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Children Cast Superhero Shadows to Reveal Their Heroic Aspirations

Portrait Of Kid & Superhero

Artist Jason Ratliff is known for using superhero-centric images to inspire and empower children throughout the world. In his collection called Super Shadows, he depicts portraits of kids whose exaggerated shadows reflect the fictional figures that they admire most—like Batman, Ironman, and Captain America. By combining children with superheroes, he makes the powerful statement that these young people are already great and can be anything they want to be.

Ratliff has since continued these engaging artworks that boast bright colors and a bold, geometric style to include new kids and more heroes. Aptly-called Super Shadows II, the second part of this ongoing project reminds children that superheroes are of all races, genders, and abilities. Not all heroes wear capes—being true to yourself, defending others, and doing good is just as honorable as Superman, Deadpool, and Wonder Woman fighting evil in comic books and movies.

Ratliff's Super Shadows II collection is now available as purchasable prints on Curioos. It just launched and, until October 22, 2016, 50% of all sale proceeds will be donated to Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas.

Wonder Woman Portrait To Empower Children

Superheroes Within Children

Portrait Combines Children And Superheroes

Children's Portrait Of Deadpool

Superhero Kid's Portrait

Portraits To Inspire Children

Batman Portrait For Kids

Superheroes Portrait

Children's Portrait Of Batman

Portrait Combining Kids & Heroes

Heroes That Inspire Children

Kid's Portrait Of The X-Men

Jason Ratliff: Website | Instagram | Curioos

My Modern Met granted permission to use photos by Laura Greb.

Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met and Manager of My Modern Met Store. She is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art where she earned her BFA in Illustration and MFA in Illustration Practice. Sara is also an embroidery illustrator and writer living in Seattle, Washington. She runs Bear&Bean, a studio where she stitches pet portraits and other beloved creatures. She chronicles the creativity of others through her website Brown Paper Bag and newsletter, Orts. Her latest book is Threads of Treasure: How to Make, Mend, and Find Meaning Through Thread, published in 2014. Sara’s work has been recognized in Be Creative With Workbox, Embroidery Magazine, American Illustration, on Iron and Wine’s album Beast Epic, among others. When she’s not stitching or writing, Sara enjoys planning things that bring together the craft community. She is the co-founder of Camp Craftaway, a day camp for crafty adults with hands-on workshops in the Seattle area.
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