Introduction

Has looking in the mirror ever made your skin crawl? Have you had to shed your old clothes after realizing they no longer fit? Have you looked back at your old pictures just to see someone else entirely? This project will focus on the stages of maturity and development that we all experience, through the lens of insects. We all go through processes that change us and we all come out different from how we began. Growing up can be uncomfortable, and you may not love how you appear at every stage, but every part of life is crucial to forming who you are. This project is meant to provoke elements of discomfort, while showing how development is crucial for life itself to flourish. 

Literature Review

A major source of stylistic inspiration was old 17th-19th century textbook illustrations (“Considérations…”). These drawings are relatively simple, monochromatic prints created using similar printmaking techniques to those used in this project. The goal of making the final pieces reminiscent of these scientific journals is to make them feel analytical, which ties back into the intended retrospection of the project. 

While not everyone is uncomfortable around bugs, many people are- hence why they were chosen as the subject matter for this project. Since the goal of this project is to elicit a level of discomfort from viewers, studies describing the general public’s views and opinions on different insects were used in order to select which bugs would be used. Insects like butterflies and ladybugs were generally better received, with people claiming they liked seeing, collecting, and interacting with them. Alternatively, bees and cockroaches were among those associated with fear and disgust (Shipley and Bixler). Both ends of this spectrum, as well as the points in between, are valuable in determining which specimens will evoke the strongest reactions. 

Methods

Initial research was conducted to find stylistic references for the visual elements of this project. Much of this included archival research and finding online scans of textbooks from the eras the project was intended to imitate. The final pieces were made using intaglio printing techniques. This entailed hand drawing all of the final images using traditional methods, which were then etched onto Plexiglass plates. These plates were then used to print multiple copies of each image. 

Audience & Impact

Everyone is impacted by the effects of maturing, though young adults are oftentimes those most affected. This project aims to encourage viewers to reflect upon their own self-growth and accompanying discomfort. Throughout creating this project, the opportunity has been given for reflection on personal and self-growth over the years, especially during time spent in the College Park Scholars program. The goal is for others to be able to do the same when interacting with this project. 

References

“Considérations Générales Sur La Classe Des Insectes : Duméril, C. (Constant), 

1774-1860 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive.” 

Internet Archive, 2025, archive.org/details/considrationsg00dum/page/n402/mode/thumb.

Shipley, Nathan J., and Robert D. Bixler. “Beautiful Bugs, Bothersome Bugs, and 

  FUN Bugs: Examining Human Interactions with Insects and Other Arthropods.” Anthrozoös, vol. 30, no. 3, July 2017, pp. 357–72, https://doi.org/10.1080/08927936.2017.1335083.

Acknowledgements

Thank you to Heather, Harold, and Irene for their hard work in developing this program and to fellow Arts Scholars for their consistent feedback and support throughout this project.