Manga boy
“Manga Boy” tackles the concept of using the manga aesthetic placed on t-shirts to further the adaptation process of the manga medium. They utilize a monochromatic color scheme to match the manga aesthetic as much as possible. The shirts have digestible designs with a cutesy, silly, and simplistic vibe.
About the Artist
Thomas Powers’ work is heavily inspired by the
creation and evolution of media. Thomas grew up indulging in media such as cartoons and video games that came from all over the world, but the overall biggest influence is Japanese-made Manga. The history of manga in Japan dates back to the 12th century, but hit the mainstream during the American occupation of Japan during and after World War II. By giving the Japanese people access to Donald Duck and Betty Boop comics,
the visual style was appropriated by Japanese artists to create larger than life stories with pleasing visual aesthetics. It would not take long for Japan’s cultural export to hit the internet and spread to people all over the world.
Thomas was charmed by the visual styling and characters so much that it would play a big part in his visual concept. Manga is a constantly evolving form of visual styles that have a history of appropriation. By the use of screen printing, he is able to mimic the methods of manga creation with unique illustrations that tell whimsical visual narratives on each piece of clothing.
