Before starting a project and sometimes at various points in a project, I’ll stop and do image research on Google to see what else is out there, how other people have interpreted this idea in the past, and to get a collection of images that I can use as reference for drawing and color selection. Oftentimes this research will lead to a trail that will eventually lead down another path until finally I find myself in the ‘weird section’ of the internet – which is a darker and scarier place than even the weird section of YouTube.
Recently, I’ve been working on a project where I am creating a collection of chibi/cute fruit designs that I’m going to be using for some new products on my Etsy store.
As you can see, I’ve managed to create quite a few already, but today was the day when I would tackle the great kiwi fruit. Oh, there were many questions I had for the Kiwi. Should I draw you sliced open or whole? Should I tilt you to the side or keep you upright? What shade of greeny brown should your furry little hide be? So I began researching images on Google.
Five minutes in and I’m already in the weird area… an area that hosts strangely disturbing Japanese kiwi commercials.
I’m still not sure if I’m more disturbed or fascinated by this dancing, singing kiwi that pops it’s top off as a dance apparatus… I just … Yeah. I’m almost scared to dig deeper into Kiwi image research now.
