Red Dead Redemption 2 landed in the laps of gamers in late 2018, and after receiving a hail of praise from both fans and critics alike for the game's attention to detail, strong narrative and prioritisation of immersion, Red Dead Redemption 2 was seen by many as a great prequel to the original Red Dead Redemption, following the story of the Van Der Linde gang in an age of decline for outlaws and the wild west.
Along with earning a large amount of praise from critics, Red Dead Redemption 2 earned itself a huge and dedicated fanbase. Fans of the game attached themselves deeply to the narrative, especially growing fond of its protagonist, Arthur Morgan. Since the game's release, fans have been submitting their tributes to Arthur or to the game in general on Reddit, Twitter and other social media. From an art piece combining Red Dead Redemption 2 and Star Wars, to a comic book style drawing of Arthur, fans are finding new ways to show their appreciation of the western action game.
User u/meginatorlicious on Reddit though, decided not to create a crossover piece, or draw Arthur in a uniquely different style, instead they created an impressive oil painting of the outlaw. As fans have commented on the post, the detail in the painting is remarkable, as everything from Arthur's beard to the fur lining of his coat is given a realistic level of detail. Sadly, this painting is missing one feature of Arthur's usual attire. Arthur's famous gambler hat is something he is rarely seen without, and even holds an importance in the narrative, though this painter may have chosen not to include the hat in this painting to better create realism in Arthur's hair.
Fans of Red Dead Redemption 2 flocked to the post to share their appreciation of the painting. Many called the painting beautiful, and one user saying "Honestly I've seen a lot of art of Arthur and they always seem a little off. But I'm pretty sure this is the most accurate creation of Arthur, like it looks almost perfectly like him." Compared to the high octane action Red Dead Redemption 2 can provide, which can even have fans questioning whether Arthur is the protagonist or antagonist of the game, the oil painting seems to be representative of an odd moment of tranquility.
Not every piece of Red Dead Redemption 2 art takes itself seriously though, and with every impressive oil painting there is the bizarre piece or edit to go alongside it, such as one edit where a fan imagined what Tobey Maguire would look like as Arthur Morgan.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is available now for PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One.