Friday, September 16, 2011

Red in his room (Artist unknown)


Google's reverse image search didn't give any clue about the original artist or title, but this piece still has a lot to talk about. I really like the composition here. The diagonals that it uses really encourage your eyes to move around the room and soak in the details. The bed, the desk, and the back shelf thingie all form their own level, and contain a lot of little trinkets and doodads that reference Pokemon--both merchandise that exists (or could exist) in real life, and things in the games (Pokeballs, Pokemon league trophy) that exist in their fictional world. This has the effect of making the room look really lived in (and details like the little magnets on the desk are a nice touch which adds to this verisimilitude).

The sophisticated 3-point perspective seems to have relied upon a photographic reference, which adds to the effect of this being a candid snapshot of a moment that could've really happened, as opposed to something staged or posed. This is an interesting direction to take for an illustration of a boy sitting with three superpowered videogame creatures. The way Charmander raises his flaming tail even as he sleeps under a bit of Red's blanket really makes him seem like a living, breathing, creature. The casualness and spontaneity with which such extraordinary subject matter is treated makes it seem a lot more real, which is something I know many in my generation have wished for one time or another.

1 comment:

  1. I completely agree that the dynamic angles make it look a lot more realistic. I'm sure many in our generation will get some nostalgia after seeing this. I know I always wished Pokemon were real, haha.

    The color used for the illustration keep it 'cartoon-y' but also gives it a more realistic view as well.. This illustration is awesome.

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