SOMEBODY THAT
I USED TO KNOW
DESIGN, AND VISUALS CREATED WITH AFTER EFFECTS, ILLUSTRATOR AND PHOTOSHOP
2025 Applied Arts Competition winner
This project was selected as a winner in the 2025 Applied Arts Competition under the Photo Illustration/Mixed Media category. Feel free to take a look at the entire project in the Applied Arts Online Winner Gallery.
OVERVIEW
The goal of this project is to create a visual interpretation of Somebody That I Used to Know by Gotye featuring Kimbra, reimagining its themes and emotions through design. The design captures the narrative between two lovers—one consumed by the pain of a broken relationship, while the other refuses to feel it and moves on. Inspired from the song’s iconic 2011 music video, this project establishes a fresh visual identity and divides the narrative into three parts: Gotye’s perspective, reflecting his struggle to let go; Kimbra’s perspective, which is the one who left; and the chorus, capturing the raw emotions of heartbreak. Through eight frames, the project visualizes the messiness of a breakup, portraying the pain, detachment, and lingering emotions from both sides.