Ready to wrap up! Here are the final 18 line works, mounted for submission:

In detail:

Torment – severe physical or mental suffering

A brush was used to create repeating swirls to describe the feeling of being tormented by something. The few black patches represent the deep suffering ascribed to this emotion.

Panic – sudden or uncontrollable fear or anxiety, often causing wildly unthinking behaviour

A piece of sponge was used in this work. Black patches are placed amidst a dark grey background, to create a sense of being placed in a fog of war in the viewer.

Anxiety – a feeling of worry, nervousness or unease

Smooth, dark swirls on a grey background are used to illustrate the overthinking that would occur in someone suffering from anxiety.

Suffering – the state of undergoing pain, distress or hardship

A fork was used to create scratch marks that represent bloodied hands.

Uneasiness – lacking a sense of security

Using a paint knife, similar, repetitive marks were created. A stray, slanted mark shows a sudden change that describes uneasiness. The line is left incomplete to emphasise the lack of certainty.

Passion – an intense emotion, a strong feeling for something or someone

A lighter was used to create burn marks, illustrating how passion, while powerful, can also be damaging.

Fear – an unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger, pain or harm

White paint was used over a black background, to demonstrate the frequently used phrase “white with fear”. The feeling of fear would mask all other emotions being felt.

Enthusiasm – intense and eager enjoyment, interest, or approval

Strong and blocky shapes made using the brayer rollers are used in this example to illustrate the energy of an enthusiastic individual.

Alienation – being withdrawn or isolated from others

Made using an ink marker, a lone spot is placed in the middle of a space created by a line that splits apart, describing the sense of being alienated from others.

Bliss – perfect happiness, great joy

Leaves were used in this work to evoke a sense of calmness, which contributes to the sense of bliss.

Jealousy – an envious resentment of someone or something, for their perceived advantages

A paint knife was used in this work to create straight marks that appear like needle marks, showing how jealousy could feel like for an individual.

Contentment – a state of happiness and satisfaction

Broad marks were made using a brush, illustrating a sense of stability.

Optimism – hopefulness and confidence for the success of something

Alternating dark and white spaces are used to illustrate waves and the idea of “bouncing back” from a problem, hence describing optimism.

Astonishment – great surprise

A strong black bar is used to denote the shock and surprise in this emotion, while the white space with patches of black describes the confusion that may occur.

Frustration – the feeling of being upset or annoyed as a result of being unable to change or achieve something

Black marks are used to evoke a sense of being uneasy with a situation. The sharp, straight marks represent an individual’s frustration at being unable to solve an issue.

Grief – intense sorrow, especially caused by someone’s death

On a strip painted black, sandpaper was used to create scratches that show the pain felt by someone who would’ve lost a loved one. Tears are made in the strip to emphasise this.

Hopelessness – feeling extreme despair

White paint is used to create a texture of ice and snow, as if the viewer is trapped in a cold, freezing environment where there is no hope of returning to civilisation, thus illustrating hopelessness.

Melancholy – a feeling of pensive sadness, typically with no obvious cause

Glue is used to simulate raindrops and marbling is used. The grey denotes the sadness felt and raindrops tend to evoke a less optimistic mood.