I started with an empty chest and knew I wanted to fill it with small, insignificant-looking items that would create a sense of personal history.

First, I laid down simple shapes on top of each other as placeholders. These shapes helped me decide the size and layout for each item, even before I knew exactly what they’d be.

I wanted the contents to reflect the chest’s backstory – a keepsake box of a young girl. Each item was chosen to tell a piece of her story. For example, the triangle shape at the far left became a paper plane she may have crafted with her dad, and another shape on the right transformed into a paper doll with clothing. I let my imagination flow, adding toys and items that would match her personality and resonate with childhood memories, like a slinky, a pair of hairclips, and a  sheet of stickers. Each item also became a small tribute to the innocent, playful nature of my childhood.

After placing all the items, I refined the lines and added simple shading to give each object dimension, keeping the details subtle since they aren’t the main focus.

tldr; When you faced with empty spaces, stay calm and start with shapes. Let the story guide you, and soon, the details will fall into place.