Fan Art - Final Fantasy
Final Fantasy Fan Art refers to the various pieces of art, of all forms that have been inspired by or based on the popular role playing game Final Fantasy developed by Square Enix. Websites such as pinterest, and deviant art host a number of pieces of fan artwork that feature popular Final Fantasy characters such as Cloud Strife, Terra Branford, Yuna, Cactuars, and other iconic characters. A look at any fan art site shows that Tifa Lockhart from Final Fantasy VII is a popular choice that makes an extensive number of appearances. Final Fantasy art is made in a number of different mediums, including fan stories, acrylics, watercolor, CGI, pencil, and a host of other forms. A number of events host fan art and cosplay exhibitions around the world.
Final Fantasy Fanfest Contest Art
Fan art is usually submitted through contests and competitions. In one such contest organized by the “Fanfest”, the winner was “Let Us End this War by Nibu Chuni”. The winning piece depicts a large white dragon fighting against an equally sized black dragon fighting in mid-air. While a knight looks on towards a background set in a gloomy ancient city whose sky is filled with dark, overcast clouds. “Haurchefant, Confidence in Heaven by Chimaera Inferna”, the runner up, depicting an elf like being with plants, flowers and a variety of ornaments in their blonde hair. The portrait-like piece is set against a solid black backdrop to contrast the brightness. Another runner up, “Confidence in Heaven by Chimaera Inferna”, shows a Final Fantasy inspired warrior and mage deflecting a strike off a massive zweihander by another warrior. The last runner up, “Plum Spring Party by Xaraphiel Tutelar'' depicts the iconic Moogle, and the Chocobo, amongst a number of other monster-esque creatures in a natural landscape.
Final Fantasy Art and Cosplay Events
A number of events allow artists to showcase their work, such as KupoKon, an unofficial Final Fantasy event organized and made possible by fans, but not endorsed or sanctioned by Square Enix. It can be described as a “Final Fantasy themed birthday party”. The event travels to various locations around the world, from Europe to North America and various locations around Asia. After a humble beginning, KupoCon has amassed a large following among fans, and is annually organized by international planners and event organizers. According to the official website, a nonprofit event, they provide a venue for Final Fantasy fan art to be displayed, showcased, and auctioned. The convention space is also a great opportunity for Final Fantasy cosplay enthusiasts to get together and meet up.
Yoshitaka Amano Art
An inspiration and influence for many Final Fantasy fan art creators is the legendary Yoshitaka Amano, a Japanese illustrator, artist, character designer, costume designer, and film scene designer. Amano’s illustrations roots came from the drawing process of printmaking that uses techniques and tools such as carving wood, scoring copper plates, and running ink. Many of his earlier works are inspired and influenced by ukiyo-e art which is a Japanese form of art created with woodblock prints. Therefore it is typical to find that he creates a watercolor effect with acrylics in his art.
He became well known after working on the anime series version of Speed Racer in the late 1960s. He is the creator of characters like Tekkaman, Hutch the Honeybee, Gatchaman, and other well known characters. Amano joined Square in 1987 to work on Final Fantasy for the Nintendo Entertainment System. He made concept designs using computers and traditional artwork. As a freelance artist, he collaborated with various authors and continued to commission work for the video game series Final Fantasy.
Yoshitaka Amano on Final Fantasy
Final Fantasy holds a special place in Amano’s heart as he considers his work on the Final Fantasy franchise to be the main reason he was able to become famous as an illustrator and character designer. He believes that he has to cherish his work with Final Fantasy and that his designs and characters will be a special part of him. In one book that he put together about modern art history of Japan, he included illustrations of Final Fantasy characters in the piece. He believes that Final Fantasy is not just a famous brand or his career, but a ‘visual piece and art expression’.
Yoshitaka Amano Legacy
Since the 1990’s he has worked on retro paintings of iconic pop icons and exhibited them around the world, painting mostly using aluminum box panels with acrylic and automotive paint. He has been the recipient of various high profile awards for his work. His influences include western comics, orientalism, art nouveau, and Japanese woodblock pieces. He established a film production company, Studio Devaloka, in 2010. His work has garnered a worldwide following and fan base.