Gunship 4x4

"Gunship 4x4"
(Metroid series / Rocket League)
 
Metroid's been getting a lot of love, lately, eh? Two new games -one of which is out now- and also a "cameo" in the extreme fantasy sport game Rocket League; who's Switch port has exclusive cars based on Mario, Luigi, and Samus' Gunship. Admittedly, I let the idea of a pin-up illustration run away with me, to which, here we are!

I will say, I haven't seriously drawn a real car in a long LONG time, so this was a daunting endeavor, but I found just enough references to make the thing work with minimal guess work as to shapes and details. I'd say the biggest challenge was deciding to still go with traditional for the piece, but I think it adds some character I know would have been lost had I attempted digital. The colors all balance really well, which I am proud of, especially going with Samus' Fusion ending suit, compliments the orange of the car.

September 21, 2017
Micron Pen, Prismacolor Markers, colored pencils, Sharpie Neon markers, and gel pens
on 8.5x11" cardstock

Zero Gravity

 "Zero Gravity"
(Samus Aran from the Metroid series)
 
Samus has always been a bit of a hot topic in the classic gaming community. From her reveal at the end of the original Metroid game on the NES, she's always been a bit of a paradox. A slender, athletic woman with the drive of a typical male warrior, and no real weaknesses or stereotypes that tend to hold female characters against that glass ceiling. The epitome of a strong woman, with the only real traces of femininity are held entirely in her physical form, of which is usually hidden under her massive power armor. I wanted to kinda show a balance of that strength, while keeping the piece a bit more stoic. While it's difficult to avoid sexuality when rendering her in her famed Zero Suit, I did so to show her only weakness - not that she's female, but just that she's human.

I chose to still have her armor in the form of a silhouette around her, which I stylized to look like a scene of her Gunship's approach to the planet Zebes; her once-home and her mission field in the original NES game, Zero Mission, and Super Metroid.

Sorry to get all preachy, I actually just always liked that angle of Samus's character - something Other M sorta went against and almost ruined... Ironic, since I picked that version of her Zero Suit, just because I like the aesthetics of it more than from Zero Mission.

 September 17, 2015
Micron pens, ballpoint pen, Prismacolor Markers, charcoal pencil, and gel pens
on 8.5x11" cardstock.