The poster uses dynamic illustrations to depict a single word — “tree” — on the tip of a giant tongue, fighting to get out of a cavernous mouth. Surrounding that word are a battalion of sound-alike “tr” words such as “tray,” “trunk,” and “troll,” all competing to be said aloud—depicting the dilemma of aphasia patients who complain they have a word on the tip of their tongue, but other words are fighting with it.

The illustration style is a colorful, painted look that was carefully chosen to dramatize the frustration and anxiety felt by patients trying to say the right word. Every word is transformed into a highly expressive character, and every artistic detail reflects a sense of tension and struggle—creating a truly immersive “word battlefield” that draws people into the plight of the brain injury patient.