Looney Tunes’ Literal Translations

Thinking Outside of the Box

Classic cartoon characters never cease to entertain the masses and they are illustrated proof that humor has no age limit. Most of us have had the pleasure of growing up watching Looney Tunes and have a sense of each of the characters’ personalities. Even if you have no idea who these zany animated figures are, you can appreciate the sense of humor they add to artist David Kracov’s work.

Kracov is an acclaimed artist with a long history of creating art inspired by children. He has worked on many classic animated films including The Lion King and The Swan Princess. In this series, Kracov has created shadow boxes featuring a comical display of cartoon figurines, which are positioned unconventionally. The shadow boxes are more of a prop than a frame for his works.

Each piece’s intention is to translate a common phrase or figure of speech into its literal interpretation. Daffy Duck, one of my all-time favorite cartoon characters, is heavily featured in this series. He can be seen propped outside of a framed box, literally “thinking outside of the box,” or peeking from a corner which would make him a “peeking duck.” The play on words in the titles of these pieces are what make the works truly enjoyable.

At The End Of My Rope