Adam puts travel ordeal in picture
JON MACPHERSON
AHYNDBURN student with dyslexia has designed adverts to show the problems people with the condition face when travelling in London.
Adam Whewell says he often finds catching the train or bus in and out of the capital daunting due to deciphering signs and what he sees as little help from other travellers and staff.
The 21-year-old from Accrington used Snapchat to design two self-portraits showing the inner struggles commuters with the condition experience and the way signs can appear indistinguishable. In the adverts, the portraits are merged together expressing the confusing state he finds himself in when travelling, and can be separated when viewed through Snapchat.
Adam, who is a BA (Hons) illustration student at Buckinghamshire New
University, said: “Initially, to the naked eye, the image looks confusing but it depicts what a dyslexic person may see normally.
“The Snapchat filters show two different images when using two different filters, red and blue, but initially show both images together. It’s only when adopting a red or blue filter that people can distinguish one of the faces from the other. This acts as a metaphor for how I often feel - confused and in two minds.
“I have always found communication daunting when travelling on buses or trains, due the amount of signs to follow and a lack of help from other people.
“I want to inform and educate the general public and Transport for London about the problems dyslexic commuters encounter when using their transport system.”
Adam says he will be sending his designs to Transport for London and believes it will be an ‘effective campaign if adopted’.