Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Inspiration











The design in El Tigre was an honest attempt to reappropriate a lot of stereotypical Mexican iconography commonly used throughout the world. Especially in cartoons. Not sure we pulled it off but the attempt was genuinely heroic!
Sandra and I really tried making our characters as culturally authentic as we could but still universally empathic.

Aside from Mexican popular culture and folk art, some of our inspiration came from the art of Miguel Covarrubias, David Alfaro Siqueiros, Jose Guadalupe Posada, Diego Rivera, Sergio Aragones & ancient Mayan art.

I bet you can't name all the references for each.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow. And I thought you guys just drew stuff. The thought, care, and love that you all put into your designs and characters came through loud and clear. Well done!

WJC said...

Flippin' marvellous post.

Gillian Comerford said...

Hi Sandra and Gorge. I'm lovin this blog. It's great to see the thought process behind El Tigre. I'm missin working on the show. Sniffle,sniffle.

Tara Billinger said...

Wow! Amazing! You put so much into each character. I actually knew quite a few of those inspirations. ;) I had no idea Maria was based off Maria Felix. Thats awesome! Looking forward to new posts.

Chris Battle said...

This is totally the ART OF EL TIGRE book I always wanted! (except with less page turning)

PaulaBlanko said...

let's see,let me understand this: El Tigre is based in tiger mexican folk art,and the typical outlaw hero,frida is based in the punk culture,white pantera is based in the mexican wrestling and puma loco is based in the mariachis and that stuff,right?

Mukpuddy said...

Bloody awesome post dude!! Love it!!!

Anonymous said...

i love the post i like that all the charerecters where based on mexican culture

Nanci G said...

I am sooo thrilled you guys posted your inspiration... I watch Manny Rivera all the time with my little sisters and I have honestly picked up on a couple of the references (though, not ALL of them).

Anyways, it's great to see such stereotypical references to Mexican culture reappropriated in such a beautiful and meaningful way.

Keep up the fantastic work!!!!!

Frida said...

Hi
Either you are incredible at codifying culture and making synthesis or you actually met me. My mother brought me a Tazo with my portrait, and that’s how I found out I have a cartoon. Only you are still missing some of Frida’s details. Still I am much honored.

Banana said...

It's amazing to me how you got inspired to make you characters like that and I'm mexican too so just looking at the characters is fun, Also I love the Catrina and she makes a perfect villain Santana is just awesome! :)