One talented concept artist and Legend Of Zelda fan has rendered longtime villain Ganondorf in realistic 3D artwork, and the result is a sight to behold. Whether he’s the main antagonist from the start or manipulating events from behind the scenes, the sinister Ganondorf (or sometimes simply “Ganon”) has been a major obstacle for both Link and Zelda throughout Nintendo’s long-running action-adventure series.
While he’s taken many forms throughout the Zelda franchise, such as the giant blue warthog he appeared as in the original game, it is the more humanoid form that debuted in 1998’s Ocarina of Time that has continued to be Ganondorf’s default look in subsequent titles, and even his guest appearances in the Super Smash Bros. franchise. This is the appearance that fans most associate him with today. Armed with dark magic, a mighty sword, and his signature Triforce of Power, it is usually Ganondorf's goal to take control of the remaining two pieces of the mystical artifact and rule the kingdom of Hyrule with an iron fist - which often leads him into heated conflict with Link and his trusty Master Sword by the final boss fight of most of the Zelda games.
About a week ago, 3D concept and character artist Arthur Palmeira posted a stunningly realistic 3D rendering of Ganondorf on Twitter. Palmeira, who is active on both Steam and Reddit under the handle of OniLolz, is mostly known for his work on skins for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive guns and has made similar concept renders for characters in Dota 2 among other games. Check out his rendition of Ganondorf below.
This stunning image of Ganondorf is far from the first time a fan has rendered characters from the Zelda series in a more life-like style. One such artist imaged Hayden Christensen of Anakin Skywalker fame as Link in a hypothetical live-action adaptation that is yet to be realized. Other artists have made equally eye-catching renditions of Breath Of The Wild’s Urbosa and even the titular Princess Zelda herself, along with tributes to beloved franchise installments like 2000’s Majora's Mask.
Among all this great artwork, Arthur Palmeira’s 3D render of Ganondorf is a spot-on depiction of how the ruthless Gerudo King would look like in live-action - or at least a more realistic visual style. His face is appropriately withered and rugged, showing off a long life of laying waste to his enemies in one grueling battle after another. Likewise, his piercing red eyes sell him as a fearsome force to be reckoned with, even as his smile gives off a falsely comforting demeanor. All in all, it’s a great portrait of an iconic villain of not only the Legend Of Zelda series but video gaming in general.
Source: Arthur Palmeira