Fanart Recs

Fandom: Teen Wolf
Characters/Pairing/Other Subject: Derek Hale
Content Notes/Warnings: n/a
Medium: digital
Artist on DW/LJ: n/a
Artist Website/Gallery: ocicatsy

Why this piece is awesome: Well, um. It's DEREK'S SAILOR SENSHI TRANSFORMATION. (Although, perhaps regrettably, there's no actual sailor suit involved.) Super awesome.

I think there's a rule out there somewhere to the effect that every fandom must have its Sailor Moon fusion (and I've had more than a few discussions about Scott McCall being a Magical Girl), but this is quite probably my all-time favorite example. It's beautifully drawn (mmm, line weights and spot blacks), and I love the little crossover details (Derek's claws appearing where the nail polish sequence would have been, his leather jacket being created out of the ribbons!). Even the panel layout and sparkle placement work really well. PRETTY WOLFIE SAILOR DEREK.

Incidentally, this is the last of my Teen Wolf recs for the timebeing, but I'll be starting on Sailor Moon tomorrow! ;)

Link: http://ocicatsy.tumblr.com/post/36644952927/magical-girl-ified-werewolf-transformation-based

Fandom: Teen Wolf
Characters/Pairing/Other Subject: Season Two main cast
Content Notes/Warnings: n/a
Medium: digital
Artist on DW/LJ: n/a
Artist Website/Gallery: guzusuru, guzusuru

Why this piece is awesome: It still cracks me up every time. This was one of the first pieces of Teen Wolf fanart I saw, when I got into the show back during Season Two! The loose, cartoony style fits perfectly with the goofy, frenetic subject matter, and it reflects my sense of the weird unbalance in the cast of the time: a pile of kids and, sticking out like a sore thumb, this hulking adult werewolf who was all mixed up in their drama (or more accurately, they were all mixed up in his). Things felt more like wacky hijinks than everyone's-(really)-gonna-die, back then (ah, nostalgia). The title's perfect, and so is Stiles's face.

Link: http://guzusuru.deviantart.com/art/TW-Too-Many-Teens-in-a-Jeep-and-Derek-334512620

Fandom: Teen Wolf
Characters/Pairing/Other Subject: Vernon Boyd, Erica Reyes and Cora Hale
Content Notes/Warnings: gore (zombies)
Medium: digital
Artist on DW/LJ: n/a
Artist Website/Gallery: kissingcullens

Why this piece is awesome: kissingcullens has a really neat, illustrative style; their portrayals of characters' faces are a little cartoony (sometimes borderline caricature-esque) and so expressive. I particularly enjoy their Horror Illustration series (check 'em all out!) for their fun play with classic genre tropes, and this one is nicely on-point. It's very well-balanced compositionally, and the mostly-flat sepia color scheme is really effective. Also, it's always nice to see the spotlight on these underused (and awesome) characters! I love Erica's snarl of determination. <3

Link: http://kissingcullens.tumblr.com/post/60305856644/teen-wolf-horror-illustration-series-zombie

Fandom: Teen Wolf
Characters/Pairing/Other Subject: major female characters (seasons 1-3A)
Content Notes/Warnings: n/a
Medium: digital
Artist on DW/LJ: n/a
Artist Website/Gallery: yellowis4happy, yellowis4happy

Why this piece is awesome: When it comes to fanart from live-action sources, I have a preference for work that adapts characters into its own coherent style; work that captures something about the character but certainly isn't super realistic. This is a great example of that. The characters are all instantly recognizable and distinct, but also clearly reimagined into the artist's visual world. The artist has made the characters her own.

Also, LADIES. One of the things that got me into Teen Wolf in the first place was the variety of interesting female characters (even though I'm not always satisfied with the way they end up). It's great to see them all together like this, especially the ones who you don't see represented often (I'm particularly delighted by Melissa & Victoria). The costume design is a delight; each outfits is exceptionally on point, creative and gorgeous and well-suited to the character. Plus, there's the whole lovely symbolic feel to it. Ugh. It's just so PRETTY.

Link: http://yellowis4happy.deviantart.com/art/TW-The-Queen-and-Her-Court-401449985

Fandom: Teen Wolf
Characters/Pairing/Other Subject: Allison Argent/Lydia Martin
Content Notes/Warnings: n/a
Medium: digital
Artist on DW/LJ: pitch_a_tale
Artist Website/Gallery: boaillustration

Why this piece is awesome: Apart from just being really sweet, it's deeply satisfying to see such strong, simple design work. Making the first piece look like an actual book cover is a cool touch, one I don't see often! The whole thing is really a testament to the power of simplicity - the coloring is lovely too, without a whole lot of super-detailed shading. (The associated fic's quite good as well; I recommend it.)

Link: http://boaillustration.tumblr.com/post/39655159185/i-got-the-chance-to-work-together-with-the