I've just found this gem in our local book store, called "The Arrival" by Shaun Tan (http://www.shauntan.net). I've found his art really inspiring, especially if you're not making a wacky toon game.
The style is creative as well as a tad melancolic, somehow manga-like as far as the ideas are concerned, but a totally different artistic approach.
So if you don't know and you're stuck with your game art, consider to take a look.
Thanks for the link! I guess now I have to order "The Lost Thing" ;)
I just read this over the weekend after having friends yell at me to read it.. I loved it.
It was so gorgeous and it made me feel something... I don't know what exactly, sadness, sure but there were so many little things hiding in that story that I just read it all and then stared straight ahead thinking about it.
In summary:
I loved it
Awesome awesome awesome
Never even heard of this guy before but this is so good. So good.
Wow! Thanks for bringing this to our attention. There's something for my christmas list...
Last year for Drama that book was one of the options for stimulus. Everyone had a read through it but only 2 did it, it was a really good book, but outside of those pages it's hard to convey it :)
Shawn Tan is fucking incredible! and I am lucky enough to own a signed copy of Tales from Suburbia thanks to my friend going to a presentation of his.
He's one of the most innovating and creative artists/writers you can come across these days and if you have a chance to listen to any radio shows or read any interviews featuring him, he really has some great insights into illustration and writing.
Read him, read him, read him!
I think of emptying amazon on his other books too :=
(worst grammar ever)
Too bad I spent 30 eur (hardcover) on his book and amazon lists it for 8 eur (paperback) - but well, 22 eur spend for the discovery ::)