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| WHATS UP DOC by Jim "Food One" Mahfood |
Jim Mahfood is one of those fantastic artists whose illustrations in comic books always seem to tell a more evocative story than the words that crop up on the page. I'm often impressed by the way that he uses black in his pictures to create a more vibrant feel of color. This illustration is a beautiful example of his skill.
Like most of Mahfood's illustrations this depiction of Alice in Wonderland is wholly his own. He mostly defies the stereotypical depictions of the characters and instead transforms them into something that is unmistakably his own. Alice in the black top with her shades isn't a little girl overtaken by the strangeness of Wonderland but instead appears to be a grown woman who has chosen to subvert the real world for one that is transformed by her mind. Yet it is not Alice that is the focal point of the picture, but the Mad Hatter. The Caterpillar seemingly spews forth from the Hatter's mouth to curl back behind him while his mouth is extended into a madman's laugh that you can almost hear cackling from the page. While rising from the Hatter's tea cup appears the White Rabbit. There's a suggestion here that the tea itself is, if not poison in of itself, a hallucinogenic that has inspired the entire scene.
Jim Mahfood is steadily becoming one of my favorite modern illustrators with his bold lines and distinctive style. If you liked this piece you can check out more of his work on his official website or you can pick up one of his excellent books.
Do you know what the original size of that print was / is?
ReplyDeleteI do not, sir. The website I found it on did not have the dimensions.
DeleteIt's a great picture just seemed a bit busy on my computer screen, I'm thinking that's due to the size..
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