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......on the Muppet Show tonight. *predictable joke*
As mentioned above, I was a television baby - I watched television for hours on end whenever I could get the chance. There are many cherished programs and franchises I could've highlighted upon, but I picked the Muppets for two specific reasons. One: they are one of the few franchises from my childhood that still continues to have relevance AND be entertaining to this day. And two: their new movie is coming out next month, so it's on my mind. Anyway...
I was a child of the 90s, so obviously I was not around during the Muppets' heyday. Jim Henson had already tragically passed away before I even discovered what the Muppets were thanks to reruns on the Disney Channel. I loved what I saw of them as a kid, but I've come to an even greater appreciation in my recent adult years. I was a Jim Henson fanboy at a time when I had no meaning of the word "fanboy" - Sesame Street and Fraggle Rock were among some of my favorite programs. Great as they were, they were children shows. Beyond the pure endearment of Sesame Street and how it revolutionized child learning, there isn't as much enjoyment in them past the ages of 3-7. The Muppets were a prime example of "ageless" entertainment - as a child I loved all of the funny puppetry, silly voices and jokes, and big musical numbers; as an adult, I look back and realize just how edgy and real the Muppets could be in all of those aspects. They're not just characters created to entertain - they're actual people......people who are also puppets. The plot device of "The Muppet Show" being a show within a show is inspired because not only do the Muppets put on a show for us, we get to see HOW they are putting on the show for us, and the trials and mishaps that come with running a theater show. This provides opportunity for some very believable (as believable as an anthropomorphic frog and pig made out of fabric can be) comedy that I feel speaks to all ages.
The Muppets only came back into my radar a few years back when the official crew took the big leap into modern technology - and started posting videos on Youtube. And lo and behold, years after they had any relevance, they're still funny (mostly). I definitely recommend checking out their Youtube channel if you were ever a fan of The Muppets back in the day to see how they've transitioned into our current age. Their content isn't quite as impressive as it was during the run of the Muppet Show and the earlier movies, but for what it is, I think it's great! Here's hoping they continue to deliver in the years to come.
Oh - my favorite Muppet is Gonzo. Yeah, he's not really laugh-out-loud funny, but he's such an endearing little blue...thing. And he tries so hard to be appreciated! I love the Gonzo/Rizzo tag team from several of the movies, especially in The Muppet Christmas Carol - their chemistry is perfect and a joy to watch every time.
About the Picture:
Okay, this was the THIRD reason I wanted to blog about the Muppets. I thought it would be fun to draw my characters in the guise of other franchises, and it was! Ironically, Seikun and Suunuku turned out looking more like Bert and Ernie than Muppet Show Muppets. But hey, they're all technically "Muppets", so I think it's fine. The hardest part of this picture was the curtain, namely how all of the ripples create differing shadows depending on how far deep the ripple goes. It's difficult to convey that level of depth on a 2d-image, but I didn't worry about it too much since the curtain is not the focus of the image. But it certainly took the longest time to do.
Be sure to tune in Wednesday for Part 2 of Nostalgia Week!
Curtains were *always* the hardest part of the drawing for me...and the hands, heh.
ReplyDeleteDon't be mad... but I never really watched the Muppets. However, I'm glad they had such an impact on your childhood! I really like that you incorporated your characters into Muppets. Clever idea!
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