psychedelic pattern art: a surrealist portfolio by ⸘jason alan‽

welcome to the vivid unconscious, a collection exploring the intensity of the world through non-naturalistic color and abstract patterns. this portfolio is split into two distinct yet stylistically connected series: psychedelic wildlife and surreal portraiture. whether depicting the familiar silhouette of a zebra exploding with vibrant geometry, or diving in the symbolic weight of psychological burdens with the piece titled "death," my work uses vivid contrast and expressionism to illuminate the energy and unseen tensions within life. i invite you to explore this world where the familiar is constantly shifting, intensely colored, and profoundly honest.

psychedelic wildlife: a study in color and pattern

the animals in this series are not rendered realistically, but as vibrant, high-contrast vessels for pure energy. works like the zebra and the octopus use pattern and unnatural color to celebrate the hidden dynamism of life, reimagining familiar creatures as geometric, almost spiritual entities. the rainbow gradient in the narwhal and the patterned wings of the hummingbird explore the intense visual language found in nature.

artist statement: the vivid unconscious and the weight of being

my art explores the intersection of the natural, the abstract, and the deeply personal translating the emotional and subconscious realities into visible forms through non-naturalistic color and intense patterning.

the psychedelic wildlife series reclaims the familiar animal forms - from the elephant to the octopus - transforming them into high contrast canvasses of geometric abstraction. by filling their silhouettes with kaleidoscopic color, i seek to reveal the hidden vitality and spiritual dynamism within the natural world.

my surreal portraiture series extends this method into profound psychological and philosophical commentary. figures are defined by thick strokes of expressive color and jarring juxtapositions, such as the forest weaver and the colored pencil studies. crucially, works like the green bear (addressing ecological damage) and the mushroom titled "decay," (exploring natural cycles and decomposition), and the piece titled "death," the dead rat whose body serves as repository for human headstones, addresses the psychological weight of trauma, betrayal, and loss.

across both series, i use vivid contrast and bold forms to create art that is both arresting and intimate, inviting the viewer into a world where the familiar is constantly shifting, intensely colored, and profoundly honest.

surreal portraiture: myth, identity, and the burdens of memory

this series shifts focus to the internal world. the forest weaver emerges from the canvass as a figure of ancient myth, defined by swirling brush strokes and piercing eyes, while abstract color pencil portraits explore fragmented identity and raw emotion.

anatomy and process studies

color pencil portraits (identity and emotion)

symbolic canvases

focus piece: death

the piece called "death" is the most potent symbolic work in the collection. the stark silhouette of a dead rat, filled with human headstones, serves as a powerful and unflinching metaphor for the unmovable burdens of memory and the psychological weight that can be left behind by life's difficult or toxic relationships. the body becomes a silent visual monument to the past.

THANK YOU for viewing this collection. Visit my Vocal.media author page here for more writing and art.

which piece resonates most with your own unconscious, and what stories do the colors tell you?