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I got a little excited when Ignite Social Media asked me to write about fan art. The examples I found were epic, but they ended up not being relatable when it came to how brands could work with them for marketing. I even got explicit written permission from a few of the artists… So let me share with you here.
GAME ON
GAME ON by *cartoongirl7 on deviantART
This sprawling homage to Nintendo DS characters has been viewed over 1.25 million times on deviantART with over 8,400 comments and 84,000 deviantART users marking it as one of their favorites. (Embed function enabled for sharing.)
The Past Recedes
The Past Recedes by Aerion the Faithful on deviantART
One of my personal favorites, Nicolás R. Giacondino (comic book artist, FREE MARS) created this piece as a commission for a fellow fan of the novel Eisenhorn by Dan Abnett, part of Games Workshop’s Warhammer 40,000 universe. It has received over 32,000 views, yet it is only one of his many paid fan art commissions. His distinctive style is what sets him apart from many other talented WH40K artists. (Used with written permission.)
Chaos
Chaos by lily fox on deviantART
So deviantART tells me that Ginger Haole’s crossover art has received just over 152,000 views…but I know that the way I discovered it was when it went viral getting passed around Facebook sometime in 2011. More fans are probably familiar with Buzz Lightyear from Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story franchise than the Space Marine from the WH40K universe he’s been turned into, but it’s this type of crossover art (combining multiple fandoms) that gets other fans really excited. I don’t know if the image had been watermarked before it made the rounds on Facebook, but it’s understandable why she disabled sharing on the piece so admirers would have to come to her. (Used with written permission.)
That’s me: Christina Gleason. I’m a writer, editor, and disability advocate. I'm a multiply disabled autistic lady doing my best in this world built for abled people. I’m a geek for grammar, fantasy, and casual gaming. I hate vegetables. I cannot reliably speak, so I’ll happily conduct business over email or messaging instead.
