Archive feature, first published 2018-10-21.
A familiar pose can survive a substantial change of style. Indonesian artist Rudi redraws photographs as cartoon and anime-inspired portraits, letting people see a recognizable moment in another visual language. This 2018 feature recorded audiences of 37,500 on @rudi10297 and 10,000 on @rudi1097. Those historical counts describe the accounts when the work was first collected here, rather than their present reach.
The subjects include individuals, couples, babies and cats. Some drawings carry over objects and background details from the reference photograph, while the treatment ranges from shaded monochrome to brighter color. That variety gives the comparison two points of interest: the identity retained from the photograph and the choices that make the new picture clearly a drawing.
More Info: YouTube
A likeness carried by selected details
A portrait’s likeness can depend on more than the exact shape of a face. A distinctive posture, the position of two people together or an accessory can preserve the character of a moment. Those details help a simplified image remain specific. The cartoon does not have to reproduce every small feature equally; it needs a convincing relationship between the features selected for emphasis.
The setting belongs to the portrait too
Keeping part of the setting can also preserve the photograph’s story. An object may explain what the person was doing, while the surrounding space can locate the encounter. Changing the visual style then becomes a way of revisiting the scene rather than replacing it with a generic character. The strongest comparison allows the reference and the drawing to remain related without asking them to achieve precisely the same effect.
Links from the 2018 feature: @rudi10297 · @rudi1097 · YouTube
Related reading: Isabelle Staub Reimagines Familiar Cartoon Characters.
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