I have something different again for you today. George Redreev is a freelance artist, illustrator, and character designer from Chelyabinsk, Russia, and his art is quite… er, colorful.

You know I love gritty, textured dark art, but there is also a side of me that likes the cutesy element, the fairy fantasy, the wonder and awe of a Neverland-like utopia. It reminds me of a time of innocence when I was young and Peter Pan was the most awesomest superhero ever. Yeah, I know, don’t ask.

So today’s post pays homage to the wonder and awe of youth. I love George’s hybrid animals and his vibrant color composition, and if you zoom in on any of his paintings you’ll note how extremely detailed they are. I’ve also included a video where George shows you his process via a speed-drawing session.

As is usual, below is a sampling of the artist’s work and each image links back to the site of origin. Enjoy!

And just to show that I did not go completely over to the light side, here are some somber-looking pieces by the same artist.

Like I said, Peter Pan truly was my first superhero until I discovered the ones with muscles from DC and Marvel comics. I suppose I still have a soft spot for the character, but adult interpretations of what Peter Pan and Neverland “actually” represent and/or what the author, J.M. Barrie, “actually” meant with the stories–according to those who never met him–kinda spoiled the dream-fantasy for me. It’s sad really, the world is far too a cynical place these days to let things stay simple and clean.

I hope you liked today’s collection. Tell me about your childhood fantasies, about the elements that fuelled your sense of wonder and awe. Oh, and before I forget, this week I have a dystopian/apocalyptic theme for ‘Art of Science Fiction‘ over on Kōsa Press. Yes, if you want cynical and morose, which is the opposite of today’s post, go check it out!

Enjoy!

Woelf