Color: The color palettes vary, sometimes featuring a limited, almost monochromatic range (sepia, grays, browns) that emphasizes texture and form, and at other times employing naturalistic colors with a focus on accurately rendering materials and surfaces. Color is used to enhance the realism and detail of the subjects, rather than as a primary graphic element. The restraint in color can heighten the focus on detail and atmosphere.
Lighting: The lighting is often dramatic, focused, and directional, creating strong highlights and shadows that emphasize the textures and three-dimensional form of the subjects. Light sources are carefully placed to draw attention to specific details (like the glowing fingertips or the texture of fur/feathers) and contribute to the overall mood, which can range from intense observation to quiet contemplation or subtle mystery.
Design Technique: The styles emphasize an extremely high level of detail and realistic rendering, particularly in the depiction of textures – fur, feathers, skin, fabric, stone. Compositions are often close-ups or focus intently on a specific moment or detail, inviting the viewer to examine the intricacies of the subject. The inclusion of unexpected elements (an anthropomorphic wolf, an owl with human accessories, a moment reminiscent of classical art in hyper-realistic detail) adds a touch of the uncanny or surreal to the otherwise realistic visuals. The styles convey a sense of meticulous craftsmanship, intense observation, and a fascination with both the familiar and the slightly strange.