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Viral net artist responsible for realistic Pokémon hired for Detective Pikachu designs【Pictures】

Katy Kelly Nov 15, 2018
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We thought we’d seen that Charizard somewhere before…

Since the trailer for the new Detective Pikachu movie came out, Pokémon fans across the globe are in hot debate once again. Whether it be the quantity of Pikachu’s fluff, the strange dodge-ball seams in Mr. Mime’s shoulder orbs or the amniotic sheen to Psyduck’s head, people couldn’t quite decide whether they loved or hated the movie’s quasi-realism.

But anyone who has been a long-time Pokémon fan can tell you that this debate is almost as old as Pokémon fanart itself. The cute and cuddly nature of the collectible critters just isn’t enough for some artists; they want to see how these Pocket Monsters would fit into our actual ecosystem, with all the grit and grime and gills detailed in high definition. One such artist is RJ Palmer, a concept artist at Ubisoft who is known across the web as the “realistic Pokémon guy”.

▼ Palmer has drawn countless interpretations of the monsters

Oh hey its the 22nd anniversary of Pokemon's first release in Japan. Here are a few of my favorites of the crazy amount of Pokemon I've drawn. Here's to another 22 years. #PokemonDay pic.twitter.com/gHJInPNwTN

— RJ Palmer (@arvalis) February 27, 2018

Palmer also works tirelessly as a dinosaur illustrator, and has a position as a concept artist in the Artist’s Guild. Earlier this year one of his tweets took off for featuring the world’s most up-to-date depiction of a Tyrannosaurus Rex, complete with selectable layers for skin, muscle and bone structure.

Its done, after 320 hours of painting. I present to you what is to my knowledge, the most accurate and rigorous Tyrannosaurus rex illustration out here. pic.twitter.com/Z7YIH9FwQL

— RJ Palmer (@arvalis) October 6, 2018

With that strong foundation in anatomy and texture, it’s unsurprising that his fanart of Pokémon look like something straight out of a nature documentary rather than a video game.

Happy Pokemon Gold and Silver weekend guys! I'm definitely a #PokemonGold man myself. Cyndaquil>Totodile>Chikorita pic.twitter.com/MEF31lLVyv

— RJ Palmer (@arvalis) September 24, 2017

Palmer isn’t the first artist to attempt drawing Pokémon as though they’re part of the natural landscape, but when he first started drawing the critters in 2012 he attracted heaps of attention for his thoughtful approach to their skin, claws and other features that might help them survive in the world – or prevail in combat.

▼ This incredible lineup showcases everybody from mighty Legendary beasts to the humble Tentacool

Realistic Pokemon Season 2, the culmination of about three years of work. pic.twitter.com/dQIplXyGad

— RJ Palmer (@arvalis) August 5, 2017

Palmer has talked openly on social media about how his Pokémon pieces have often lead directly to company employment, and credits them for a lot of his current success. He’s even been asked to consult on films like the Alien franchise. And one film in particular recently employed him as a concept artist…

So guys I just got my first film credit, its pretty cool pic.twitter.com/eZD3birX3y

— RJ Palmer (@arvalis) June 28, 2017

That’s right. No wonder the designs in the trailer felt so strangely familiar; we’ve been seeing some iterations of them floating across the Internet for over half a decade!

Oh hey the trailer for the movie I did concept art for is out. Pretty neat to see some of my designs make it. https://t.co/XzjnmKgKUi

— RJ Palmer (@arvalis) November 12, 2018

It’ll be exciting to see even more of these vivid takes on our Pokémon pals make onscreen debuts. Whether drawing fanart or original work, RJ Palmer has a rarely seen level of skill and detail with his artwork that’s definitely worth keeping an eye on! Wonder if he’ll ever do a nightmarish take on these unfortunate tie-in donuts?

Source: Twitter/@arvalis, Automaton Media via My Game News Flash
Featured image: Twitter/@arvalis
Related: RJ Palmer – Realistic Pokémon