Featuring Zelda, Final Fantasy and Grand Theft Auto, this illustrative series shows gaming a new light.
Zelda: Links Awakening (GB 1992)
From their enviroments to their characters and their packaging to video game cover artwork, video games are a part of the design industry that are truly astonishing. Becoming iconic over the years, nostalgic memories often inspire illustrators in their latest projects. Here, Stephen Graham illustrates some of his favourite characters.
"I began creating these images to try to explore video games in an entirely different way to what I'd seen before," he explains. "I wasn't seeing anyone producing work that really responded and reacted to their experiences with games and technology, and so I tried to take what we knew about games, the characters, design, the technology and mix it up to create a new way of seeing it."
"Humour is a really big part of my work and I initially thought people could engage more with these illustrations if there was something funny about them, so in a lot of cases I've tried to draw out the absurd and comical." Take a look at some of our favourites from the collection below featuring Zelda, Grand Theft Auto and Streetfighter.
Grand Theft Auto (1997)
Final Fantasy VII (PS 1997)
Creature inspired by Dark Souls
Animal Crossing (Gamecube 2001)
Friday the 13th (NES 1989)
Beat 'Em Ups
Pokemon (GB 1998)
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (PS2 2001)
Resident Evil 2 (PS 1998)
Street Fighter 2 (Arcade 1992)
What do you make of this project? Let us know in the comments box below!
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Sammy Maine was a founding member of the Creative Bloq team way back in the early 2010s, working as a Commissioning Editor. Her interests cover graphic design in music and film, illustration and animation. Since departing, Sammy has written for The Guardian, VICE, The Independent & Metro, and currently co-edits the quarterly music journal Gold Flake Paint.
