RESEARCH & MOODBOARD
18/01/2021
IN THE CONTEXT OF ROMAN CATHOLIC THEOLOGY
The seven deadly sins can be thought of as dispositions toward sin and separation from God. Lust, for example, could result in adultery, which is a mortal sin, or could lead to somewhat less intentional immoral thoughts that would be classified as venial sins.
Petruzzello, M., 1994. Seven Deadly Sins | Definition, History, & Examples. [online] Britannica. Available at: https://www.britannica.com/topic/seven-deadly-sins
THE SLOTH
The sloth is often defined by the need for ease on the expense of diligence or in a religious context, doing the known will of God. ‘Sloth becomes a sin when it slows down and even brings to a halt the energy we must expend in using the means to salvation.’
INTERPRETATIONS OF THE SLOTH
The sloth is usually portrayed as lazy or rotting figures, sometimes as alcoholics lounging on a couch with bad hygiene or something close to the animal itself.
In a modern setting, the sin of the sloth seems closely related if not interchangeable with procrastination, where tasks are put off and delayed. However, this is out of fear and anxiety fueled by preconceived notions that it will be difficult or it will go badly. Suddenly, it feels like a sin anyone could relate to, avoiding tasks out of an irrational fear over doing it.
The more I looked into the topic, the more faults I seemed to find how reflective the idea of the “seven deadly sins” is of the time it was originated in the 4th century by a Christian ascetic.
Elements of the sloth can be found in symptoms of mental illnesses such as anxiety or depression, be it the inability to get through simple tasks due to an irrational fear of things going wrong, or having difficulties maintaining good personal hygiene due to the inability to care for oneself.
In my moodboard, I included some classic interpretations of the sloth as well as the idea of being restrained or rooted in place by an exterior force and giving into it.
DRAWING THE SILHOUETTES
19/01/2021
I tried to create silhouettes that are recognisable, with elements of nature to link back to the name as well as the characters being rooted down or restrained. I also tried to stray from the typical portrayal of either an extremely large or skinny, foolish-looking male character and create variety in the silhouettes.
⇨ ROUGHS & REFINEMENTS