Artist Spotlight: The Borrower Arrietty

Continuing this new series of "Artist Spotlight" posts, I thought we'd like to have a look at some drawings based on The Secret World of Arrietty, which opens here in the States next week (maybe you've heard).  I'm really impressed with the skills of these artists, and I'm sure you'll enjoy their work.  Let's take a look at our four artists, each with a unique take on the Ghibli film:

This first drawing is my personal favorite, titled "Morning Dew."  It's created by Riysse, who also has a DeviantArt page (just click the link).  I really enjoy the warm color tones and abundance of complimentary oranges and greens.  The characters have a slight anime flair, but not too much, with a touch more vibrancy in their hair and wardrobes.  The arrangement is balanced without becoming symmetrical, and I just want to explore these mysterious woods, and sit and talk and laugh.  I also appreciate how the sunlight doesn't completely overpower and wash out everything.  For some reason, I'm now hungry for some oranges.

The second Arrietty drawing was created by Ashcats.  The dry textures and colors suggest light pastels or colored pencils.  The mood is quiet, reflective; the surrounding leaves and flowers feature prominently in this piece.  Arrietty herself appears to slightly to the side, and allows the scenery to take center stage.  The complex, integrated composition reminds me of my own work, although my skills are nowhere near as good as Asha.  This is very nice.  I can tell that a very thoughtful person drew this, and that's what I really like about it.  It feels very personal, like a self-portrait in disguise.

Poster number three was created by Anndr.  This piece has the feel of wet acrylic paints, the kind I often see at the local art fairs.  It's really terrific.  I'm impressed how these Arrietty artworks are focus on the natural world, and use the characters in a supporting role.  Perhaps you need to live near lakes and rivers and trees to appreciate this beauty; an artist living in Manhattan probably couldn't paint like this.  Anndr draws Arrietty in a Western style, avoiding the anime look and carving a unique identity for herself.  I'm reminded of science fiction and fantasy artwork in this piece, an influence that really shines in Ann's other works (her gallery is fantastic).  Kudos!

Finally, we have this piece created by Kamoji, from Japan.  This is a very detailed and colorful anime-style drawing, with a terrific watercolor pattern in the background.  I really like it.  There's a lot of interaction between the two characters, and a lot of unspoken dialog.  You can imagine just what is going through their minds.  Kamoji-san is clearly influenced by anime and manga, and there's a directness, a purity to his/her style.  The American artists incorporate some of the more iconic elements of anime, but it's blended together with Western influences.  It's a very fascinating contrast, and I'm happy that there's enough diversity for all four of these talented artists to learn from one another.