Happiness or Illusion?

A figure wears a VR headset, caught between two worlds. Behind her, a grayscale city symbolizes the loneliness we try to escape. Ahead, a sunset glows with warmth, and figures dance in connection. A butterfly hovers—beautiful, fleeting, just out of reach.

The Idea Behind It

Technology promises happiness, but at what cost? This artwork asks: Are we truly living, or are we escaping into virtual worlds while real life—with all its messiness and beauty—happens around us? It's a question many of us face today.

How I Created It

• Graphite pencil for the realistic VR headset and figure, grounding the work in human vulnerability

• Grayscale tones for the abandoned city, representing emotional distance and isolation

• Warm colors (sunset, orange, yellow) for the dancing figures and sky, symbolizing authentic joy and real connection

• Fine details in the butterfly, making it both fragile and significant
  
  

What the VR Headset and Butterfly Mean

The VR headset represents our dependence on technology for happiness. We chase digital illusions, believing they'll fill the void. But the butterfly—symbol of hope, transformation, and freedom—sits just beyond the screen. It's real. It's beautiful. It's what we're missing.

The grayscale city is what we're running from. The dancing figures in the sunset? That's what we could have if we looked up from the screen.

For Anyone Caught Between Two Worlds

If you've ever felt trapped between the digital and the real—between comfort in escape and hunger for authentic connection—this painting speaks to you. It doesn't judge either world. It just reminds us: real happiness requires presence.

Watch the Process

→ See how I created this on YouTube

Thank you for taking time to explore this piece. More art stories coming soon!