
## Thanatos Death Tarot Card

Over the summer, I studied the symbolism of Tarot cards and played the
rouge-like RPG game _Hades_. While doing these things at the same time, I
thought the character Thanatos would look great as the Death Tarot card. To
create a traditional look and feel, I experimented with
[True Grit Texture Supply's](https://www.truegrittexturesupply.com/) fun brushes
and textures. Working with halftones gave me a new perspective on lighting and
values in illustrations.

![Thanatos from Hades as the Death tarot card](/img/posts/illustrations-2023/2.jpeg)

## Original Character Design

I played a lot of games this summer, so I thought it would be fun to incorporate
elements of Chinese culture in an original character design of my own. I
challenged myself by creating a series of 90-minute black-and-white sketches,
and this is one of my favorites.

![Original character design](/img/posts/illustrations-2023/3.jpeg)

## Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint

I don't have a fancy explanation for this one, I just thought the character
looked cool and was very creatively inspired by the space adventure,
time-traveling tragedy of a
[551 chapter web novel](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43802732-omniscient-reader-s-viewpoint-vol-1).

![Yoo Joonghyuk from Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint](/img/posts/illustrations-2023/5.jpeg)

## Cowboy Bebop Poster

I was inspired by the typography in
[the opening for hit 1998 anime _Cowboy Bebop_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyyrv7qNAfY),
as well as its overall atmosphere. The show is a neo-noir space western set on
_The Bebop_, a spaceship piloted by an odd found family of bounty hunters, a
goofy hacker, and a corgi. Its soulful jazz soundtrack, stunning frame
composition, and creative speculative technologies had me hooked and obsessed.

![Spike from Cowboy Bebop](/img/posts/illustrations-2023/1.jpeg)

## Additional illustrations
![Yoo Joonghyuk in a spacesuit](/img/posts/illustrations-2023/6.jpeg)
![Wolfwood praying](/img/posts/illustrations-2023/7.jpeg)


Selection of personal illustrations from 2023.

#art

Illustrations 2023