For this personal project, I decided to illustrate my love hate relationship with high heels. They make me feel more attractive, feminine and more poised however, at the same time they are so uncomfortable the wrong pair of heels can make you feel like you are undergoing the modern day equivalent of foot binding. Even the “stiletto” the heel named after a dagger conjures up an image of injury. As I walk into work wearing my most comfortable trainers, my heels tucked away in a bag like weapons to be smuggled in an out of the office, I feel like I have struck an uneasy compromise on my first world problem. 

 

However, as I reflect on the final illustration, I see that there are many more layers of symbolism than I initially intended. The image conjures up darker feelings of female oppression, sex slavery, the #MeToo movement, mainstream acceptance of BDSM and how the influencer culture is affecting body image. So when you are viewing the illustration feel free to attach your own interpretation and choose the symbolism that best represents your own state of mind.

Colour was used to convey beauty and emotion. The monotone background allows the shoe to pop and immediately draw the eye. Experiments with different colours was not as affective so I kept the limited colour palette.