Surrealist portraits

Surrealist Portraits is a series created for a creative portrait challenge by artist Riso Chan, where five words served as prompts for five distinct visual interpretations. Each portrait became an exploration of digital techniques and symbolic storytelling.
In “Asleep”, the focus is on dreams and layers of consciousness — inspired by Nolan's movie "Inception". Pencil lines blended with digital color evoke the transition between the tangible and the imagined, mirroring how the mind drifts between realities.
“Sea” portrays a face breaking apart into waves, from which a small paper boat sails — a metaphor for navigating an ocean of thoughts and emotions.
In “Childhood”, personal memories surface as visual metaphors: the window from my grandmother’s house becomes one of the eyes; my favorite swing turns into an earring; and the climbing flower that once wrapped the house façade now entwines the character. It’s a reflection on how our childhood quietly shapes who we become.
“Love” offers a less romantic perspective — the character holds a rose lit like a cigarette, symbolizing love and romance as a form of addiction.
Finally, “Freedom” explores mental liberation: the moon glows through the figure’s forehead, while clouds part with the flow of her hair, representing clarity and expansion.
This project was an exercise in stretching a concept as far as possible without losing its recognizability. Balancing familiarity and strangeness, the series embodies my ongoing pursuit of a poetic, emotionally charged, and symbol-driven visual language.