Stark and Emotive, if a little strange
Artist Christopher Sickel uses puppets to create stark and emotive, if a little strange, 3D illustrations which have appeared in numerous magazines, books, newspapers, and advertisements.
The desire to illustrate was what he pursued in college, but even as a child, Sickle ruminates in an interview with Don’t Panic, he enjoyed taking things apart from around his household and making toys from them. His ineterest in puppets grew after college and it was then that he developed a way to combine both his loves of illustration and puppet building.
Even if stark, there is a budding innocence about the 3D illustrations that Sickel creates, a demur restraint that’s found in the details and a world that is ultimately created in the end product that transports and enfolds.
Charles Dickens. Cover for READ Magazine.
Troll Bridge. A spread for Deliver Magazine
Henry. The antique actor from the cast of The Fantasticks, a puppet performance of the long running musical.
[Via Ectoplasmosis]
shewalkssoftly said,
July 8, 2009 at 9:42 am
I have Red Nose Studios in my “to post” link collection for AGES. Still may take me a while to get it up on my blog. Always nice to see your posts (I keep up with everything here!) and see a kindred spirit.
Gilding said,
July 8, 2009 at 11:06 am
LOL…trust me, it takes all my will of self restraint and taping my fingers together to keep me from poaching EVERYTHING from your blog .^_^. It just tickles me pink when I get a post up before you do. Do you have any idea how hard it is to find artists you HAVEN’T written on!
I was particularly drawn to Sickels work because it reminded me of the figures my best friend Atomic Terrier creates. If only I could get him to branch out into the world with his art besides his current 15 year rut of selling on eBay. Sickel, to me, demonstrates a harmony of creation and production; an ability to make a real living off of his art in a way that is mainstream. Just as easily as these scenes are published, they could also be set up in a gallery — an exhibit I would love to see, by the way.
Oh, and those life size fetus replicas, totally gnarly. I am morbidly intrigued and completely repulsed all at the same time. Of course, I’ve never been pregnant so ultra sounds on a whole freak me the hell out .^_^. But I would most definitely be devious enough, should I have the opportunity to become pregnant and have one of these created, to wear it like a broach and enjoy the looks of disgust I’m sure to receive living in the Bible Belt as I do. Yeah…I’m going to hell in a handbasket.