The artwork that was completed on Vitamin C and free radicals portrayed the ascorbic acid's role in the human body. Its objective was to show how mitochondrial processes often cause the formation of oxidants because of free radicals. These oxidants are groups of atoms that lack an electron and that are unstable. Thus, it showed how oxidants initiate a chain of never-ending oxidation reactions because every group of atom with a free radical wants to steal an electron from another to satisfy its need for stability. This artwork was equally created to display how vitamin C, with its electron-rich functional group, subsequently stops these reactions and the degeneration of the cell by readily donating its own electron to the oxidant.
The drawing depicted 5 men in their separate bathrooms placed side by side. These average-looking, middle-aged males represented the also commonly-found oxidants in the human body that contain free radicals. They all looked and dressed identically because all oxidants resemble each other in that they are missing an electron. The frowning faces of the three first characters were an analogy to the dissatisfaction of the unstable groups of atoms lacking an electron and to the imaginable "anger" that the cells would feel towards slowly degenerating and dying if they indeed carried emotions. Furthermore, the artwork showed each of the three men reaching over into their successive neighbour's bathroom to steal their bottle of vitamin C. In this case, this latter container represented the electron that the oxidants steal to regain stability. A bottle of ascorbic acid in the form of supplements seemed appropriate for this representation because they are what this artwork is all about. Thus, displaying it in multiple places would ensure the viewer's understanding of its importance in the drawing's overall message. Moreover, the two final individuals differed from the others because, as clearly shown by his facial expression, the fourth man was surprised to know that he did not have to steal his neighbour's vitamins (electron). The latter man readily offered them to him by holding up the vitamin C bottle for the other to snatch. He represented ascorbic acid, the molecule capable of donating one or two of its own electrons to the oxidants in order to inhibit the chain of oxidation reactions triggered by free radicals. The smile on his face showed that he was not bothered by giving away his electron, for his acidic hydroxyl groups are what actually make transfers of electrons one of his only designed living processes. Donating one would not harm his own functionality unlike it did to his neighbour. Additionally, a bathroom was used as the setting of this drawing because, besides the kitchen, it is where most people now take their pills and vitamin supplements in the morning in the hopes of slowing down aging and preventing diseases. What's more, every element of the artwork except the bottles of vitamin C was shaded in predominantly cold colours, such as blue and green. The bottles of supplements, conversely, were of a yellow and bright orange tone to generate a contrast from the rest of the drawing. They were made of warmer colours to show that these electrons were what carried the importance of the scene, for they were what were going to stop the groups of atoms from degenerating, what every oxidant sought after, what ascorbic acid donated in the human body, and what were going to stop the perpetual oxidation reactions. Hence, all these artistic and symbolic elements present in the drawing helped convey its overall message: the role of vitamin C in the presence of free radicals and chains of oxidation reactions. It portrayed the importance of Organic Chemistry in everyday life situations as well, for instead of merely being concepts read in textbooks, the molecular and structural formulas of ascorbic acid are truly useful in ceasing cell degeneration, as seen on the poster. Thus, organic compounds may be subjects in school lectures and classes, but they are more essentially means to possibly combat many diseases, prevent aging and reach optimal health.



