Art Analysis - Whimsy For the Home
The Piece
Princess Tutu by @Yes_Pop
Today's analysis concerns a piece I recently ordered from @Yes_Pop on X (or Twitter, if you're feeling classic). The illustration is a digital painting and fanwork titled "Princess Tutu," made on June 1st, 2017 (as stated by the original X post here).
For those unfamiliar with the franchise, here's a brief overview: Princess Tutu is an anime released on 2002, August 16th. It's a whimsical storybook-styled anime of a cute little Duck, who's given the magic ability to turn into a girl- but most importantly a brilliant ballerina by the name of "Princess Tutu". She soon goes on to save the prince with a shattered heart.
Already from the series overview alone, the series is full of whimsy and fairytale elements, and I feel as though this piece embodies that, which is one of the reasons I bought that. But before we discuss the piece, we'll discuss a bit about the artist.
The Story
Yes_Pop, or Yesenia Popova; is a digital artist and small art vendor. Her portfolio and expertise are primarily in background painting and concept art. She has a vast portfolio and background, which can be accessed through her website: yeseniapopova.com
While originally I hadn't heard of them before, I found them scrolling through Etsy. I had just recently finished a wonderful anime, and was looking for a piece of work of it to decorate in my room, and her piece had caught my eye.
The Analysis
The piece follows a mostly analogous color scheme, leaning towards muted greens, blues, purples, and pinks, but the centerpiece of it all, the main character "Duck" is a warm contrast. The warmth is contrasted by the coolness of the water, lilypads, and white flowers, and its environment, and one thing in particular I love is the way the eyes are drawn to this character. While you notice the girl reflected in the water, her "Princess Tutu" alternative, the main focus is the little Duck, surrounded by a warm glowing light and breaking up the color palette.
Compositionally, the piece feels brilliant, especially in what it represents in the context of the series.
Duck many times is overshadowed by her "Princess Tutu" persona, often feeling undermined and less than her. Princess Tutu serves as an ideal she acts, but feels held back by the fact that she's just a "mere Duck", but by the end of the series, she becomes light and hope that inspires everybody. Princess Tutu is a reflection of Duck, but not quite who she is. The piece seems to mirror back this idea, with Princess Tutu reflected in the water, and Duck being the main focus. By not only contrasting her via color, but also putting her near the top of the image our eyes are drawn to her light, and only then do we notice this reflection of hers.
For the mood itself, the mostly cool-toned colors can mean multiple things -- the blues, greens, and pale dark colors can give a sense of moodiness that weighs the image down until you're brought back up by the warm yellows and oranges of Duck. The peace of the character ties the mood together to create a sense of comfort and safety. While Duck is compositionally higher, atmospherically, she brings the mood of the piece higher as well in its mood and atmosphere. When I look at the piece I feel a sense of warmth, a sense of tranquility, and a big smile to such a little duck.
Size and proportion also reinforce these ideas, with the piece itself being so big but the small space Duck occupies being the main centerpiece that pulls the image together. She may be small in proportion, but what she does for the piece (and in this analysis, the series) brings it all together.
In Conclusion
I love this piece, and it's definitely one of my personal favorites to join my collection at home. Not only as a fan of the series but as someone who appreciates art. I love fanworks like these because they not only capture a piece of the series but there's a sense of love and attention to detail that comes from a fanwork. While it may not be official, it has heart and soul, which is something I believe can't be beaten in a piece of work. Even if you might not know the series context, it's still a work of art to be appreciated, not held together solely by its ties to a franchise.
It's a cozy piece, and while it may not be what you see in the galleries, I believe it's perfect for a cozy home.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Really enjoyed the price you chose as it is a form of digital art. The way in which the artist is able to capture and use the practices found in water colors within the price alone brings it to a greater level. The use of color within the price played the most important role for me as it is in the contrast between the duckling and the girl that we can see how they are finding a new light within the path they are taking. The framing of the piece as well with the Lilly pads shifting around the girl to grant her the moment within nature to reflect upon oneself is very important. I have seen similar pieces were the artist didn’t put much effort into the surrounding effects like the Lily pads and it ruins the story they are starting to tell with the piece.
ReplyDeleteI think one failing point within the piece is the connection between the duck and the dancer. If you look at the reflection line the duck has a fade that is separate from the dancer and it throws the whole of the scene off if you do look at it too long.