Creative direction · Concept · Photography · CompositingFounder-led initiative · Global pressOngoing
The Drawing Hope Project
“A concept-driven visual storytelling project that translates drawings by children living with life-threatening illness into fully realized photographic worlds.”
Client
Founder-led initiative · Global press
Year
Ongoing
Discipline
Creative direction · Concept · Photography · Compositing
Best for
Creative + Brand Leadership, Marketing + Communications Leadership, Fundraising + Community Engagement
01Brief
Children facing life-altering illness express their experiences through drawings — deeply personal, often abstract, hard to translate into visual formats without simplifying or losing the meaning behind the work. The task was to honour the child's vision, not reinterpret it.
02Approach
- 01Treated each drawing as a fully realized concept, not just inspiration
- 02Led end-to-end concept development and art direction on every piece
- 03Directed shoots, sourced environments and props, and built layered Photoshop composites
- 04Balanced realism with imagination so the imagery remained believable and true to the child
03Outcomes
- International press: The Today Show, ABC World News, MTV News, Global National
- Highly shareable, emotionally resonant imagery that scaled globally
- Model of storytelling now used by hospitals and foundations for family engagement
Selected imagery
Click to enlarge · 17 pieces
Credits
Concept, art direction & execution - Shawn Van Daele for Founder-led initiative · Global press, Ongoing.
