This image comes from one of the covers for the comic Kingdom Come and is one of countless examples of the work of Alex Ross. What made his work stand out to me was how different it seemed from the usual style that comic books are drawn in. Ross will stage a scene with a live model who is close to the look and build of a certain character, getting them into costume and all. The result allows us to get a sense of what it would be like if we were to see these characters and heroes in real life, which as a budding comic fan, is something unique.
Ross creates a great mood in this image. The lighting on Superman is striking and the shadows are deep and dramatic. Ross' skill with paint allows us to see every little crease and fold in the costume as well as capturing life like details of the hands, hair, and face. Superman's downcast gaze and pose speak to us of a solemn, almost mourning-like moment (which fits well with the comic, but I won't give any spoilers). The other characters present in the background are painted in a much more faded light which seems like it emphasizes Superman being isolated in his troubled thoughts.
You can find a copy of Kingdom Come in the library, I fully recommend giving it a checkout.
I like Ross because he makes his characters believable human beings, granted hes a little stuck in golden age aesthetics but he is a truly remarkable artist and a really nice guy too, I had a chance to chat with him a bit last year and he was awesome.
ReplyDeletewhat really caught me about this painting than any other picture is the epic size and bold blue color. Also the realism of detail applied to this art really boggles my mind especially the hands. Ross's is amazing in giving off that personality to his drawings.
ReplyDeleteThere is something very inspiring about the "humanization" of superheros. I think that I often think of them as being too otherworldly and non-relatable because of that. This image clearly shows real human emotion as well has detail. I haven't read this comic, but I predict that whatever is happening in the dialogue is only being intensified by work like this.
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