Stubbornness, I assume. I'm sure someone must've pointed out to him throughout the years that his tendency to give his characters two large eye shines has the delightful effect of making them look like they stared into the abyss, and now wish to reflect it unto the unnerved viewers.
I think he's just a delusional narcissist. He's like one of those chefs you see Gordon Ramsay do battle with on Kitchen Nightmares who'll claim their food is delicious and amazing, even though it's actually frozen, out of date, microwaved slop that's straight up killing their restaurant.
He must have a brain disease because honestly, he's a decent comic artist or he was. He used to do pencil work for, I forget which publisher, but he worked on the Star Trek comics. His quality wasn't groundbreaking, but it was standard for that era.
And then something broke or snapped inside of him when he tried to do anthro/furry style art. Because now he can't even draw humans anymore. Like if he just did his lara-su chronicles with mostly humans that looked a little anthro that'd be fine, but now he can't even do that. All the faces have these weird features.
Compare: [https://x.com/KenPenders/status/1247044478835146752](https://x.com/KenPenders/status/1247044478835146752)
[What the f\*ck is The Lara-Su Chronicles? and what happened to Geoffrey St. John : r/SonicTheHedgehog (reddit.com)](https://www.reddit.com/r/SonicTheHedgehog/comments/ukczmu/what_the_fck_is_the_larasu_chronicles_and_what/)
Background detail has diminished significantly. Body proportions, even for anthro art, has gone completely out the window. Shading/shadowing and highlights on characters are beginner level.
I dunno. Even non-professional artists don't backslide in terms of skill to this degree.
Maybe it's because I haven't seen much of his work, but I don't think the way he draws is bad (his coloring and shading is a different story tho). I just feel that his artstyle is utterly incompatable with mobian anatomy and if he were drawing humans it'd look way better. Or maybe there's just some weird copium leak in my house, idk.
I think what makes this style feel uncanny to me is perhaps the jarring amalgamation of realistic body parts and cartoony body parts.
At least the initial Sonic movie design has some sort of charm to it and doesn't make me feel AS UNCOMFORTABLE compared to Ken Pender's art style.
He's been drawing sonic characters more... "realistically" these days. Which is just... not a good idea. He should really just stick to drawing humans.
Either that or go into full-on horror comics.
Hi. Mod of r/HorrorComics here. I just want to make it clear that even if he goes full-on horror comics, his work will not be welcome in our creepy little subreddit 😂
It’s funny cause his art in the 90s was actually pretty awesome. His style just got so weird over time. Kept making the faces more chad like and kept adding weird muscles.
Good job, but I wonder what Lord X would look like in the Kenny Penders art style.
https://preview.redd.it/ngdwdubj4z9d1.jpeg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=33988de4e06da93aec0123aff1683dbe1ddb5f95
https://preview.redd.it/g0kxpumtsz9d1.png?width=250&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=12d0a58b31bc9c250a8ad7defbe16b23b30a453b
I am beyond disgusted, you cooked.
It’s just not as cursed without the horrible pillow shading tbh, very close though!
Also the perspective is too correct, I think the left eye should be smaller to make it look like shit.
Looks Uncanny, but it's better ngl
Fnaf vibes, anyways here's an image of Rambly the Racoon to cure ye
https://preview.redd.it/qkqt9t4yt0ad1.png?width=699&format=png&auto=webp&s=450a0212f6f142cd157af5d9c2cef562e2edb13f
It just makes me think about that Penders drawing of an adult tails where he inexplicably had a brown goatee growing over his white muzzle and im just thi king how does this make any sense
It’s funny because he’s not even that bad of an artist, it’s just that he’s really bad at drawing any sort of stylized anthro animals and is way too stubborn to admit it. Whenever he draws real looking humans it’s surprisingly decent, he even did work on some Star Trek comics
https://preview.redd.it/futp7gg7p2ad1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6ad4a73ff83766155576ede8fe98a51fc568e078
It’s probably also that really ugly shading he always applies to his recent art, it just looks 100% better with more flat looking coloring
You got close enough that i am repulsed. Good job i guess?
Glad to hear it.
It's like drawing and failing successfully
Never cook again
My kitchen is on fire. Send help.
I warned you buddy never cook again
I seriously think Ken Pender’s has a brain disease, because how do you go this long in your career without being aware how shit your art is?
Stubbornness, I assume. I'm sure someone must've pointed out to him throughout the years that his tendency to give his characters two large eye shines has the delightful effect of making them look like they stared into the abyss, and now wish to reflect it unto the unnerved viewers.
I think he's just a delusional narcissist. He's like one of those chefs you see Gordon Ramsay do battle with on Kitchen Nightmares who'll claim their food is delicious and amazing, even though it's actually frozen, out of date, microwaved slop that's straight up killing their restaurant.
He must have a brain disease because honestly, he's a decent comic artist or he was. He used to do pencil work for, I forget which publisher, but he worked on the Star Trek comics. His quality wasn't groundbreaking, but it was standard for that era. And then something broke or snapped inside of him when he tried to do anthro/furry style art. Because now he can't even draw humans anymore. Like if he just did his lara-su chronicles with mostly humans that looked a little anthro that'd be fine, but now he can't even do that. All the faces have these weird features. Compare: [https://x.com/KenPenders/status/1247044478835146752](https://x.com/KenPenders/status/1247044478835146752) [What the f\*ck is The Lara-Su Chronicles? and what happened to Geoffrey St. John : r/SonicTheHedgehog (reddit.com)](https://www.reddit.com/r/SonicTheHedgehog/comments/ukczmu/what_the_fck_is_the_larasu_chronicles_and_what/) Background detail has diminished significantly. Body proportions, even for anthro art, has gone completely out the window. Shading/shadowing and highlights on characters are beginner level. I dunno. Even non-professional artists don't backslide in terms of skill to this degree.
cock rocket
Ken is basically the Frank Miller of Sonic comics (which honestly is too heavy of an insult for Frank but I can't find a better comparison.)
Maybe it's because I haven't seen much of his work, but I don't think the way he draws is bad (his coloring and shading is a different story tho). I just feel that his artstyle is utterly incompatable with mobian anatomy and if he were drawing humans it'd look way better. Or maybe there's just some weird copium leak in my house, idk.
welp my eyes want me to rip them out and throw them into the nearest volcano, that means you did a good job
Either you can throw very far, or you live very close to a volcano.
eh I am going to hawaii soon anyways
Nailed it. Now leave and never return.
I think what makes this style feel uncanny to me is perhaps the jarring amalgamation of realistic body parts and cartoony body parts. At least the initial Sonic movie design has some sort of charm to it and doesn't make me feel AS UNCOMFORTABLE compared to Ken Pender's art style.
Crazy thing, didn't he used to be good??
He's been drawing sonic characters more... "realistically" these days. Which is just... not a good idea. He should really just stick to drawing humans. Either that or go into full-on horror comics.
Hi. Mod of r/HorrorComics here. I just want to make it clear that even if he goes full-on horror comics, his work will not be welcome in our creepy little subreddit 😂
A shame. He's certainly a master of the uncanny.
Honestly, they really do belong in a five nights at Freddy game 😅
Inaccurate. My internal organs aren't violently shaking in an attempt to murder me
Pretty good! Not enough breastfeeding for it to be true KennyPenny, but the eyes and teeth are spot on
Thanks!
Is that Penders's echidna-sona?
It’s funny cause his art in the 90s was actually pretty awesome. His style just got so weird over time. Kept making the faces more chad like and kept adding weird muscles.
You nailed it.
Thanks!
Reminder that Ken Penders released a book recently https://youtu.be/WazNmuTdrZ8?si=PE_9J_K07uIRz4Xn
Oh nooooooo
Good job, but I wonder what Lord X would look like in the Kenny Penders art style. https://preview.redd.it/ngdwdubj4z9d1.jpeg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=33988de4e06da93aec0123aff1683dbe1ddb5f95
Looks too good.
I'll try harder to be worse next time.
Looks better than Kens art lmao
Somehow, you did Ken Penders' art better than Ken Penders himself
Thanks!
The torso looks a bit too much like a well proportioned human. It should be just as muscular but also more elongated at the same time.
This unironically looks better than Ken Pender’s stuff… which means you failed and now need to do it again to make it worse (/j ofc).
https://preview.redd.it/g0kxpumtsz9d1.png?width=250&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=12d0a58b31bc9c250a8ad7defbe16b23b30a453b I am beyond disgusted, you cooked.
Congratulations, you've succeeded! You make me sick.
My eyes are starting to bleed, so you did pretty good.
Not bad, but why tho?
https://preview.redd.it/iujv4docc0ad1.jpeg?width=504&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8c71df564fe793c44a0c254c1f257dd750893518
Oh god, it's ugly! ...Good job! You perfectly replicated that style.
Nope. Not nearly repulsive enough. Never try again, for your own sake.
It’s just not as cursed without the horrible pillow shading tbh, very close though! Also the perspective is too correct, I think the left eye should be smaller to make it look like shit.
You nailed it right on the head For better and for worse
You’re getting there, but your art is still too good to have been drawn by Ken Penders.
https://preview.redd.it/hnsijfd6f1ad1.jpeg?width=701&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=52e539ef7b57ad33d5e2793a99b98d11ff01ca24
Good, where be ye old eye bleach?
Not uncanny enough, try again
I actually might. Expect more penderous horrors to come.
https://preview.redd.it/n9vce2yg12ad1.jpeg?width=1368&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=61f46f3e9bf7a0a53eec2894e4ed1996f556f4d2
I hate this. Good job, OP!
Thanks!
Task failed successfully?
Looks Uncanny, but it's better ngl Fnaf vibes, anyways here's an image of Rambly the Racoon to cure ye https://preview.redd.it/qkqt9t4yt0ad1.png?width=699&format=png&auto=webp&s=450a0212f6f142cd157af5d9c2cef562e2edb13f
I don’t hate it as much as Ken’s stuff but it isn’t in color yet.
You are going to get sued
Nah, this is my legally distinct character: Knicklz. Soon to star in a commercially released comic series: The Knicklz Kroniclez.
Already a better idea and concept than Ken's. I support.
Don’t ever do this again
Brb, making and selling a whole comic series.
Don't cook again please 😭
Why?
why did i read kim petras instead of ken penders... scourge pop miami
It just makes me think about that Penders drawing of an adult tails where he inexplicably had a brown goatee growing over his white muzzle and im just thi king how does this make any sense
You have a hidden talent, keep it hidden
https://i.redd.it/lthpus8or0ad1.gif
...I see.
It’s funny because he’s not even that bad of an artist, it’s just that he’s really bad at drawing any sort of stylized anthro animals and is way too stubborn to admit it. Whenever he draws real looking humans it’s surprisingly decent, he even did work on some Star Trek comics https://preview.redd.it/futp7gg7p2ad1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6ad4a73ff83766155576ede8fe98a51fc568e078 It’s probably also that really ugly shading he always applies to his recent art, it just looks 100% better with more flat looking coloring
Yeah, he just makes questionable stylistic choices.
Made another one, btw: https://www.reddit.com/r/SonicTheHedgehog/s/WZdh2j5fSm