Howdy, Poptropicanos and welcome to a special edition of Pop Fan Artist Spotlight, featuring the works of our very own Gentle Dolphin!
I initially became aware of Gentle’s art in 2018, making this showcase a long-anticipated one; she’s actually been making Pop fanart on a regular basis since 2017. To begin, I would like to share one of my all-time favorite Poptropica fan videos—the iconic PHB parody of the “Who Broke It?” scene from Parks and Recreation. 
Gentle Dolphin is consistently cooking up remarkable Poptropica artwork. Whether she’s illustrating her original character, designing costumes, or developing material for our April Fool’s pranks (which she has done a lot of btw!) her art creations are both charming and refined. Her artistic style has become quite distinctive to me, although she has explored various techniques on a few occasions. Take a moment to admire this beautiful gallery featuring some of her proudest creations from over the years. (Click for the full glory and titles!)
Alright, I just couldn’t help myself… Here are a couple of my personal favorites in addition if you weren’t done looking at great art yet. 
I asked Gentle Dolphin to share her main sources of inspiration when designing her captivating pieces. Here is her response:
My normal art style takes inspiration from a few things: MLP G4, Dork Diaries, and anime. My Poptropica style mixes my usual coloring with Poptropica Worlds’ anatomy. When coming up with ideas, I like bouncing off of friends and family. Staying motivated can be a challenge, especially when you’re dealing with burnout. When I have low motivation to work on a piece, I’ll either work on a different piece or take a short break from creating (I’ll have a snack, clean up, play a game, or chat with someone).
I can certainly identify with some of those feelings about motivation, and it’s quite intriguing to witness how different fandoms influence the artwork she creates. Furthermore, Gentle Dolphin graciously offered some guidance for fellow artists. The floor is yours, GD!
Practice by knowing what and how to improve, experiment with new techniques, take 10-minute breaks every hour or so, search for constructive feedback, and have fun!
That’s some sound advice. Thanks to her for sharing that with us!
GD is active across a variety of platforms, including Instagram, DeviantArt, Tumblr, X, and her own website. Check out any of her pages to familiarize yourself even more with her work and consider the possibility of commissioning her. Seriously, each time I come across one of her artworks, I find myself in awe. It was quite a fun process to compile all of them as it allowed me to appreciate a wide array simultaneously. 
It’s not just me though; even the creators of Poptropica have taken notice of GD’s impressive designs and stylish flair. In September 2021, her Pumpkin Punk costume design (pictured in the collage) won a contest and was added to the game the following month.
On top of that, former Poptropica creator Jonathan Pitcher (notice the banner on his LinkedIn & X profiles ), who we’ve highlighted and talked to before, mentioned that he once pitched the idea of creating an island inspired by her art style! Even though that idea didn’t come to fruition, it’s still an incredible recognition. 
On the topic of art and GD, I should highlight that she is currently hosting an art collaboration in celebration of Pop’s 17th birthday. Tomorrow is the final day for submitting your entry, so if you have not yet participated, I recommend that you do so as soon as possible. This is a party that you’ll certainly want to be a part of!
And that’s a wrap! Do you have any favorite artists that we have yet to showcase on the blog? I encourage you to submit your suggestions in the comments section below. I hope you found this Pop Fan Artist Spotlight as enjoyable as I did. A big thank you for reading as always and I’ll talk to you again very soon, pop on! 
