Project Statement
A Sweeter World is a character design project for a fictional 3D video game world. The game’s thematic goal focuses on helping players with disordered eating to better cope with their condition by allowing them to see food, including candy and sweets, in a more fun and lively light.
This project tackles the idea that candy and sweets are unhealthy and should be avoided, a common cause of disordered thoughts for those who suffer from eating restrictions. This project challenges this idea by displaying playful imagery with food themed characters that are not based on health or weight.
The project is based on my personal experiences, a struggle which many others also share. Popular media often associates overweight characters with food – a problematic portrayal meant to associate ideas of shame with their bodies and the food they choose to eat. A Sweeter World surrounds the idea of food but has no negative connotations with weight and health, challenging problematic ideas presented by popular media and normalizing foods for those who still struggle with disordered eating.
