Fan Art: More of Those Little Blue Guys (and Gals)

Okay, so it's now official: based on the box office returns of the past few weeks, "The Smurfs 2" is a big blue disaster. For a film that cost well over $105 million to make with all the special effects and CGI animation, nobody saw it, and those who did were shocked at the prevalence of blue humor (pardon the pun) and sexual innuendo. I think because the first film did so well, the producers thought they could do more of the same and get away with it, but they really smurfed the shark (er, jumped) with this one. These little blue guys were nothing like the 80's Hanna-Barbera TV series that reruns on cable TV to this day, and audiences smurfed out on the disconnect.

But since I grew up on the TV series and the Smurfs were the first characters I seriously tried to copy and draw, ultimately developing my own original style, it was that cheerful, family-friendly memory that went into the below Smurf fan art I drew up the past few weeks.

Here is a part of "The Smurf Ohana (family)": From left to right, we have Papa Smurf, Smurfette, Baby, Brainy, Vexy, Husky, Sloppy and his beloved pet fly Fly, Snappy, Grandpa, Sassette, Nanny, her pet Smoogle, Clumsy, Grouchy and Painter. It's a mix of the classic Smurf characters with their newer relatives from the films. Vexy's hair was changed to brown based on other Smurf fan art I got a real kick out of.

Here again is Vexy Smurf, post-Naughtie and with change in hair color, explaining her hot temper and adventurous spirit.

And finally, little Baby Smurf ratting out Jokey, whom Vexy wants to have a little talk with after opening one of his trademark "surprises". (Personally, instead of Christina Ricci voicing Vexy, I think Gwen Stefani would be a better choice. Just looking at her CGI style from the movie automatically has me thinking of Gwen!)

This past month has been a very stressful one for me personally, as I have continued to look for work, finally landing some temporary jobs, and dealing with a lot of venting and anger from customers. Rediscovering my childhood friends has been a great creative and emotional release. I've never had this much creative energy in several years, and the ideas just keep on coming. Developing Maranappta may have been the impetus for that creativity, and now drawing these family-friendly Smurf toons has just about broken the dam holding everything back.

So until Studio Peyo of Brussels, Belgium (which owns the Smurfs) sends me a cease-and-desist letter, which they probably won't do because Smurf fan art is all over the web and is actually good publicity for them, I'll keep smurfing away, and giving credit where proper credit is due. Enjoy.