Luciano De Armas

Visualising the emotions of language and identity

This project explores how design can visualise the emotional layers of language learning, such as uncertainty, pride, and adaptation, through storytelling and allegory. It is inspired by my own experiences as a migrant and non native speaker, reframing language not as a limitation but as a source of identity. The cat is used as an allegorical figure that reflects curiosity, independence, and vulnerability, representing the emotional journey of learning and communicating in a new language. Using illustration, typography, and material experimentation, the project combines printed and animated media to express what words often cannot. Techniques such as hand-drawn textures, scanning, and screen printing help preserve authenticity and imperfection. The four pin badges extend the project into a physical form, representing different stages of learning and self-expression. Overall, the work highlights how design can evoke empathy by making invisible emotions visible.