Ever see something and it hits a part of you deep inside even though you don't know why? There's a hint of familiarity and comfort that just fits. That feeling of old and new is how we felt when seeing "Dead Below" by Cedric.
Cedric (a.k.a Leg Dad) is a traditionally trained Graphic Designer specializing in branding, print, and web design. His goal, like in many things, is to revive old techniques and concepts into the modern era of design, which is exactly what he did with "Dead Below".
"Ya like snek? Well, We've got Snek in this 1920's Rubberhose-inspired artwork titled "Dead Below""
Rubber hose animation was one of the first advancements in animation, that started in the 1920's and was phased out by the mid 30's. As we know today, animation is simply a flip book of drawings that change slowly to create the illusion of movement. Because these drawings were mass produced Rubber hose animation shifted towards less detailed characters that still gave off a feeling of life and personality.
Although phased out relatively quickly, over the years there have been a few successful cartoons done in this style. Felix the Cat remains one of the oldest and most notable, but recently Ren and Stimpy, Adventure Time and the video game (and now Netflix show) Cuphead all stem from the rubber hose animation technique.
"Dead Below" is offered in 2 variations, Black and White which mimics the original animation style, and a colored version more reminiscent of the recent cartoons. Both designs draw in the eye, and every time you look at it more hidden details pop out.
"They are watching. Can't you see them? The eyes... The bois... They're everywhere!"Cedric lives by the motto of "bringing words to life". Recently he's ventured into starting a Letterpress Printshop (Duck Duck Goose (https://duckduckgoose.ink)). Similarly to Rubber hose animation, Letterpress Printing is an old and forgotten trade that's been fascinating to him for a very long time. Check out his graphic design website or his socials to stay up to date on his latest work. Love his designs? Drop him a line to let him know.
Image 2 retrieved on 23rd of Jan 2023, from: CartoonBrew