This animation explores the complex relationship of a young Black girl with her hair. It features audio from creator Shanspeare on YouTube, where she explains why Black women’s hair, particularly in North America, is so much more than 'just hair'.
Exploring the Journey of Hair and Self-Perception
This project aims to highlight the experiences of many Black girls and women with their hair, exploring how something cherished as unique and extraordinary in childhood can be distorted by external opinions as we grow older. As a Black woman, this is a very personal topic for me, something I’ve experienced throughout my life. Through this animation, I shed light on the often-overlooked impact of others’ perspectives on our self-image and identity.
Designing a Journey of Self-Image Through Hair
The story focuses solely on the main character, with thoughtful details like her stuffed animal as a child and its keychain on her backpack as a teen, emphasizing her youth and ongoing growth in self-image. Her body language becomes more closed as the narrative progresses. I designed her with large, prominent hair and visible skin tone to highlight their significance, using flat, simplistic backgrounds and hair gradients to keep focus on her journey.
Bringing a Story to Life Through Colour and Expression
To build this project, I used a simplistic art style and a limited colour palette to portray the young girl’s story. Bright, warm tones reflect her innocence, shifting to cooler hues as her self-perception evolves, symbolizing the ups and downs of life as a Black girl with her hair. While the animation focused on quick cuts and minimal movement, it effectively conveyed emotion through expressions and colours. The process taught me how to illustrate a narrative without dialogue, and though time-comsuming, I’m proud of the final result.
