As an artist I believe the art form portraiture has the power of capturing one’s personality by embodying their visual essence through their features—from their smile and eyes to the clothes they wear. Every nuance encapsulates the way they carry themselves in life. I began by capturing the flaws of new friends I encountered, depicting their authentic beauty through my lens and illustrations, until the project took a turn due to time constraints and not being able to connect with these people further. Thus, I decided to explore my close friends whom I have known since my youth. I illustrated myself with them in a recent wholesome memory that was taken in a sentimental place and time that emotionally resonated with me—Taco Bell. Food, whether it be from a corporation or prepared with love from home, always has been the glue that solidifies my friendship, through the good and the bad. In this illustration I documented key moments of that day such as the food we ate and the clothes we wore. For the canvas, I manipulated the paper to emulate a used napkin or wrapper from the restaurant with it being scrunched and creased, drizzled with sauce and spice remnants, whilst looking slightly greasy. For extra texture I placed the illustration behind a plastic bag, which also pertains to the commercial packaging of fast food. Thus becoming my final piece. Once the illustration was done, I posted my work onto Instagram and allowed the ratio of likes to dictate which iteration of my design would be the most influential towards my demographic (the youth of today that find happiness in the simplest of things). This then resulted in the illustration being printed onto a tote bag and tee. What I appreciated most about this creative process is that it brought me new friends and closer to my old friends.