The inspiration for this project was nothing less than the spectacular Disney+, and MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) mini-series WandaVision. I have long been a fan of Marvel Comics since I was teen reading them in the early 90’s, and while I never really got into one specific (major) franchise, I did enjoy reading about the characters and their profiles through a little known series called (literally) ‘Marvel Universe’. I collected the entire series, including the issues dedicated to the ‘dead and inactive’, and while the information is a bit dated since the characters continue to evolve, it still retains some value.
For this piece in particular, I knew I wanted to utilize the hexagon theme that was so prevalent in the series to house imagery, and fill the negative space with the light patterns seen in the credits. Those were the most immediate pieces of the illustration I knew I wanted to use immediately. I also planned on having the titular characters of ‘Wanda Maximoff’ (Elizabeth Olsen), and ‘Vision’ (Paul Bettany), placed centrally in the design. The remaining images would come much later.
In terms of design, I knew I also wanted to depict both ‘Wanda’, and ‘Vision’, in their original costumes from the comics while doing my best to replicate the likeness of both Olsen & Bettany. The most time consuming aspect of this design was the sketching process of the central figures, and the clean up process. I wanted to capture the tenderness of the lovers that evoked the passion they share, but also the sadness that constantly haunts them.
Initially I created several hexagon shapes that would house my illustration vignettes, and placed them like satellites orbiting the central image. Once I was satisfied with their placements, I then set to work on designing what scenes or imagery I was going to place within. By the time I got to the sixth episode, I had all the reference imagery I needed, and I set to work on painting them on my iPad in Procreate. I also determined at this point in order to keep the flow of the work I wanted to break the borders of these hexagonal spaces, similar to how ‘Wanda’ exercises her abilities throughout this series.
POSSIBLE SPOILERS:
As I progress through my illustration selections, I decided it would be best to depict each ‘era’ that the show progresses through respectively. While the parodies offered little to the actual overall plot, they were a delightful way to present the story memorably. I settled on a few key images from the radio in episode two where we discover something we already knew, that this ‘reality’ isn’t quite right, but how is still unclear. I also included the ‘intruder’ who shows up at the end of (I believe) episode two as well. I was going to include the toy helicopter that ‘Wanda’ intercepts, but seeing as I chose to already use the necklace ‘Monica Rambo’ (Teyonah Parris) wears in the show to represent S.W.O.R.D., it seemed redundant. I then wanted to portray one of the more shocking plot points, without truly spoiling it in the image itself, the children. To show, and not tell, I settled on the nursery sequence with the butterflies, as well as the comical scene with the stork.
For my final image (and one I did not initially plan for), I added the surprise guest star and cameo of long lost twin brother ‘Pietro Maximoff’, who literally shows up at ‘Wanda’s’ doorstep.
In true ‘me’ fashion, there were still a few more final touches the piece needed before I could call it done. Even though I did mention earlier that the last few episodes contained less content, there were still some elements to draw from. I wanted to include some imagery to allude to our main antagonist, without providing too much evidence and spoiling it for those who may not be familiar with ‘Wanda’s’ history, or the Marvel Universe. Personally, I knew the ‘who’ right away, just not the ‘why’, and I’d be upset if someone ruined that for me. Anyhow, I chose some rather benign imagery to dot the landscape of the piece, and make them as subtle as possible. First I included the pet of our nosy neighbor ‘Senor Scratchy’, who’s true nature we never really learn, but know, is not natural. I then offset our furry familiar with the controversial fly whose fate is worse than speculated. Finally, I added a handful of other ‘Easter eggs’ that pertain to the conclusion of our tale.
After finalizing the actual artwork, I needed to proof the image, which proved to be rather troublesome as my print supplier had changed their business model. This resulted in a slower than desired process of adjusting the image until I could adequately color calibrate the piece. Thankfully, the work was a personal piece, so there was no deadline I needed to meet.
The image is originally formatted 8” x 10”, and was developed almost exclusively in Procreate on my iPad with any editing or calibration done in Adobe Photoshop. I also used a program called Graphic to create the hexagonal shapes housing all the imagery.
To purchase this image, or to see a catalog of my other work, please visit my online store here.
You can also find me on various social media platforms below doing a multitude of other artistic things that include hand lettering, and the occasional sculpting/crafting
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