The Seven Deadly Sins of Apps

CAMILLE CAPARAS

deadly
sins

* Tucker, Shawn (2015). The Virtues and Vices in the Arts: A Sourcebook. Cascade. isbn 1625647182.
the seven deadly sins, also known as the capital vices
or cardinal sins, are a classification of vices that were
originally used in early Christian teachings to educate
and instruct followers concerning (immoral) fallen
man’s tendency to sin. The Roman Catholic Church divided
sin into two principal categories: “venial,” which
are relatively minor, and could be forgiven through any
sacrament of the Church, and the more severe “capital”
or mortal sin. Mortal sins destroyed the life of grace, and
created the threat of eternal damnation unless either absolved
through the sacrament of confession, or forgiven
through perfect contrition on the part of the penitent.
Beginning in the early 14th century, the popularity of the
seven deadly sins as a theme among European artists
of the time eventually helped to ingrain them in many
areas of Christian culture and Christian consciousness
in general throughout the world.*

lust (excessive sexual appetites). There’s no shortage of
lust on Tinder. For most people, Tinder is more about
hooking up rather than authentic relationships. The app
lends itself well to people who can make quick judgements
based on appearances alone.
The collage is modeled after the actual Tinder interface.
I included real condoms for the “reject” and “accept”
icons.
THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS

gluttony (over-indulgence, excess in eating). Grubhub
makes it too easy to overspend and overeat. Why make
the trip to grab food when someone else can do it for
you? The more you eat, the sicker you feel!
I modeled the typography after take-out “thank you”
bags, using Grubhub’s actual logo. I wanted to emphasize
gluttony with the repitition of the logo; it is almost
too much and it’s a repetitive binge. Most bags have a
note that says, “Have a nice day!” I wanted to change
this statement to evoke the feeling you may get after
eating until you are sick and disgust yourself.
THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS

greed (avarice, wealth and/or material gain).Amazon’s
One-Click Buy is your own digital devil sitting on your
shoulder. With Prime, you can click once and receive
your items within a couple days, sometimes even the
same day!
This app makes it easy to be materialistic, creating
mountains of boxes and stuff you more than likely don’t
need. This effect was achieved using a gradient map and
combining several personal photos into one image. The
colors are taken directly from Amazon’s color palette.

sloth (laziness and/or idleness).The Amazon Echo is
a smart speaker that can act as a hub to control your
smart devices. Using Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant,
you can say the word and it will order for you online,
add appointments to your calendar, and more!
You are the emperor, and the Echo only exists to serve
you. You don’t have to lift a finger.
THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS

wrath (anger).There’s a high chance that you have read
an angry Yelp review in your search for a new restaurant.
Some reviews are fair and contain valid points. However,
other reviewers only use the platform to complain about
anything and everything, unleashing their wrath online
for everyone to see.
To convey wrath, I scanned real food (bacon, eggs, and
ketchup) and a broken plate. In a happy coincidence, the
way the plate broke became an echo of the Yelp logo.
THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS

envy (jealousy). In the digital age, Facebook is the
breeding ground for envy. Facebook denizens often
convey their life in the best possible light, leaving others
to believe that their life is somehow lacking.
The image is from an article in Bloomberg Business
magazine, and the quote is attributed to Victor Hugo.
THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS

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pride (vanity, excessive high opinion of self). Unlike
Facebook, Instagram is a purely visual app that focuses
on pictures and videos. Some users may use the app
as a kind of blog, but the pressure to post aesthetically
pleasing content is much higher on Instagram.
Instagram influencers use the app to document their
lives, peddling their own image as a product.
Using a foamboard cut-out, this image aims to convey
how Instagrammers can frame anything in their lives, in
the name of vanity and aesthetics.
THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS

All graphic compositions were created by Camille Caparas using
a variety of analogue and digital tools.
The layout was designed by Michael E. Kidwell.
The typeface used throughout is Whitney Sans and was designed
by Hoefler & Co.
Digitally printed by NewspaperClub.com on 55gsm improved
paper.
Project completed in the summer of 2019, as a requirement for
the Technical Processes course taught by Terri Nemer, associate
professor in the Graphic Design program at the Johnson County
Community College in Overland Park, Kansas.
cover
lust
gluttony
greed
sloth
wrath
envy
pride
Polyptych with Coronation of the Virgin & Saints by
Cenni di Francesco di Ser Cenni
clips from July issues of National Enquirer, Globe, and
InTouch magazine. Condoms and wrapper by Trojan
digital typography
personal full-color photographs with gradient map
personal photograph with selective coloring
digital scan of objects
picture from Bloomsburg Business magazine
hand-generated text by Camille Caparas
quote by Victor Hugo
constructed image with profile photo from Geico ad
© 2019, Camille Caparas