Brian's Creations: Self Harm Awareness Poster (final)

Welcome back!

**************************WARNING*************************

The below concept is provocative and could be triggering to those who have either experienced these types of events or currently self-harm.

If you engage in self-harm, please seek help immediately!!

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I have completed work on my Awareness poster submission, and you are about to witness it's unveiling. Drumroll please!

Self-Harm can come in many forms - one of which is "cutting". This is where a razor blade, knife, fingernails, or other sharp object is used to cut into the skin generating pain that some people believe masks their emotional pain. Don't mistake this as a suicide attempt - typically persons who self-harm like this are not yet to the point of a suicide attempt, but could be close. Get them the help they need right away.

The awareness poster reflects a self-harming teenage girl, who had previously been as pure as a white rose until bullying drove her to start "cutting" on her arms and thighs. She is shown fading into the flower as she reaches the point of an actual suicide attempt due to the fact that no one saw the warning signs and thus no help was provided. Once that point was reached, she takes a handful of pills (which also could represent the alternate path to mental stability as the pills shown are Prozac). Unfortunately, her overdose attempt is successful and she is buried at a very young age (around 14). At the bottom of the image, a banner warns viewer to learn about and recognize the warning signs such that others may be saved from a similar fate.

This image was created using multiple Photoshop techniques and 12 layers. Besides the images shown below, I've applied Curves and Vibrance adjustments, three overlays, multiple layer effects, and several text layers. Tools used include crop, brush, pencil, clone stamp, text, erasers (multiple), and others.

Now to provide you with the original source images used in this project and give credit to their artists...