Since its release in 1994, Lion King has been a cult classic, with people today reminiscing on the heartwarming coming of age story. Whether it was the humor, the songs, or the animation it seems like Lion King is an inspiration for a lot of people in one way or another.
For these artists, the Disney classic was a source of inspiration for their pieces as they reimagine Lion King like never before. They put their skills to the test and showed fans a new way of looking at our favorite characters. Let’s look at some of the most breathtaking art inspired by the Disney classic movie.
“Remember Me” - by Victor Garcia
This first piece comes to us from illustrator Victor Garcia where he uses moody colors to reenact the scene where Simba sees his father and remembers the legacy he left behind. It was one of the most touching and heartbreaking scenes as Simba spent years running from his past, almost forgetting his father and what his destiny was.
The piece is definitely wall-worthy as the colors and paint strokes make any room in a house look inviting. For Disney fans, it would definitely be a conversation starter.
Nala Chasing Pumbaa - by Okami_Amaterasu
This next piece comes from the artist by the username Okami_Amaterasu and the artist reenacts the comical and heartwrenching chase between Pumbaa and Nala. In this particular scene, Nala unknowingly attempts to hunt an ally but is luckily stopped by Simba. This scene sets up the second half of the movie where Simba realizes he needs to head back to his pride and retake his rightful place as a king.
The bright colors and unique illustration of Nala, with her big blue eyes and long slender lioness body, really bring an interesting take on Nala.
Simba - by Marthalaufej
Here we see a delicate and tender young Simba, created by Marthalaufej. Simba, as we all know is the main protagonist of Lion King as the movie follows his life and his rise to becoming the king of his pride.
The artist paints Simba as a young and tender lion, using warm colors and soft strokes to depict the innocent and loving lion he was, painting his big yellow eyes and sharp red hair.
Mufasa - by Msmrmastermind
This next entry comes from visual artist Mrmsmastermind who paints Mufasa, the stoic leader of the pride and the wise father to Simba. Although he wasn’t in the movie as much as other characters, he played a big impact on Simba’s life and his death was felt throughout the kingdom.
The artist paints Mufasa as realistic as possible, showing Mufasa if he was a real lion, leading the pride with leadership and wisdom.
Power Couple - by NostaligicChills
NostalgicChills brings us a tender moment between the two protagonists of the movie as they just relax and take in the beauty of the African jungles. We see the bright red colors of Simba’s mane, the soft beige and golden orange of the fur, and the green that surrounds the lions.
What’s great about this piece is how closely it resembles the original animations of the 1994 classic so its simple to picture a moment like this actually happening.
Pride Rock - Victor Garcia
Victor Garcia once again makes his way on the list with his depiction of pride rock as the warm sunset hits the African plains. Like his painting on Mufasa, he uses long strokes and colors that really bring out the centerpiece which in this case is Pride Rock.
The warm colors, the slight hint of purple to act as shadows as the sun comes down on Africa and the night befalls it. Like his last entry, this is a very wall-worthy masterpiece that would make a great conversation starter.
Simba As A Cub - by Lmalou
Lmalou is a talented artist with great detail that makes Simba look like a furry and cuddle worthy little furball. You can almost feel the fur on Simba and the warm childlike innocence of a newborn Simba. The softness and cuteness of the lion cub really warm the heart of anyone who sees this.
This iteration of Simba looks like something we would see if Dreamworks made Lion King and animated him.
We also can’t get over the details that went into creating the lion cub and his lovable face, from the whiskers, the pink nose, and the big yellow eyes.
Father & Son - by Krita
We couldn’t resist putting this on the list as it burst with color and abstract shapes. Krita brings us this amazing art piece where she takes a unique take on the animation and paints the lions and the rest of the land with awesome shapes and vibrant colors.
The orange fur of the lions, the sun shining through the trees, and the green of the grass leave us wanting more from the artist. Even the water looks inviting like we could take a dip in the cool, blue waters.
Scar - by Ikouzhy
Ikouzhy brings us this tough but seemingly adorable version of the movie’s antagonist Scar. Scar, as we all know, was Mufasa’s jealous younger brother who felt the throne was rightfully his and resented Simba for it. He stopped at nothing to take the throne which included a plot to successfully kill his brother and banish Simba.
Although Scar is the villain, we can’t really tell here besides the scar on his eye and his scowl. As fans of the movie, we might prefer this version of Scar versus what we saw in the movie.
Rafiki - by Aizarraffoul
The last entry on this list is aizarraffoul portrayal of the all-knowing Rafiki, who uses his mystical powers to help guide spirits and the lions of the pride alike. Although he is seen as goofy, Rafiki is not your average baboon, offering advice to Mufasa and helping Simba reach his potential.
This artist paints a picture of Rafiki and how he should’ve looked like in the live-action adaptation of the movie, bringing out his features and carefree attitude. Would you prefer this version of Rafiki rather than the one we saw in the live-action adaptation?
