Like with many other video games, The Last of Us 2 community has proven to be incredibly passionate about the Naughty Dog title. This passion often results in some beautiful artwork, with one The Last of Us 2 player continuing the trend with some beautiful pieces based on Joel and Ellie.
The Last of Us 2 fan art has taken many forms, with artistic fans coming up with several takes on the game’s characters. Gamers have seen paintings of Joel and Ellie, sketches of the art in Ellie’s journal, and posters featuring Ellie and Joel’s journey. Mockups of an older Ellie have been shared, with fans showing what she could look like in The Last of Us 3 and what she might have gone on to do if she grew up in a world without an apocalypse. Even Joel and Ellie pixel art has been designed.
The latest art featuring the beloved pairing was made by Reddit user NabeelaTheArtist, and it focuses on some charcoal versions of the two protagonists. Overall, the creation process took 256 hours, ensuring that the work is more than deserving of the 884 upvotes it has received thus far. Both characters look incredible, with plenty to appreciate about each piece. Considering that a black and white theme was used for The Last of Us: Remastered, the charcoal style is fitting.
While fans will get to see more of the younger, ruthless Joel in The Last of Us Part 1, the artist focused on the slightly older version from the sequel for this particular piece. Joel’s longer hair and beard both look great, while the texture work on his skin is exceptional. Perhaps the best part about the Joel piece is his eyes, as the artist includes a white dot inside them that makes them appear far more realistic.
To the right of NabeelaTheArtist’s take on Joel is Ellie, and it is just as strong as the other piece. Again the skin is impressively detailed, with some impressive shading allowing a strand of hair on Ellie’s head to cast a shadow on her cheek. Ellie has a slightly angry expression on her face as well, which is fitting giving everything she endures during the sequel and the violence she constantly dishes out. While both of these pieces are stellar on their own, seeing them side by side makes for an even more special post.
It goes without saying that this project took a lot of talent and dedication, so it is nice to see the positive response the artist has gotten thus far. With a new The Last of Us game in the works, NabeelaTheArtist could soon have some new characters to create using charcoal, though it will be tough to top these two pieces.
The Last of Us 2 is available now on PS4.