Tag: art

Community Creations

Community Creations: December 2021

Spotted Dragon
community-creations-logo

Hello once again everyone! Spotted Dragon here bringing you the December recap for Community Creations. December’s theme was Goofball, so be sure to check out all the featured artists!

No clue what’s going on? Go see our intro post.

Top 5 Picks

Dullsville & Goofside Fits by Lucky Joker

Wow, wow, wow! Now these are some great, goofy outfits! I love the unique approach to this submission, since the IRL clothing stands out against drawings. And, of course, both sides of Goofball Island are wonderfully represented here. Very creative! Which outfit would you wear? Find his Instagram here and check out his PHB posts right here.

Balanced Ending by ice cream

This submission also captures both Dullsville and Goofside quite well. It’s great to see them balanced together here and the fractured composition makes the design really captivating. Gotta love that contrast between the color and the black and white! Which ending did you guys choose? Find the artist often on Discord.

Detective Duo by Midnightoilstudio

Another fractured sort of composition! I dig it! I think we can all admit that it’s a really visually appealing way to showcase two sides of one character. With this one, I especially love how the black and white detective is actually seen on a colored background, and vice versa with the popsona, Vi. It shows excellent contrast and balance! Find her DeviantArt here.

Friendly Feather as Blandston by Friendly Feather

This piece focuses more on the Dullsville side of things, which is ironically refreshing, huh? The black and white pencil is obviously quite appropriate, but I especially love that pop of red in the eyes. I love seeing all these OCs put into the environment of Goofball Island! Not dull art in the least! Find the artist often on Discord.

Mel O’Dee by Barefoot Knuckle

Speaking of OCs, this Goofball specific OC is super cool. According to the artist, Mel O’Dee (a Dullsville singer at the Crazy Club) was “inspired by old detective movies and a certain Disney film.” Talk about a great drag name too! Love the creativity in this character. Can anyone guess the original song that this pop version is referencing? Find the artist often in the comments section.

Honorable Mentions

Am I a Villain? by BrittScarlet

Great work as usual, everyone! Some goofy art, some dull art, but ironically nothing bland or boring to see here! Keep it up! 😀

January: How Do I Participate?

Community Creations is a cool series for anyone in the Poptropica community to join in on. To sum up what it’s about, it’s basically a chance to show off your artwork, creepy fan-fics, Pop clubhouses, costumes, and anything else that pops into your mind.

If we really like the piece you submit, we will feature it here on the PHB! As long as it relates to that month’s theme. So what is January’s theme? January’s theme is…

 Arabian Nights! 

Episode 2 of Arabian Nights was recently added to the Poptropica map, though for members only, so it’s definitely been on my mind. Perhaps this will lead to more beloved islands returning? Hopefully episode 2 will be available to all soon enough.

In the meantime, there’s nothing stopping the rest of us from enjoying the island through art! And writing! And costumes! And- well, you get the rest.

As most of you know, Arabian Nights was was the winner of the 2013 “Create Your Dream Island” Contest, and with other fan-created island ideas coming to fruition, it feels appropriate to focus on this month. So let’s spend the night creating, shall we?

  • Submit: Comment below with a link to whatever you’ve created, email it to the PHB team on our Contact page, OR share it with me (SydVC aka Spotted Dragon) on DeviantArt, Twitter, or Discord.
  • Results: Next month, I will feature 5 submissions that stood out to me the most as well as some honorable mentions.
  • Limitations: Just make sure you relate to both the theme and Poptropica (and nothing NSFW or otherwise inappropriate).
  • Due Date: I will take any entries before the end of this month. Submit as many things as you’d like!

I will be sure to let you know I have seen your creation. While quality counts, I’m mainly looking for something to simply catch my eye, so don’t be afraid to join in!

So what are you waiting for? Go make something awesome!

~SD

Community Creations

Community Creations: November 2021

Spotted Dragon
community-creations-logo

Hello once again everyone! Spotted Dragon here bringing you the November recap for Community Creations! November’s theme was Sweet & Sour, so be sure to check out all the featured artists (not in any order)!

No clue what’s going on? Go see our intro post.

Top 5 Picks

Drink Time by invisible_b0nes

Some sugary soda-POP sure suits our sweet theme! I love the bright colors in this work and attention to detail, like the blimp in the background and the Dr. Hare energy drink. You think Speeding Spike would be into that sort of beverage? Sounds like quite the sugar-rush. Super cute character design too! Find their Instagram here.

Pop/Froot: Lemon by Criaha

Any MARINA fans out there? Criaha pairs Poptropica villains with fruit inspired by the song/album Froot in this series. This is a super creative mashup and shows excellent craftsmanship. The lighting just blows me away! And the sour art thief known as Black Widow somehow feels like a perfect fit for a lemon. Find her Instagram here.

Sweet Tooth Dr. Gramston by LeggyBug!

If you haven’t played the new Goofball Island yet, I think that this is your sign to go do so. Though we usually see Dr. Blandston Detective Gram in a fully Black and White, bland get-up, this “candified” version of the character sure is sweet. And fitting for the design of, well, half the island of course! I love all the colors in this work, the sugar texture on the clothes, and just how much energy it has! Find the artist on Discord and in the comments.

Nervous Star & Blueberry Cake by Bunnies_N_Bowties

Man, things just keep getting sweeter! This cute little Poptropican next to the huge, delicious looking dessert is just adorable. The coloring is fantastic and the line art is wonderfully soft. And the mood of everything is so joyful. Excellent design! I just want to dig in! Find her Instagram here.

Candy Crazed by _smart_spinner

Speaking of sweet things, this Candy Crazed inspired art is certainly right on the nose of this month’s theme. The intensely bright and shiny colors of this work definitely capture the, well, crazy vibe of the mini-game. I especially love the sparkles around the wand that add to the magical setting. Well done! Find their Instagram here.

Honorable Mentions

Fruitcake by pinklightningmc

I’m gonna be honest guys, I think I’m going into a candy-coma after this month’s submissions. They were sweet, sweet, sweet! And, of course, with just a dash of sour. Keep up the great work as always! 🍬🍭🍋

December: How Do I Participate?

Community Creations is a cool series for anyone in the Poptropica community to join in on. To sum up what it’s about, it’s basically a chance to show off your artwork, creepy fan-fics, Pop clubhouses, costumes, and anything else that pops into your mind.

If we really like the piece you submit, we will feature it here on the PHB! As long as it relates to that month’s theme. So what is December’s theme? December’s theme is…

🕵️‍♂️ Goofball! 🤪

Well, this theme is no surprise, right? With the recent release of Goofball Island, the fan art is already pouring in. And whether you’re a fan of the goofy side, the bland side, or somewhere in between, there’s undoubtedly some inspiration to be drawn from this new adventure. Try checking out our review of the island too.

Maybe draw some art of your favorite goofy and bland characters, or create a goofy or bland outfit for your own Poptropican! Or even goof-ify or bland-ify other beloved Poptropica characters? Maybe, in the spirit of December, write up a story of what holidays are like on Goofball Island. It’s all up to you!

  • Submit: Comment below with a link to whatever you’ve created, email it to the PHB team on our Contact page, OR share it with me (SydVC aka Spotted Dragon) on DeviantArt, Twitter, or Discord.
  • Results: Next month, I will feature 5 submissions that stood out to me the most as well as some honorable mentions.
  • Limitations: Just make sure you relate to both the theme and Poptropica (and nothing NSFW or otherwise inappropriate).
  • Due Date: I will take any entries before the end of this month. Submit as many things as you’d like!

I will be sure to let you know I have seen your creation. While quality counts, I’m mainly looking for something to simply catch my eye, so don’t be afraid to join in!

So what are you waiting for? Go make something awesome!

~SD

Counterfeit Island, PHB Specials, Super Villain Island

Interpreting the Main Four’s dreams, pt. 3: Black Widow 🖌

Purple Paw

Hello and welcome to a third dream interpretation! (If you haven’t already, you can check out the previous installments in this series here and here.)

In this post, I’ll be exploring the dream world of the crafty art thief Black Widow. Let’s pop into it!

Overall, there’s not a ton of material to work with in this dream. While the player enters stolen paintings and cleans up graffiti, the Black Widow herself mostly stands around and watches. The setting isn’t particularly interesting either, seeing as she spends a good deal of her waking life inside art museums; it’s likely just a reflection of her life and isn’t meant to represent anything.

With that being said, this dream isn’t useless. Not at all. For one thing, it gives us a new look into Black Widow’s shining personality, something we didn’t get to see much of in Counterfeit Island alone.

Her dream suggests that she’s a bold, fierce villain with a fiery temper and a disregard for hesitation, as shown when she chases and attacks you with nothing but her own two fists! (In a dream, attacking someone might represent confrontation against a threat or a defensive attitude.) And when she’s called out for her villainy, Black Widow refuses to listen and keeps focusing on her goals–traits she might share with the Binary Bard.

Ouch!

Another key part of this dream is the destruction of Black Widow’s own portrait. Dreams about any sort of damage and destruction could represent a number of things: guilt, failed expectations, hopelessness, or, most interestingly, a ruined relationship.

Remind you of anything?

  • This widow has peaked.

The Strange Man (also known as the Brown Recluse) fits this interpretation perfectly. Throughout the happenings of Counterfeit Island, the Strange Man works as Black Widow’s right-hand man; until for reasons best known to herself, Black Widow betrays him, leaving him tied to a chair alongside the player in her underground lair. The Strange Man proceeds to side with the player and ends the Black Widow’s art-stealing career once and for all.

Could it be that Black Widow’s reflecting on this dismissal? From what I can tell, her betraying the Strange Man was entirely unprovoked, but then again, they don’t call her the Black Widow for nothing…

Looking closer at Black Widow’s attack, a final point I’ll bring up is her chasing the player to reach them, which could represent an attempt to be in control or get ahold of something.

Gotta run fast!

Here’s what I’ve gathered based off of these hints: Black Widow is missing her right-hand man, but is trying to act as though she isn’t, hence the defensiveness suggested by her attacking the player. After all, she’s a solitary being akin to the spider she’s named for; she uses someone for what she needs them for and then lets them go. She’s the opposite of loyal.

But why? Pretending to trust someone only to betray them will only turn them against her, as shown when her entire villainous career slips down the drain thanks to the Strange Man. Wouldn’t it be more useful to have kept her servant instead of creating another enemy? The confrontation against a threat also suggested by her attack could add to this. As for trying to assert control over a situation, well, maybe she’s just frustrated that she’s hopelessly trapped inside a cryotube in Erewhon Prison instead of out resurrecting her art-stealing life. 🕷️

That’s it for today, everyone. I’ll see you for my next but possibly not last post in this series, highlighting the Binary Bard and his spectacular dream! Pop on,

~💜

Clubhouse, Creators' Blog Guest Posts, Sneak Peeks, Social Media

Spellbinding sketches, dazzling décor, and famed felons ✏️✨😈

Gentle Dolphin

Hello, everyone! It’s time check out some new Poptropica updates regarding drawing, interior decorating, and kidnapping. Need context for that last sentence? Keep on reading!

First, the Creators announced a new mini quest coming to Poptropica. While they didn’t say much regarding the story, they did gladly share a thumbnail sketch. It shows Amelia and a black cat taking a selfie while two other characters are in the middle of a magical baking mishap.

The woman with curly hair and glasses looks familiar. In fact, her likeness is featured alongside Amelia and (formerly) Xavier on a set of statues on Home Island. It looks like we’ll finally get to learn the identity of this studious sorceress. 🧙‍♀️📚

Five new furnishings have graced the clubhouse store! Players can decorate their virtual homes with a Poptropica flag (100 credits), a set of lighting panels (75 credits), a summer wreath (150 credits), and an oil diffuser (100 credits). Meanwhile, members can make their clubhouses extra colorful with the LED fan (150 credits). Here’s a picture I took of the new items in my clubhouse.

A new video showed up on the official Poptropica TikTok account, but it also made an appearance in Pop’s latest Instagram story. This new video highlights some of the more problematic elements of our favorite villains, particularly the fact that they all share kidnapping tendencies. Here are a few stills as an example.

Last and certainly not least, Golden Wolf returned to the Creators’ Blog to share more of her art. In her latest guest post, GW showcased fan art of myself, PHB founder Slanted Fish, and fellow writer Smart Icicle! Thank you so much, Golden Wolf! ❤️🥰❤️🥰

GW also mentioned that, every month, she will draw an anime character as a Poptropican and share it on her future guest posts. As an example, she drew Sakura Haruno from Naruto, which was featured in Poptropica’s July Costume Contest video compilation. Which anime character do you want to see drawn in the Poptropica style?

That’s all I have for you today. What do you think the new mini quest will be about? Which villains should be called out next? Let us know in the comments below!

Thank you for reading, and have a good day!

—Gentle Dolphin 🐬

Web Development

Introducing: PHB Series Guide and Art 🖥🖼

Slanted Fish

Hey Poptropicans, it’s Slanted Fish here with a few updates around the PHB! To keep things organized and easy to find, we’ve added:

🖥 The PHB Series Guide, where you can browse through the many posts we’ve shared on the Poptropica Help Blog, sorted by series. Find links to blog posts like My Place in Poptropica, Pop 5s, Pop Places IRL, and more on this handy page, listed under the Pop Plus tab on the menu!

🖼 Also on the menu is a new Art tab, with convenient links to our many collections of amazing artistry from both Poptropica fans and Creators alike. Be inspired by Community Creations and Poptropica Portfolios, plus find old favorites like Comics and Digital Wallpapers that were formerly under the Pop Plus tab. There’s so much to see!

🐈 Last but not least, there are some changes to the Categories of our blog posts, which you can browse from the sidebar. We’ve added parent categories for Islands, PHB Series, and Poptropica Official Series to help you sort through the many, many pieces of news and other kinds of content we’ve been publishing over the years.

Showdown: One ladder, many shoots.

We hope all these updates are helpful for finding things around the blog, and can maybe even lead you to discover new things in the Poptropica community! With so much content created over the years, there’s plenty to explore. Enjoy the new Art and PHB Series Guide pages! 💙

Keep on poppin’ on,

~🐠