3D illustration created for a competition organized by the pan-European party Volt.
It symbolizes the need for European peoples to be more united than ever, so as not to lose their bearings in an uncertain and disorienting historical moment, constantly on the brink of possible conflict.
The artwork was created entirely in Blender, with only minor image retouching done in Affinity Photo.
Let me know what you think about it, and if you have any questions about the creative process, feel free to ask.
I can’t connect to the “European Politics” angle, but this is a marvelous idea that immediately calls to mind, “Stonehenge.” Most, but not all, of the circled characters are white, and luminescent. The even gray light and planetary-surface-like texture adds greatly to the abstraction.
Thanks. I love that the image is inspiring on its own, that was the goal.
Anyway, here’s the description, I hope it helps clarify the political vision:
The illustration depicts a desert landscape, with a sky heavy with clouds in the background, glowing at its center. The sun is not visible, yet the colors suggest an imminent sunset.
Twelve human figures form a circle, like a chain, with their hands resting on the backs of the companions beside them, echoing the stars of the European flag.
Nine are fully connected and shine with intense light. Two are only partially connected and, for this reason, emit a weaker glow. The twelfth, still isolated, remains in the shadows.
As it moves forward timidly, it is welcomed by the group: soon it will shine like the others, and when all are connected, they will illuminate the path together.
It symbolizes the need for European peoples to be more united than ever, so as not to lose their bearings in an uncertain and disorienting historical moment, constantly on the brink of possible conflict.
Design-wise I am having a small issue with the (incomplete) circle of twelve: the figures at position 4 and 8 (counting clockwise, starting at 0/12 o’clock) are really hard to spot, their silhouettes are superseded by the ones positioned behind them (from the viewer’s perspective), at 3 and 9 o’clock.
So while I think the general symbolism is pretty clear (achieve/restore unity in the face of an increasingly menacing environment), the reference to EU’s signature number of 12 isn’t immediately recognizable.
I see your point, Helmut.
However, since this artwork will be shown in the Volt pan-European party contest, it didn’t need to be explicit.
Of course, outside of the party contest, it would be quite difficult to recognize that it refers to the EU.
That said, artworks are often more appealing when they are not perfectly readable, as they encourage the viewer to focus on the elements that compose them, making the piece more likely to be remembered.
