Illustrator and concept artist Toby Allen created a series of monster illustrations, in which he attempted to interpret and give physical presence to the invisible “Real Monsters” of mental illnesses like anxiety, schizophrenia, avoidant personality disorder and others.
Response to the series was such that Allen is revising and expanding the series, casting it as a kind of field guide. Though the illustrations and descriptions have a whimsical cast, there is genuine empathy in the interpretations of the frightening real monsters some have to deal with on a daily basis.
You can see his original take on the idea here, and the revised series, which is still being expanded, here.
You can also find more of Allen’s work in illustration and character design on his Tumblog, and the archives, as well as a portfolio on Cargo Collective.
Some of his projects include interpretations of classic fairy tales, along with other, more traditional kinds of monsters.
[Via quin on MetaFilter]