Extraordinary! Victorian Silhouettes of Popular Characters

[3113]

These are amazing!

There's so much that's incredibly cool about them. First, they give you an idea of how little we humans need to see to recognize someone or something. Second, you realize how many pop characters are really more like symbols, with iconic elements of costume or hair, etc. Even the humans in these images are often recognizable because of some signature element we identify with them.

Last is just how beautifully and cleverly done these images are. They're not only beautiful silhouettes, but they're done in ways that emphasize the character's persona without compromising the essential aesthetic of a simple profile--that in itself is mind-blowing. Even the frames are perfectly matched to suggest the character's signature qualities.

Awesome! And great fun.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

They're beautifully done but I fear, as some of my friends take great joy in pointing out, that my general knowledge of popular culture is sorely lacking. I doubt that I recognized more than 10%--and most of those were cartoon characters!

 

[sr71plt]

Other than the cartoon characters, I didn't identify many either. Very well done, though.

 

[Verdad]

I’m glad I’m not the only one living under a rock. I got maybe 40% but that would be much lower if not for non-human characters. Fun, though!

 

[Boxlicker101]

Very interesting. I recognized some of the unrealistic cartoon characters and the cartoonish ones, such as ET, but few if any of the actual people, if there even were any of them.

 

[3113]

I didn't get them all either, but there are an awful lot of them, and getting them all demands that you be up on comic books, television shows, movies, books and cartoons. If you think about it, those who recognize some of the characters you didn't (because, perhaps, you never saw that third Star Wars movie) probably missed the characters you got that were from books or older television shows (like the Prisoner there!). So I think the percentages of what you recognize as compared to what others recognize evens out. I don't think many people are going to get them all.

I especially like the ones that wink at the viewer. Like Pinocchio, Spiderman, and the Frankenstein Monster

 

[Handley_Page]

I'm very glad it's not just me, then.
I managed a few; some made me think a bit before I identified it.

 

[jomar]

I recognized a lot more than I thought I would given VMs and sr's posts.

I found Waldo and think I saw "The Dude."

Thanks, 3.

 

[Stella_Omega]

Even without knowing them, I really enjoy his work. So delicate and concise, and judging bythe ones I did recognised, (JFK +MLK, Beckham and the blasted soccer ball for instance) they are genuine tributes to accomplishment.

 

[sr71plt]

That bullet zinging through the head of what I presume is Lincoln is . . . interesting.

 

[Stella_Omega]

That bullet zinging through the head of what I presume is Lincoln is . . . interesting.

I think that's a strap holding on a mask. What mask, I don't know, however...

eta: Durr, this one of course
http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTe8CUeZLa9KLHUT0OAX3mYmrYotju2A7CCXs9wUAXtTVWKZjRb8A&t=1

edit again; nope... the Guy Fawkes mask has a pointed chin. the one in the paper cut is bulbous.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

One thing I did notice...Zoidberg was in there twice and Leela was missing!

Phooey!

 

[kimbalee]

Thanks, 3. I cracked up laughing at Tom Hanks and "Wilson." Loved the Futurama ones, too. So cool, thanks for sharing.

 

[3113]

That bullet zinging through the head of what I presume is Lincoln is . . . interesting.

I agree with Stella. That's not Abe Lincoln, though I can see how you'd see that. It's a strap holding on a mask. The gent wearing it is bald. Seems to be a devil's mask as it has at least one "horn" on the head.

As I said, there are ones here that require a lot of knowledge of some "obscure" stuff. By that I mean, comic books or movies that not everyone has read or heard about. For example, there are three images (together) from V for Vendetta, which even though it came out as movie wasn't widely watched, and the comic, though well known among comic fans, wasn't widely read. The gents with the different colored heads are a reference to Reservoir Dogs, which is well known among Tarantino fans, but not the best known Tarantino movie. There's the Giant from Iron Giant, and the kid from the movie Rushmore, both pretty obscure. And there seems to be more than a few references to Anime.

Now I'm wondering if I know the guy in the mask from something I read/saw, or if he's from something I haven't read/seen

 

[TE999]

These silhouettes are incredibly cool! Thanks for posting this, 3.

The ones of a Dalek, Ratatoullie, The Black Knight, Statler and Waldorf and Sideshow Bob are some of my favorites.

 

[sr71plt]

Who?

 

[TE999]

Who?

Which who are you referring to?

 

[Bacigalupo]

I agree with Stella. That's not Abe Lincoln, though I can see how you'd see that. It's a strap holding on a mask. The gent wearing it is bald. Seems to be a devil's mask as it has at least one "horn" on the head.

As I said, there are ones here that require a lot of knowledge of some "obscure" stuff. By that I mean, comic books or movies that not everyone has read or heard about. For example, there are three images (together) from V for Vendetta, which even though it came out as movie wasn't widely watched, and the comic, though well known among comic fans, wasn't widely read. The gents with the different colored heads are a reference to Reservoir Dogs, which is well known among Tarantino fans, but not the best known Tarantino movie. There's the Giant from Iron Giant, and the kid from the movie Rushmore, both pretty obscure. And there seems to be more than a few references to Anime.

Now I'm wondering if I know the guy in the mask from something I read/saw, or if he's from something I haven't read/seen

I think it's Hank Venture wearing his Batman mask.

 

[sr71plt]

Which who are you referring to?

All of them. I think I've lived in another dimension altogether.

 

[sr71plt]

I think that's a strap holding on a mask. What mask, I don't know, however...

eta: Durr, this one of course
http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTe8CUeZLa9KLHUT0OAX3mYmrYotju2A7CCXs9wUAXtTVWKZjRb8A&t=1

edit again; nope... the Guy Fawkes mask has a pointed chin. the one in the paper cut is bulbous.

I see. I think the Lincoln idea is more inventive, though.

 

[3113]

I think it's Hank Venture wearing his Batman mask.

By George! I think you're right--though I've no idea who Hank Venture is (beyond being a cartoon). Here he is:

http://images.buddytv.com/articles/the-venture-bros/images/hank-venture.jpg

And here he is in Batman costume:

http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l5468yaCDv1qaxtqqo1_500.png

Fits perfectly. The knotted kerchief about the neck, the one pointed "ear" on the mask (horn), that's it!

 

[Stella_Omega]

I see. I think the Lincoln idea is more inventive, though.

He would have been missing his top hat!

 

[Boxlicker101]

Quote:
Originally Posted by sr71plt
I see. I think the Lincoln idea is more inventive, though.

He would have been missing his top hat!

Would he have been wearing his top hat in the theater box?

 

[TE999]

All of them. I think I've lived in another dimension altogether.

What color is the sky over there?

The Dalek is from the 'Doctor Who' Sci-Fi TV program.

Rattatoullie is from the movie length cartoon of the same name...he's a rat that's a chef.

The Black Knight is from the movie 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail'.

Statler and Waldorf are Muppet characters on the TV program 'The Muppet Show'

Sideshow Bob is from the cartoon TV program 'The Simpsons'.

I'm glad we cleared that up.

 

[Stella_Omega]

Quote:
Originally Posted by sr71plt
I see. I think the Lincoln idea is more inventive, though.




Would he have been wearing his top hat in the theater box? confused:

If a silhouette-cutter wanted to make sure he was recognised as Lincoln, yes.

This guy doesn't seem to do violence or gore, in any case. But I could imagine someone doing famous murders in silhouette...