Illustrating the struggle of mental illnesses through game concept art

Abstract

It is a well established fact that unfortunately mental illness and stigma quite often go hand in hand, despite the positive leaps forward in psychology and psychiatry (Caddell 2019). Thus, the main aim of this thesis is to attempt to lessen the existing stigma linked to mental illness via research on how this is represented throughout video-game media, with a primary focus on concept art. Therefore, both the negative and positive impacts that such digital forms of mainstream media could have on an individual, was able to be investigated in greater detail. For this reason both fields of study of art and psychology were continuously referred to, as well as referenced extensively, during the entire thesis project. In order to further understand mainstream media has utilised and represented such a sensitive topic in their final works, several publications and studies focusing on related subject matter needed to be delved into, whilst keeping in mind the two aforementioned disciplines. In this manner, through conducting interviews and a focus group made up of a variety of people from different walks of life, a clear and educated result was achieved for the final project. This was based upon the initial array of sketches created, as well as the conclusive meaning behind each of them. Furthermore, the most vital aspect, the interviews, further helped to develop the idea that mental illness is to be dealt and lived with rather than fought against, as opposed to the common video game representation, in which villains are generally portrayed as suffering from some sort of untreatable mental illness. Thus, ultimately, this was the primary reason as to why such subject matter was chosen to be tackled in this dissertation project, as well as to create artwork which symbolizes mental illness in a positive and educational way, rather than reverting to the same old method of creating and reinforcing wrongful and out-dated stereotypes.