Faith and Fear: The Origin of Superstitions
Project Type
Nathan Young
Instructor
Publication Design
Date
May 2026
According to Merriam-Webster, superstition is “a belief or practice resulting from ignorance, fear of the unknown, trust in magic, or a false conception of causation”
This definition makes superstition seem irrational and overlooks the cultural meaning and personal significance these beliefs hold.
For me, this became especially clear when I thought about Chinese New Year, a time filled with tradition, taboo, and celebration. Growing up, I heard many superstitions tied to the holiday, such as avoiding washing your hair on New Year’s Day so you do not wash away good luck, or avoiding haircuts and taking out the trash to prevent bad fortune.
This year, I could not go home, so I spent more time talking with friends, many of whom are Asian. Those conversations made me reflect on the traditions our families follow. Even with different backgrounds, I noticed the same patterns: deep cleaning before the New Year, scheduling haircuts early, and visiting temples.
What began as a casual conversation turned into a broader look at how culture shapes superstition and how these traditions evolve into the beliefs people follow today.
Ideation
Branding
Within my design, I wanted to incorporate a zine‑like style, so I began bitmapping images to add texture and create a more tactile feel. I limited each spread to two colors to maintain consistency while still allowing variation between sections. Every layout and color choice was carefully considered, with color serving as a symbol that references the history behind each superstition. The placement of the vellum pages was also intentional, designed to make the book more interactive and engaging as the reader flips through it.
The Superstitions
Black Cat
I personally never believed that black cats were unlucky, but it’s one of the most well-known superstitions today. For this section, I wanted to explore how black cats are perceived in other cultures to contrast their negative connotation. For this reason, I included Japan¹¹ and Scotland, where black cats are often seen as symbols of protection and good fortune⁷.
Walking Under Ladders
I personally never believed that black cats were unlucky, but it’s one of the most well-known superstitions today. For this section, I wanted to explore how black cats are perceived in other cultures to contrast their negative connotation. For this reason, I included Japan¹¹ and Scotland, where black cats are often seen as symbols of protection and good fortune⁷.
Black Cat
I personally never believed that black cats were unlucky, but it’s one of the most well-known superstitions today. For this section, I wanted to explore how black cats are perceived in other cultures to contrast their negative connotation. For this reason, I included Japan¹¹ and Scotland, where black cats are often seen as symbols of protection and good fortune⁷.
Black Cat
I personally never believed that black cats were unlucky, but it’s one of the most well-known superstitions today. For this section, I wanted to explore how black cats are perceived in other cultures to contrast their negative connotation. For this reason, I included Japan¹¹ and Scotland, where black cats are often seen as symbols of protection and good fortune⁷.
Black Cat
I personally never believed that black cats were unlucky, but it’s one of the most well-known superstitions today. For this section, I wanted to explore how black cats are perceived in other cultures to contrast their negative connotation. For this reason, I included Japan¹¹ and Scotland, where black cats are often seen as symbols of protection and good fortune⁷.
Dreamcatchers
-
The beige and sienna tones reference the Great Lakes and Great Plains regions in which the Ojibwe communities lived. There was a significant amount of information to represent in this section, so I chose to diagram the points within the dreamcatcher on page 52. The images placed within the different star shapes help make the symbolic meanings of the dreamcatcher easier to navigate and understand. A vellum overlay of a spider within the web was included to reference the importance of spiders in the origin of the dreamcatcher.
Wishing Wells
Black and green are not colors typically associated with wishing wells, but they are connected to Norse mythology. Green represents fertility, renewal, and the cycles of life. In Norse belief, the World Tree, Yggdrasil, symbolizes the continuous cycle of nature, life, and death. Black represents the depth of the well, while the green is muted to complement this darker base and create contrast within the spread. On page 61, instead of covering the entire page, vellum is used selectively over the quotes. This creates a contrast between the traditional concept of wishing wells and the more modern interpretation of the Trevi Fountain.
