-The First Look Test I Tried.
-Some of the pictures I included in my art piece.
The Girl I Used to Be
Materials: Printed childhood photographs (various sizes), Foam board (large scale base), Scissors, Glue, Ruler, Pencil,
This collage project is deeply personal to me because it comes from my memories, identity, and the way childhood moments stay with us even as we grow older. For this work, I collected all of my childhood photographs and brought them together on one large foam board. I wanted to show that identity is not just one moment or one version of us, but a collection of many small moments that build over time. In these photos, you can see me being happy, playful, dressed up, performing, learning, and growing. Each image represents a different stage of my life, and when they are placed together, they create a fuller picture of who I am today. My goal was for the viewer to feel warmth, nostalgia, and joy while looking at the collage, almost like flipping through a family photo album.
Memory plays a huge role in how we understand ourselves, and this project allowed me to visually explore that idea. Childhood photos often feel simple, but they carry strong emotions and meaning. The bright colors, different outfits, and varied expressions in my photos create a sense of rhythm and movement across the board, showing how life keeps changing but stays connected. I like to think of each photo as a small piece of a larger story. On their own, they are individual memories, but together they reflect growth, personality, and identity. I wanted the collage to feel lively and full of energy, just like childhood itself. Even without words, the images communicate feelings of innocence, joy, and curiosity.
My process involved a lot of decision-making and patience. The most challenging part was organizing so many photos into one balanced layout. Each picture had its own colors, mood, and size, and I didn’t want the board to feel overcrowded or chaotic. At the same time, it was hard to leave out any photo because every memory felt important to me. I constantly stepped back, rearranged images, and thought carefully about balance, unity, color harmony, and scale. I struggled with creating a strong focal point because emotionally, every image felt special. This back-and-forth process is something I want to show through detail and process shots on my website, because it helps viewers understand how thoughtful and emotional the process really was.
Looking back, I can see ways this project could be improved. In my opinion, making one area stand out more would help guide the viewer’s eye. Right now, many of the images carry equal visual weight, which creates movement but also makes the composition feel busy. I think experimenting with larger images, more contrast, or leaving some open space could help the collage breathe. Adding a soft background color, subtle borders, or lines might also help unify the photos even more. These are ideas I would love to explore if I revisit this project in the future. Showing close-up shots on my website would allow viewers to notice small details, expressions, and textures that might get lost when viewing the collage from far away.
The most successful part of this project, in my opinion, is the emotional connection it creates. The collage feels warm, nostalgic, and full of personality. There is a strong sense of unity because all the images are connected through the theme of childhood. The repetition of bright colors, playful poses, and expressive outfits creates a natural rhythm that keeps the viewer engaged. I love that the story comes through visually, without needing text. This work reminds me that identity is built from many small moments, and every memory no matter how simple the meaning is. This project helped me understand myself better and showed me how powerful personal storytelling can be through art.
Comments by stalvanekar1