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Demented Kids Drawings Brought to Life... Somewhat Chilling

May 17, 2010 01:00 AM

Wow, kids and their wild imaginations...

Monster Engine is a gallery of kids drawings copied by painter Dave Devries. The project began in 1998, when Devries posed the simple question: What would a child's drawing look like if it were painted realistically?

Children interacting in a creative workshop.

"It began at the Jersey Shore in 1998, where my niece Jessica often filled my sketchbook with doodles. While I stared at them, I wondered if color, texture and shading could be applied for a 3D effect. As a painter, I made cartoons look three dimensional every day for the likes of Marvel and DC comics, so why couldn't I apply those same techniques to a kid's drawing? That was it... no research, no years of toil, just the curiosity of seeing Jessica's drawings come to life.

The process is simple. I project a child's drawing with an opaque projector, faithfully tracing each line. Applying a combination of logic and instinct, I then paint the image as realistically as I can. My medium is mixed—primarily acrylic, airbrush, and colored pencil."

Question is... why do all these drawings turn out so disturbing?

Child's drawing of a scarecrow titled "The Good Man," alongside a darker, illustrated version of the same scarecrow.

Concept art of a futuristic car, featuring a colorful design and motion effects.

A comparison between a pencil sketch and a colored illustration of a robot figure.

Left: Child's drawing of a dancing character with a skirt, holding a sword. Right: Artistic depiction of a creature in a dramatic pose with glowing elements.

A comparison of a child's drawing and a digital artwork depicting a whimsical, cartoonish creature with exaggerated features.

Comparison of an illustrated Superman and a child's drawing of Superman labeled "Superman by Michael."

Character illustration and child’s drawing of a female superhero named Sami.

A colorful illustration of a fantastical character with a long hat and cape, alongside a child's drawing of the same character.

Artistic representation of a whimsical character with large eyes and a playful design, alongside a child's drawing of a similar character.

A whimsical robot character with colorful features and flames on its head, alongside a child's drawing of a similar robot.

A green monster figure next to a child's drawing of a monster.

Child’s drawing of a character named Hankie beside a colorful illustration of a blue creature.

Comparison of a child's drawing and an abstract artistic interpretation of a monster.

Monster character drawing and a colored version, both labeled "My Monster Bag."

Child's drawing of a monster with exaggerated features.

Superhero sketches by artist, featuring a detailed illustration and a rough draft.

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