A Radical Reunion with the TMNT
CASE STUDY
ESP
PERSONAL WORK
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles captured my imagination when I first saw them in 1987 as a child, so it felt natural to include them in my portfolio.
Back in the summer of 2023, a new TMNT movie was released in theaters, and suddenly, TMNT fever was back.
It felt like the universe was serving me a tasty slice of salami pizza, and I couldn't help taking a bite.
I made an elaborate hand-drawn illustration paying tribute to the Heroes in a Half Shell, leaping over the rooftops of Manhattan, depicted in comic style, while blending different features from their many iterations, from both the TV cartoon shows and the comics, to give it my own spin.
SCOPE
Illustration
Bodacious Mutation
EXPOSITION
The TMNT have evolved a lot from their humble beginnings as a black-and-white comic in 1983 to the multimillion-dollar multimedia behemoth they are today.
The first time I saw them was back in 1987 in the form of the classic TV cartoon show. Funny, colorful, and exciting, the adventures of Leo, Mikey, Raph, and Donnie captivated me and stayed with me for life.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987 TV Series)
Through the years, they've had many TV cartoon show iterations, aiming for a more mature look in the early 2000s, and even going full 3D in 2012, mixing the old playful vibe from the 80's with a new modern style sprinkled with anime features, revamping the character's personality, it made me fall in love with the IP all over again.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012 TV Series)
The trifecta was completed when I discovered that IDW published a new TMNT comic, launched in 2011, which was a gritty, much more serious take, resembling the original 1983 run.
Cover art by Mateus Santolouco
The recent second wave of Turtle mania, thanks to the release of the new movie and video games, inspired me to create a new piece, this time taking bits from different iterations to design my own take on the famous Ninja Green Machine, mixing the playful colors and personality features of the cartoon, with the edgier look from the comics.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023 Animated film)
Ninjas in Training
THE PROCESS
During the research phase, I sought out the most dynamic poses, including samurai battle poses, skaters, and parkour athletes. I wanted to make sure every turtle appeared agile and full of life.
The penciling stage lets the details pour in, defining proportions and muscles. Special attention is given to foreshortening to make some weapons and limbs appear bigger than they are.
Inking uses dark, thick lines to make every stroke more distinct, hard shadows around the eyes in the bandanas enhance the effect of the all-white eyes, a classic feature from the original TMNT comic.
The background posed its own challenge, requiring a 5-point perspective technique that replicates the appearance of wide-angle lens photography.
A special grid was created as a template to accurately draw each asset in the scene.
Buildings, windows, rooftop skylights, and water tanks are constructed using a combination of curved vertical and horizontal lines, along with converging diagonal lines that meet at a central vanishing point.
Out of the Sewers
THE OUTCOME
The result was a high-resolution, full-color, landscape illustration. Each turtle occupies its own layer, allowing me to rearrange the composition or remove them for individual use (merch, promotional materials, cards).
Shading and Crosshatching:
I blended thick dark ink strokes with color gradients to create a classic comic style with a slight cartoony touch.
Rim Light:
The outline of the characters was enhanced with multiple highlights to capture the city atmosphere at night.
Textures:
A pre-made fabric texture was applied to the turtle's body wraps to give them a rough and worn appearance.
Depth of field:
The Gaussian blur effect magnifies the feeling of distance between the characters and the background.
Classic TMNT traits:
Donnie's gapped teeth from 2012, and Raph's chipped front shell make an appearance.
