the street and its character.

Based on the themes explored in my collage and poem, I developed a short story centred on finding calm within chaos. The narrative reflects on the culture of constant hustle that often follows us into adulthood and explores the importance of slowing down, noticing small moments and creating space for quiet amidst the demands of everyday life.

This project encouraged me to step outside my comfort zone and challenge my bias toward perfectionism. I was inspired by Quentin Blake’s (Roald Dahl books' illustrator) loose and expressive illustration style. I experimented with creating characters more freely, learning to prioritize spontaneity, movement and personality over polished precision.

The early layouts were developed using only illustrations, reflecting my natural inclination toward drawing-led compositions. Faculty feedback challenged me to expand my visual language, leading me to combine illustration with photographic elements and Photoshop-based manipulation to create more layered and visually engaging spreads.