#sasquatch nunu and willump

[ohnoitstbskyen]

The Beauty of Sasquatch Nunu & Willump's splash art (art by Markus Neidel)

Here’s a simple pleasure. Sasquatch Nunu takes the pair from the cold north to a lush deciduous forest land, and the beauty of the image is in its way almost too obvious to explain. Look at those gorgeous colors - that shock of orange fur and autumn golden leaves poking out from within the green, that sense of the leaf curtain being parted by Willump’s spread-armed pose and Nunu lifting up a little branch away from his head. They emerge into the light in anticipatory optimism, and that casual hand from Nunu on Willump’s head showing their familiarity. It’s all bathed in the golden light of a late summer afternoon, soft shadows and gentle highlights, and a softness across the entire image that evokes a feeling of nostalgia, or idealistic 90s cartoons on old VHS tapes.

And that softness is not an accident! The image is layered with a film grain effect and very intentional use of blurs and blurring that gives it that aged and analogue feeling. There’s a depth of field and soft focus in the image which of course is an artifact associated with camera lenses, and it’s all part of the vibe. This feels like an adventure book that you’d read as a child, it feels like an obscure old saturday morning cartoon that you remember being much better than it really is. It feels like one of those Don Bluth movies that never really managed to compete with Disney, or an old Jim Henson production - Willump especially has that Muppet look. They could have been extras in Labyrinth.

Looking at this splash you’re never gonna have your mind blown, you’re not being overwhelmed by technical wizardry or compositional razzle dazzle, it’s very simple in what it’s trying to do. All it wants is for you to put yourself in Nunu’s shoes for a second, and wish to go on adventures with them.

---

If you liked this, I have a full video essay on beauty in League of Legends splash art HERE.

[xanacea]

league of legends champion rework → nunu; ↳ old vs new