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Some illustrations play the role of entertaining, others are created to inspire, and there are some powerful images who deliver a strong message and are thought-provoking. This is the case with award-winning conceptual illustrator Stephan Schmitz based in Zürich, Switzerland who creates clever and unique artworks that perfectly depict the modern world.
Stephan Schmitz's creative ideas are like visual metaphors that tell simple stories revealing the true face of our world. The visual storytelling surprises us with symbolism and depth which some of us long for in the world where everything is already thought for us. Many of us will recognize the hidden and suppressed emotions that we tend to keep to ourselves because they are hard to talk about.
Every creative drawing is like a puzzle that a viewer has to solve as the subject matter can only be seen if you take a really good look at it. The artist only provides us visual clues and we are the ones who have to connect the dots. His choice of a subtle palette of colors makes these illustrations surreal and obscure reflecting on not so simple matters. So we invite you to take a look at these mind-bending illustrations and consider how much they really represent our lives and social issues that we encounter. If you will want to see more of his illustrations, you can also check his previous post here on Bored Panda.
More info: Instagram | stephan-schmitz.ch
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Self-Doubts
RELATED:
#2
Peace
#3
How To Conquer Your Fears And Use Them To Your Advantage
#4
Am I The Same Person In Different Situations?
#5
And I‘m Sorry About The Moon. How Could I Know You‘d Disapprove?
#6
Our Relationship With Our Phones
CharliAnn Olney 6 years ago
I used to say my Brother's phone was surgerically attached. While my phone is always with me. I rarely use it. But then, I am a Boomer.
#7
Coping With Depression
Magpie 6 years ago
Help is out there, Keep talking to people, if the first meds do not work TELL the doctor that. If the first people don't help ask someone else. If they are talking jargon , ask them for clarifications. Yes there is a bottom, and there IS hope. Hold on.
Blue Distefano 6 years ago
Beautiful words! Know that you all are valid and loved! I've seen people pull through, I've done it, and with love, support, and medication (if that's for you) You can do it! <3
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ELIZABETH A HIGBIE 6 years ago
Drowning in OUR OWN minds. Being swallowed whole with words and thoughts that never seem to stop! Constantly feeling the pain , that’s not easily described, let alone understood by the masses ! We become engulfed and overwhelmed with the heavy weights WE just don’t know how or what to let go of? Then we’ll easily become rained on until OUR thoughts drown US!
.˜”*°• Kawaii Satan •°*”˜ 6 years ago
your trapped inside of your own self hate, gasping for air as you slowly sink deeper and deeper...
deanna woods 6 years ago
If you are suffering, don't ever give up. There is hope for you to get back to if not your old self, someone you recognize. No matter how bad things seem, there is always a way out.
#8
Role Models
CharliAnn Olney 6 years ago
Awful that our girl children are bombarded with these images as the "ideal".
#9
The Crisis The Catholic Church Faces
CharliAnn Olney 6 years ago
Some is changed but not a whole lot. Young men entering into a Seminary should get an intense psychological evaluation BEFORE they are even admitted to training!
Blue Distefano 6 years ago
Religion is about love, not discrimination/homophobia/dislike of other religions, etc...
#11
How We Become Who We Are
#12
Because Of A Strange Law Released In 1800 Women In Paris Officially Weren‘t Allowed To Wear Pants Up Until The Year 2013
Rita Frost 6 years ago
Nothing happened to me. I don’t think anyone knew of it.
Load More Replies... .˜”*°• Kawaii Satan •°*”˜ 6 years ago (edited)
id just wear pants every. single. day. and when i get a look i'd say " What is there something wrong with me?"
Jasmina Pavlovic 5 years ago
Hoh, Alabama ... an ice cream cone in the back pocket? Oh my ... 😁🍦 strange world. 🤡
#13
The Journey Into Myself
.˜”*°• Kawaii Satan •°*”˜ 6 years ago
your trapped inside of your own self hate, gasping for air as you slowly sink deeper and deeper... you finally realize the only way out is going down...
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ELIZABETH A HIGBIE 6 years ago
Just dig deeper! But still we only become entrapped at dead ends!
#14
Unknown
CharliAnn Olney 6 years ago
Big Pharma, in the US, is causing people to die instead of helping them!
Water Bottle 6 years ago
While this may be true for some things, many, many, many amazing deseases have been cured. Polio, tetanus, the lost goes on. There might be scams or endless projects, but most people have good intentions and try their best in the lab.
#15
Taking A Break
CharliAnn Olney 6 years ago
Taking "me time" is so good for your sanity and brain! It is also good for the well-being of family.
#16
Professional Guinea Pigs
#17
Unknown
#18
At The End Of The Rainbow
Water Bottle 6 years ago
Soooo what does this show? I got a few ideas. We’re destroying the earth? We kill what has been given to us? I don’t know, anyone got any other ideas?
CharliAnn Olney 6 years ago
A home built on rock will stand. Unless we manually erode the rock.
#19
Love
#20
The Personality-Riddle
ELIZABETH A HIGBIE 6 years ago
Random Buttt ... my nephew thinks his name is “Doom-Kaboom” and I honestly think I like it better! LOL
Load More Replies... #21
There‘s Growing Reluctance In Some Countries And Cultures To Vaccinate
Elaine Dodge 6 years ago
As soon as they have a polio/measles/rubella epidemic and millions of people die or are disfigured or crippled that growing reluctance will swiftly become a mandatory vaccination law - which it already should be!
Suzanne Haigh 4 years ago
aw, they will blame their Government, nothing is their fault, ever.
Load More Replies... CharliAnn Olney 6 years ago
Their selfishness can cause a massive epidemic! There is NO emperical Vaccinatons cause anything but immunity.
#22
The Sound That Hacks Our Souls
#23
Life Skills
Rita Frost 6 years ago
In the sets I was given as a child there was never enough blue, or green, or whatever the main colour was. But same size pots of purple or orange or whatever you didn’t need much of. Which may be a sort of metaphor for don’t accept what you are given, mix your own.
#24
Fall‘s Here
Elaine Dodge 6 years ago
I absolutely loathe leaf blowers! That hideous high-pitched whine and air pollution! Use a damn rake you lazy sod! Rakes are quiet, environmentally friendly and you don't annoy every neighbour in a square mile or frighten the birds or other small animals, wake the babies mothers have just put down or fill the air with dust! People with dust allergies will thank you! Besides, using a rake is good cardio. Or better yet, enjoy the beauty of fall leaves.
CharliAnn Olney 6 years ago
leave the leaves! The are nature's protection and good for the soil!
Magpie 6 years ago
It is true, the leaves make great compost, also provide homes for tiny critters.
Load More Replies... #25
Change Of Direction
#26
Financial Health In The U.S.
UniversalMel 5 years ago
America is draining most of its citizens of their money and health
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Ashley Conover 5 years ago (edited)
Easy to understand. People aren't financially healthy in the US.
ChiSoul10 6 years ago
It could mean that when it comes down to it, most people don't have/make enough money when you really look into their finances. But everyone seems to be doing ok if you turn off the lights and don't look. Or it could be that when asked for money, most people will (generally) will deny having any (our enough to give away) but they only say that because they were called upon to give. Hence the spotlight
#27
Trash Talk
.˜”*°• Kawaii Satan •°*”˜ 6 years ago
but a soccer ball to the face can hurt a little more
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How Scientists Are Looking Into Ways To Prevent Suicides
#30
The Philosophy Of Making Love
Night Owl 6 years ago (edited)
It kind of looks like a woman's spread legs but also an open book
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#31
How My Depression Ruined My Wedding
#32
My Husband Left Me And My Family For My Best Friend
deanna woods 6 years ago
He was never a good husband and she was never a good best friend. True best friends don't hurt their friends.
bananapower_2.0 6 years ago
i hate how some boys who cheat, rape ect always make other boys look bad too like seriusly and always all the time like why dident you get with the freing first
#33
How Opinions Are Made
Smoofy 6 years ago
See, I saw this as a positive thing, but everyone else (in the comments at least) seems to think this is negative. It looks like they're getting information from lots of different places so as to be able to form their own, whole opinion. Forming an opinion based solely on your own experience and never looking for or considering other ideas is ignorance, and I thought this was showing how multifaceted and complex and whole opinions should be
.˜”*°• Kawaii Satan •°*”˜ 6 years ago (edited)
you keep on making opinions, but never find the right one so you give up and try another day..
#34
Is Happiness A Question Of Character?
Blue Distefano 6 years ago
In some cases, yes. But in far to many, no matter how hard we try, happiness seems impossible.
Load More Replies... #35
Diabetes
John L 6 years ago
This should be one for cancer. While I am not a conspiracy nut, I do believe that there will never be a cure for cancer as long as treating the sick is profitable...
Water Bottle 6 years ago
I have a friend that has diabetes. He has just gotten a machine (very small) that has been implanted into his arm. The machine transfers the blood sugar level to his phone. As it may make a profit to scams, some people actually do get a good use out of the study and prototypes.
bananapower_2.0 6 years ago
i read in a book once that apples are the cure for all diseases any way you make it
Beth Dykes 5 years ago
I've been type 1 diabetic for 35 years and my treatment costs are ridiculous.
#36
Housing Affordability
#37
Trump
Water Bottle 6 years ago
Any doubt about this just look at his tweet after he assassinated Iran’s top general. A freaking American flag.
bananapower_2.0 6 years ago
my Friend is from iran and when she heard the news her family missed school for a while ( she still isn't back ) to go to the funeral i mean look at how many people were there literally the whole country and IRAN'S GENERALS BODY WAS FOUND IN PIECES and that is b/c he was blown up b/c of a missile strike and then trump said " they were shooting down missile drones and blah blah blah " LIKE WHY DO YOU THINK THERE DOING THAT YA DUMA$$ , DID YOU NOT JUST BOMB THERE REAL LIFE HERO !!!! like seriously what the actual f**k are you doin trump oh and i thought he was impeached 😡
Caitlin Holliday 6 years ago
Impeached doesn't mean removed from office, or even that he can't do commander in chief s**t. It just means that they can proceed to try him in court for his corruption. And after the trial, even if he was found guilty, the Senate could choose to keep him in office. In Trump's case it's unlikely to do anything important because he has the Republican Party 100% behind him come hell or high water.
Load More Replies... Rita Frost 6 years ago (edited)
He’s fatter and uglier than that. And has smaller hands. Very small hands.
bananapower_2.0 6 years ago (edited)
trump hit the iran general for no reason i mean i got some things about qasim ( iran general ) and it turns out he was defeating isis and saving lebanon and the orphans of syria saw him as a father and other good things . its really sad and if you people think that iran started the war it really didn't i mean they might declare war b/c the general was best friends with the islamic revolution ( the leader ) and if you see some videos people in iran are literally pissed at the fact that america hit the general and there sending troops there like why dose trump wonder why people in the iran and iraq and other places are chanting " death to america " and people in america are literally burning there own countries flag . And again i don't wanna offend anyone ( i THINK AMERICA SHOULD GET THERE TROOPS BACK IN AMERICA AND GET OUT OF MUSLIM COUNTRIES ) b/c america is pure racist * NOT ALL AMERICANS ARE LIKE THIS THOUGHT * just the bad leaders !!
Water Bottle 6 years ago
@Banana anyone who is clear in mind should not be offended by that
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bananapower_2.0 5 years ago
a minute ppl are complaining how trumps a bad president well whos the one who voted him like seriously
#38
Graves Disease
Karin Gibson 6 years ago
Graves disease is over active thyroid caused by the body tissues acting against the organ. It is an auto-immune disease.
jacey 6 years ago
"Immune system disorder resulting in the overproduction of thyroid hormone." - your thyroid controls weight, so overproduction can cause sudden weight loss, which I think is what's shown here. Hope that helped :)
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#40
The Au-Pair Girl Stole My Husband... And My Daughter
#41
The Phenomenon Of Women Being More Likely To Be Put In Leader Positions During Times Of Crisis
#42
Possession
Blue Shadow 6 years ago
The less things we own, the neater our lives can be. Plus, living simply is better for the environment.
David Jeu 5 years ago
Ask a homeless people what he thinks of your philosophy.. 🙄
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#43
Addictions
ELIZABETH A HIGBIE 6 years ago
This looks like it’s a view from an addict in recovery. Finally being able to see the blue sky’s ahead.
#45
Penguins
TheCakeIsAPie 6 years ago
This one made me cry actually, really sad that thats what Earth will come to. And some people are saying its a big lie just to fill their already overflowing pockets.
#46
The Future Of Work
#47
Prediabetes
ChiSoul10 6 years ago
The Diabetes curtains covers all. Its saying that basically everyone's about to become prediabetic. Our society is unhealthy. Diabetes is on the rise- the type 2 kind (aka the one that usually associated with morbid obesity) while type 1 (aka the kind your born with) i heard was actually declining.
#48
Life Skills
#50
You Can Go Upstairs Now, Nina
Blue Shadow 6 years ago
When I was younger, I was completely terrified of the dark, but my parents thought that I was just trying to get out of going to bed, so they would never let me keep my light on, and I didn't have a nightlight. Led to plenty of restless nights.
.˜”*°• Kawaii Satan •°*”˜ 6 years ago
The dark where anything can creep up on you. It may eat you or it may scare you
#52
Stealing Time
#55
Welcome To The New Year
CharliAnn Olney 6 years ago
As a paramedic, I saw this WAY to often! Not to mention the devastation it causes for family and friends!
#57
Unknown
#60
Depression
Magpie 6 years ago
For me depression feels like everything is made of concrete, my blankets, my bones. My thoughts ( slow as crawling through neck deep wet concrete ).
Emilycookie 4 years ago
for me it feels like i'm drowning and every time i manage to surface for breath something grabs me by the ankle and pulls me back down, and every time i get more lost in my own head.
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#61
Kangaroo Households
#62
Why People Are Leaving The Catholic Church
Water Bottle 6 years ago
I don’t get this, it probably has to do with the earlier drawing about the Catholic Church.
#65
Overcoming The Fear Of Taking Risks
#69
Merkel
Water Bottle 6 years ago
Found this about her, perhaps she been draining Germany or the EU of their money? Angela Dorothea Merkel is a German politician serving as the chancellor of Germany since 2005. She served as the leader of the centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) from 2000 to 2018. Merkel has been widely described as the de facto leader of the European Union, the most powerful woman in the world, and "leader of the free world".
Miri Lee 5 years ago
I'm German and I don't really get it...maybe bankrupting the social system...
Load More Replies... #70
Alternative Ways Of Charging Batteries And Winning Electricity
#71
Unknown
Salem May 6 years ago
i think this could also mean losing the light in the world or even running out of ideas
Load More Replies... #72
Veteran Navy
#74
The Job Market For People Over Fifty
Kathy Baylis 6 years ago
Me too. I’m 59, with a newly minted Masters degree (May 2019j. Took seven months to land a decent paying job. Had numerous interviews—-for jobs I’m now more than qualified for—-that appeared to go really well but then they totally ghosted me. Incredible blow to the ego. And the bank account. Nowadays, those of us in our fifties are nowhere near as “old” as our parents and grandparents at the same age. Not to mention that we need jobs too—-and our bills are way higher than a younger person’s. In my case, I can’t afford to retire at 65, plus I come from a family that lives to 100, so why spend a third of my life in retirement? I plan to work into my eighties to plump up my retirement savings and keep from being bored. Maybe the picture above should depict both younger and older competitors. The younger ones’ lanes should be near the finish line and totally clear, while the older ones’ lanes are far from the finish line and full of obstacles, since that’s what it really feels like.
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#78
The Catholic Church Under Pressure
#80
Diabetes
Blue Shadow 6 years ago
The cracks in the ground are a good representation for how diabetes can affect your life and how difficult it can be.
#81
The History Of Footwear
#86
Pee Power
Add New Image
What do you think ?
Hocus Pocus 6 years ago
I like the art style, but some of these are a bit cliched....diabetes was a fresh topic though.
Kayli Boring 6 years ago
i love how the artist put faces into some of the pictures where you wouldn't expect there to be a face.
Water Bottle 6 years ago
Lots of ideas, and the art makes it shine. But some don’t make the most sense
Hocus Pocus 6 years ago
I like the art style, but some of these are a bit cliched....diabetes was a fresh topic though.
Kayli Boring 6 years ago
i love how the artist put faces into some of the pictures where you wouldn't expect there to be a face.
Water Bottle 6 years ago
Lots of ideas, and the art makes it shine. But some don’t make the most sense
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