The original working title for this article was Searchlight Psychosis, so my initial concepts explored a torch-like beam cutting through the composition, with conspiracy imagery floating through the light like fragments of thought.

When the title changed to The Conspiracy Instinct, the visual direction shifted too. With the article centred on the psychology behind conspiracy thinking, I developed a head silhouette concept that quickly proved to be a much stronger solution than the original searchlight idea.

Here you can see how the artwork evolved, from the early concept through two alternative colourways to the final refinements, where additional textures were layered in to enhance the tactile quality of the collage. The client chose the blue version for print, which I think captures the article's mysterious atmosphere particularly well.

This was another enjoyable editorial collage commission for Frontier Magazine, produced by Blaze Media. If you're looking for an editorial collage artist who creates thoughtful, concept-driven illustrations with a rich tactile aesthetic, I'd love to hear from you.