Amusemons

During a week-long binge of monster-collecting games (Pokemon Go while out during the day, Monster Sanctuary at night) the urge came over me to create my own set of monsters. I tried to think of a theme I hadn’t seen before, and my first thought was the classic seaside amusement arcade, and here we are!

This monster changed a lot from initial conception to page, notably getting a lot less organic from my first idea. I tried sketching giant mushrooms growing out of its back, like the bumpers on a pinball table, but no matter what I did, it just looked weird. This turned out to be a happy accident, as I love the tiger-stripe style pattern, and the overall more boxy design. I was also going to have some green and red symbols showing up on the back display (in a multi-LED style) but I couldn’t think of anything that fit well.

I adore the 80s-90s psychedelic carpet designs that seemed to adorn every arcade in existence, so this monster was a joy to colour. My first sketch had pipe-like hair jutting off at random angles, (neon-coloured, of course) but when it came down to it, this much simpler design prevailed :)

I can’t be the only one that thinks that those bright blue slot machines with their curved tops look just a bit like pacman ghosts, right? I imagine the reels spinning wildly if different directions every time this monster wants to adopt a new expression. The middle reel on here depicts a cherry, a number 7 and a sideways horseshoe, symbols that could all, at a stretch, be used to depict a nose, whereas the two others have more eye-shaped pictures (or the classic dollar sign). I don’t know if it vomits up gold if you hit the jackpot, but I’d as soon not try.

I imagine I’m going to add to this collection from time to time, as I have plenty of ideas for more of these critters! Oh, and the background image for all of these is a snap from Blackpool’s own Coral Island, still one of the biggest and best of said amusements still going.

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