The Internet is a helluva thing. It really does make the world a small place, and makes collaborations among awesome, like-minded people possible no matter where they live. Case in point, the amazing French illustrator Chris Panda, whose vector drawings and illustrations of pinup models caught my eye on Instagram.
Chris has a pared-down elegant style and does a wonderful job of capturing the essence of his subjects in just a few lines. His website lists his areas of focus as PINUP/COMICS/BOOBS, so of course we were going to get along.
After chatting with him, we decided a collaboration had to happen. I’d seen some great anime illustrations he tackled before, so we hatched a plan to turn the gorgeous Ash Hollywood into our perfect anime dress-up doll. We proposed the idea to her and it set off her nerdy sensibilities, so we orchestrated the perfect artistic three-way. Ash posed, I shot, and Chris took our pictures and lovingly crafted them into mock magazine covers for the IHG Cosplay Issue (as much as I wish we were putting a cosplay magazine together, the covers are just for fun).
The images draw obvious inspiration from the excellent anime Neon Genesis Evangelion. I love the Rei Ayanami-inspired look for the first shot, but I also love the fetishy/delicious school girl skirt and one-piece bathing suit (so much porn based on this in Japan!). Chris nailed the vibe perfectly and I love the final images.
For more photos from the shoot with the always-inspiring Ash Hollywood, check out the rest of the gallery below. For more Chris Panda, follow him on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Check out chris-panda.net here.
These are so awesome! Art meets art. Is she cosplaying as someone naughty in the third picture of the top set pics… Because her pose is invoking some naughty thoughts. ;P
I am definitely an Ashaholic. It’s crazy looking at the stock photos, and then looking back at the edited ones. Well, Chris Panda had some amazing material to work with.
Glad you like them! All of the photos that Chris worked on are based on the Neon Genesis Evangelion anime so the third is actually another outfit Rei Ayanami wears (swimsuit)
I debated on releasing the original photos but ultimately, thought it’d be really awesome to see the before and after transformations.
Oh wow, I’ve heard of NGE before, but I’ve never got into it. I have watched a lot of anime in my day though.
Great call! I’m glad you decided to show the original photos.
I haven’t watched anime myself for quite a while… although does hentai count?
These absolutely amazing! If y’all ever decide to make prints out of these I will gladly snatch up all 3 of them!
Thank you! Might do a print giveaway in the near future!
Ayanami Ash! We need more!
Chris Panda is going to work on a new collaboration with us soon!