VALENTINE'S DAY CARDS
Valentine’s Day Cards is a graphic design project oriented around communication and love.
I came across neuroscience research indicating a strong relationship between the presence of oxytocin in the mind and compassion leading to commitment in romantic relationships. In fact, the chemical has been referred to as the "cuddle hormone" for this reason. This led me to investigate the other chemical manifestations of romance and is what ultimately inspired this project.
I created these as 5 x 7 cards to be distributed to increase awareness of the role of the mind in actions and behavior we typically associate with the heart. These cards represent the chemical stages of love, moving from Lust, the first stage of love, to Relationship, the final stage. These were made entirely using chemical representation of the underlying science behind these stages.
Representing the final psychological stage of love, this piece is composed entirely with the chemical representation of oxytocin. It is the hormone and neurotransmitter associated with feelings of empathy, trust, and relationship building. Zoom in to see the molecular basis for this depiction of love.
Representing the first stage of love, the valentine’s card above was created using only the chemical representation of estrogen. This is the hormone responsible for feelings of lust and initial attraction. Next time you find yourself falling in “love at first sight”, you have Estrogen to thank.