Curated by Nathaniel R
Gorgeous AND THEN WE DANCED collage from Istanbul based artist "Pervane"
Each day we're doing a "year in review" list. When Alexa used to do her Curio series we got a fine overview of what type of films generally inspire artists. The well known classics, of course, but also movies with queer sensibilities, movies from auteurs, movies of any genre outside of drama / comedy but especially horror. The magic ingredient just might be movies and stories that lend themselves to visual reinterpretation or perpetual discovery or which are courting cult favor in some way by their nature or their aesthetic choices. Not every movie that deserves mass fandom gets it. We're dying to know for example what contemplative moving American stories like Nomadland or Minari might bring out in artists? What would cartoonists or painters make of emotionally severe but visually rich movies like Russia's Beanpole or Chile's Ema? And why isn't every online sketch-machine obsessed with Riz Ahmed's face, tats, and platinum hair in Sound of Metal? Whyyyyyy?
Without further ado here are 10 films from 2020 that we think will continue to inspire visual art. If you click on the links you can see more from that particular artist. Most of them have merch shops or take commissions...
WONDER WOMAN 1984
This Wonder Woman 1984 illustration to the left, so energetic and vibrant, is from the Kansas City artist Auna Amire. To the right is a much different but endearingly childlike take from Emily Adele Klinkhammer. Iconic characters always prove quite flexible.
And here's a golden armor themed vision from illustrator and character designer Evgeny Tiniansky based in Ukraine, we believe. If you click on the image you can see various layers of the drawing. Cool.
Now where are the illustrations of Cheetah? Come on people! Obviously franchise movies are always big with online artists with the caveat that the art is usually due to the love of the continuing characters rather than any specific movie. Like Wonder Woman 1984, Mulan, and Birds of Prey are amply represented with art online but in all three of the cases, just as with any new Spider-Man or Batman or Star Wars film, it's really love derived from the original characters rather than whichever sequel the franchise is on at the moment.
MA RAINEY'S BLACK BOTTOM
Love this Ma Rainey inspired greeting card from Sista Girl. Not sure if these are for sale yet but here is the Sista Girl Greeting Cards shop.
And here's a digital painting 'scene study' from the artist Ce'Zanne Collins.
FIRST COW
Just love this lush blue green digital painting from Zachariah Wheeler who says it's his "tribute to my favourite film of 2020". It's a lot of people's favourite of 2020 as we've discovered from film critic top ten lists.
And this is from a talented Polish celebrity photographer Ewa Ferdynus who calls herself a "wanna-be illustrator" on the side. We need to see more First Cow art so if you've seen any send us that way.
I'M THINKING OF ENDING THINGS
Amazing painting by Trish Aripas.
This one is from Abigail Manaluz who is based in The Phillipines
SWALLOW
One of the best lines in the haunting movie. Fun illustration by Vancouver based artist Melissa Soleski.
It's perfect that the artist, Maria Boada, included her own hand and table and supplies with this image since Swallow is so much about its protagonist finding herself via her own... um... dangerous curation of items.
TRUE HISTORY OF THE KELLY GANG
This illustration is from Dakatyat who says they really want Ned's black dress. It is pretty great. By it I mean the the dress but come to think of it, the illustration, too.
And here's one from Samquatches who says "I both hate and love drawing this raccoon eyed dingo of a man"
In truth we didn't see much fan art for True History of the Kelly Gang but we imagine it will be one of those movies that will grow in fandom... and thus fanart.. especially given its genderf*** criminals and its out of time punk aesthetics.
SOUL
Kimberly Perez is a California artist and she says Soul touched her heart on many levels. She sells merch here.
Here's an illustration of Joe and Dorothea from Netherlands artist Taraneh, who is a principal artist at GameHouse.
Aledrawstuff and Cachidraws both thought to draw themselves as souls which we imagine will take off as a thing within fandom art for this movie (now that people are seeing it)
THE OLD GUARD
Not sure on this artist's name but she goes by d.na or karanoidandroid (?) on twitter and she does lots of shipping of male couples, such as The Old Guard's immortal lovers Nicky and Joe. Nicky and Joe are already very popular with illustrators online -- many of whom seem to love to draw male couples even if they aren't canonically queer as Nicky and Joe already are, no imagination required.
angelsaliensartDon't know the name of this artist is either but they really like this movie!
Finally the artist Bee McMurray did a tarot card series based on the movie.
PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN
We've seen very little fan art to date of Promising Young Woman other than this minimalist poster from "venting-art". But we expect this film will just explode with illustrators once they actually see it (as Portrait of a Lady on Fire did early in 2020 after it had actually had enough eyeballs on it). There are two many memorable costumes and too many juicy genre hooks or triggers (but the good kind) for artists, for them not to latch on to it once it's discovered.
WOLFWALKERS
Animated movies, already drawn as they are, often get online artists going. Wolfwalkers is so charming and Cartoon Saloon's aesthetic is so precise and evocative that we're sure to see the movie's reputation grow. Here's a look at Robyn and Mebh by the artist Alexandra.
Agavny the Pigeon, an Armenian artist, likes to imagine characters in their future or their past so here's a adult version of the child protagonists.
On thing that's ever popular among artists is to fuse characters from different universes. Here we see Kirishima (Red Riot), a character from the maga/anime series My Hero Academia, mixed with Wolfwalkers via the artist Lord of Yikes.
The artist Ellen Alley saw herself and her "own wild wolfgirl daughter" in the Wolfwalkers mother/daughter duo.
And how about this more realistic portrait of Mebh from aan artist called AbsentSon? Beautiful.