The project originated as a personal endeavor, driven by an aspiration to understand the true cost and scale of my habits. It was my conviction that confronting these stark realities through visually represented findings would provide the motivation needed to curb my smoking and reduce my daily coffee consumption.
Regrettably, despite the revealing insights, the project did not lead to a successful reduction in these habits.
ADDICTIONS
The 'Addictions' project illustrates the results of my independent study into the financial and time costs of my personal habits, namely cigarette smoking and coffee consumption.
A decision was made to communicate the collated data in a visually engaging print format.
Often, behaviors such as smoking and coffee drinking are labeled as bad habits. This results in their implications being downplayed in our collective consciousness. Numerically quantifying those effects in the ‘Addictions’ project made the consequences of cigarette smoking and coffee intake more concrete and tangible.
RIGHT: Preview.
The book's black-and-white design serves a dual purpose. Firstly, it symbolizes the contrasting emotions experienced during rehab. Addicted individuals often associate the consumption of their preferred substance with pleasure but in the absence of the addictive substance, they can experience feelings of anger, sadness, or even fury. This stark contrast is visually represented by the black-and-white color scheme.
Secondly, the black-and-white design imparts a sense of simplicity and clarity, particularly when presenting numerical data. This minimalistic approach ensures that readers' attention is drawn primarily to the content and the numbers, making the data easily comprehensible without unnecessary complexity or overthinking.
BOOK
printed version
+ BOX
It is vital to ensure cohesiveness throughout a project. Even for a compact book, it is crucial that the packaging aligns with the theme. Thus, I opted for a packaging solution that swiftly conveys the book's topic.
To achieve this, I chose to repurpose a cigarette box, taking advantage of its sturdy construction and apt size for the project.
I modified the box's dimensions to suit my specific needs. The outcome of this redesign pleasantly surprised me, as it bore a striking resemblance to original cigarette packaging, effectively aligning the external presentation with the book's content.
+ POSTER
As a final touch, I elected to summarise my project with a poster. It serves as a compelling visual representation of how cigarettes and coffee have come to impact my life. I artfully edited a photograph in Photoshop to convey the idea that these substances have essentially replaced a regular meal. This metaphorical image emphasizes the unhealthy nature of these habits and highlights the extent to which they have taken over my daily existence.
The poster incorporates an inventive twist in the form of its own packaging, cleverly shaped like a cigarette box. This unique presentation not only mirrors the theme of the project but also adds an additional layer of symbolism, effectively underscoring the central message.
BEHIND THE SCENE
The methodology behind this project was relatively straightforward. Over a span of seven days, I diligently collected the butts of the cigarettes I smoked and the grounds from each cup of coffee which I consumed. Both materials were meticulously dried and stored in plastic bags to preserve the data, enabling me to capture the final visuals for the project.
The collection of cigarette butts presented its challenges, as the pervasive smell lingered throughout my home despite my efforts to keep the bags sealed and outside. However, this discomfort was an added layer of motivation to help me kick the smoking habit.
In addition to tracking the coffee I brewed at home, I extended the data collection to include the cups from coffee shops whenever I indulged outside. I also recorded the duration of each coffee break and the time spent smoking cigarettes, diligently noting these statistics on my phone for each day.
While the project, regrettably, did not succeed in breaking my smoking and coffee consumption habits, it did offer a sobering revelation. It provided a concrete portrayal of my average daily intake of both substances and quantified the significant financial expenditure, thereby reinforcing the magnitude of these habits.
