Something peculiar is happening around Redwood City, California.
If you take a stroll around the area and observe the surroundings, you’d feel that something’s not quite right, particularly the shadows. Why do they look so different, like they’re from a cartoon?
The shadows in downtown Redwood city aren’t behaving as you would expect them. Bike racks cast shadows of smiling flowers, a mailbox turns out to be a smiling monster, and grey monkeys perch atop parking meters.
If you’ve been to the area and have spotted these weird sightings, don’t worry; you haven’t gone insane. These shadows are actually fake, and the brilliant artist behind this eclectic works of art is Damon Belanger.
Belanger is a graphic artist based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He’s worked in a bunch of art projects, including memory and culture-themed acrylic paintings and package design for one of the largest video game publishers in the world.
He’s been active in the local art scene for over 10 years now. With his impressive portfolio and years of experience, it’s no surprise that he has been commissioned to paint the streets of downtown Redwood City.
Belanger painted fake shadows on the sidewalk in 23 locations, transforming the plain-looking city into a fantastic landscape. He used ordinary public fixtures, such as benches, mailboxes, and fences, to bring his creative genius to life.
The shadow paintings—as strange as they are—brought character and life into the city’s once-ordinary sites.
To create each rare piece, Belanger first determines the object that will cast the faux shadow. He then draws a chalk outline of a character and angles the illustration to make it appear like a real shadow. Once he’s done with the sketch, he fills it in with grey paint.
“The shadows give regular mundane objects a lively spirit so people can have a little fun in their everyday life,” he said.
One would have to look closely at the sidewalk instead of their smartphones when they walk past one shadow art. That’s because they look so cool and realistic!
“Shadows aren’t something you really think about until you see something unusual or interesting happening,” Belanger told SFGate.
Who would have thought painting quirky characters on pavement would yield such impressive results? These brilliant artworks just prove that an artist’s imagination is boundless.
Aside from these shadow paintings, Belanger has also been designated as the artist in residence at Works gallery in San Jose, California. His work has been exhibited all over the country, including New York, Alaska, Ohio, and Kentucky. Various magazines and comic books have also featured this artist’s drawings.
Check out the gallery below to see Belanger’s fun Shadow Art across Redwood City, California.
If you would like to know more about Damon Belanger, you may visit his website and follow him on Instagram. You can find his design work here.