We can easily identify with Overwatch's characters because how they play and who they are are one and the same. When I play as Roadhog, I take on his sinister, sneaky attitude and slip into a light form of role-playing where I skirt the edges of the battlefield and 'fish' for my enemies, snorting with every success. I feel close to my porky pal, so its no surprise people turn their own affection into amazing art.
They also just look really cool. (Yes, even Reaper.) But since Overwatch released in May, fans have devoted their time and minds to making those characters look even cooler. Here's an updated collection of our favorite fan art that we've come across. If you like it, let the artists know and their work!
Angelic, indeed. A stunningly detailed portrait of Mercy from Artgerm, who's done a similarly incredible D.Va. Artgerm, aka art professor Stanley Lau, also runs a Society6 art store where you can buy prints of times of his renditions of game and anime characters.
Champloo (Hanzo, Genji, D.Va) - Jenn Aberin
Sticking with the anime theme, Jenn Aberin's twist on Samurai Champloo nails the color palette of classical Japanese art. You can buy some of Jenn's art at her Society6 store here.
Oh's angular character interpretations are wonderfully expressive. They all look like they're in motion or winkingly striking their coolest possible pose. Junkrat is my favorite because he's just having such a good dang time.
Freelance artist Mike Azevedo apparently liked Overwatch's initial trailer so much, he did this piece two years ago. Given the cleaner style of most Overwatch fan art, it's awesome to see a more painterly take on everyone's favorite turret man.
Okay, Artgerm's Mercy was incredible, but his Hanzo is even better. His interpretation puts the focus on Hanzo's tattoo, something I noticed but never paid much attention to before now. I love how it dominates the image in color and detail. Hanzo does not look like a guy you'd want to mess with.
Bonus: McCree, doing his best Eastwood.
Okay, yeah, there are a lot of Tracer portraits in this gallery. But there's so much incredible art out there of Overwatch's mascot, and this might just be the best of the bunch. GothicQ, aka chinese artist Wang Qichao, gives Tracer a more realistic look. It feels a tiny bit Struzan to me, but maybe I'm crazy.
Overwatch cast at the arcade - Catherine
Artist Catherine, aka eisenbern, took the whole cast out of costume and gave them a fun day at the arcade. Check out the link above for a super high-res version and some close-up crops of characters. How many arcade games do you recognize?
Winston deserves to look fierce, too, and this piece accurately conveys the fear in my soul when an ulting Winston leaps through an explosion and clobbers me in the face.
Canadian artist Harkbus does some amazing pencil work, but it's the splash of red on this Zenyatta piece that really makes it.
Harkbus drew all of Overwatch's characters in four class groups, and it was hard to pick a favorite. His style is all gangly arms and strange poses, but the characters fit together perfectly. Check out his shop on Etsy.
Does it count as fan art if artist Bengal if DC Comics and Marvel comics artist Bengal is also working on Blizzard's Overwatch comics? I'm counting it, since Bengal points out that Tracer not wearing her time device was a canonical cheat for the sake of the image. I love that Overwatch's characters and fiction inspire artists to imagine what their lives look like when they're not shooting things. Tracer, Mercy, Zarya and Mei (with bonus Winston!) just hangin' out.
I'll charitably call this rendition of Soldier: 76 pensive rather than emo. But really, it's a nice scene, imbued with an emotion we don't see much of in Overwatch fan art. Let's watch the sunset together and reflect on the brutality of war, Soldier: 76.
I can't think of a better phrase to describe Jon Westwood's Overwatch art than "stylish as fuck." His manga-leaning homage comes in the form of four images divided by class. I had to include all four of them because they're just that good. And they remind me of Cowboy Bebop's iconic opening, though there may be an even closer stylistic reference I'm missing.
I can't think of a better phrase to describe Jon Westwood's Overwatch art than "stylish as fuck." His manga-leaning homage comes in the form of four images divided by class. I had to include all four of them because they're just that good. And they remind me of Cowboy Bebop's iconic opening, though there may be an even closer stylistic reference I'm missing.
I can't think of a better phrase to describe Jon Westwood's Overwatch art than "stylish as fuck." His manga-leaning homage comes in the form of four images divided by class. I had to include all four of them because they're just that good. And they remind me of Cowboy Bebop's iconic opening, though there may be an even closer stylistic reference I'm missing.
I can't think of a better phrase to describe Jon Westwood's Overwatch art than "stylish as fuck." His manga-leaning homage comes in the form of four images divided by class. I had to include all four of them because they're just that good. And they remind me of Cowboy Bebop's iconic opening, though there may be an even closer stylistic reference I'm missing.
Concept and UI artist Janice Chu, who previously worked on Warframe, has been putting out these great posters for Overwatch's maps. We'd buy 'em as postcards if Overwatch maps had tourist shops.
Tracer and Widowmaker - Miguel Mercado
Not only does this rendition of Tracer and Widowmaker show them in a casual and cozy light, it’s quite the display of craftsmanship. You’ll see Miguel Mercado’s work a few more times in the gallery. It’s that good.
This Tracer portrait comes from Elsa Chang, a character designer for Dreamworks TV Animation. I’d definitely watch that show, if only to see an angsty Reaper try and fail to fit in.
Mei looks pretty chipper already, but this gif amplifies her goofy glee to the max. Her comically large coat and weapon only make her look more bundled and cozy than normal. It’s a cruel cuteness to bear for such a natural troll.
McCree looks tired. This rendition posits him as an old protector, exhausted from the endless quickmatch queues and nerfs.
Junkrat looks like the type of punk kid who’d steal cookies from the cookie jar, unable to conceive of guilt or the consequences of his actions. This portrayal wouldn’t be out of place in a mid-90s children’s book, but I doubt the guy would learn a damn thing by the end.
This portrayal of D.Va emphasizes her plucky youthfulness without infantilizing her. Despite her typically playful vibe, you can also see the cunning in her eyes. She may be a #teen, but you can tell there’s more going on in her head than Starcraft strats and thinking up sick burns.
The detail on this piece is incredible and makes me yearn for a McCree-Hanzo series of buddy comics—optimistically, an animated series. Even more so, one by Studio Ghibli. Ever onward, with an unlimited budget. Please
Mercado’s version of Widowmaker looks less like a cartoon villain and more like a high-level covert operative harboring some secret trauma.
Overwatch / Dark Souls crossover - Doctaword
Typically, I’m not a fan of combining two intellectual properties for the sole purpose of dosing my geeky proclivities, but Overwatch and Dark Souls works, somehow. A dark, muted, massive Roadhog feels like a natural nightmare. And an evil, overloading Tracer? Metal, I might say.
This portrayal of Lucio captures him during a handplant, a move I regularly visualize while scurrying around the map. I hope Blizzard adds in-air emotes for him, if only so I can relive the thrill of jumping off a curb and tapping my heels. Mmm, love that Good Air. Anyway, take a long look at this detailed, colorful portrayal of Overwatch’s most vibrant .
Mercado’s depiction of Tracer pulls back on her cartoonish features and highlights the vibrant, curious woman at the heart of her character. She looks like a near-future Amelia Earhart about to take flight. A safer, faster flight, certainly.
Sometimes, I forget that Reinhardt is a human. This portrait is a nice reminder, putting a cheeky smirk and scarred eye on display. He’s more than a shield, he looks like the kind of guy who has plenty of war stories to tell.
It’s nice to see Pharah off-duty. Blasting into the sky on repeat has to be hard on the knees. Even so, she seems like a happy camper. The Zenyatta photobomb is a nice touch.
Tracer sprinting - Nicola Saviori
This piece captures the thrill of moving at high speeds as Tracer, even if the ground doesn’t actually dissolve wherever she runs.
Reaper gets a lot of flack for looking like a Hot Topic clearance section representative, but there’s genuine edge and elegance to his hokey look, and this rendition captures it well.
This portrait of Mercy could hang in a religious art museum somewhere and it’d take months before anyone noticed something was… off. She looks truly benevolent, a very calm and soothing stare amidst soft features. She looks like she just spotted an old friend and is about to say hello. I know, because that's the face I make when I see a sandwich.
