Living around the mountains in a small tourist town, it isn’t out of the ordinary to see wood carvings of the various fauna to some degree. One can easily spot a bear spawned from the massive trunk of a once living-and-thriving tree or even small carvings dedicated to remnants of the Native American heritage that thrives throughout the area. This had been the norm for what I considered wood carvings for most of my life and that’s where the art form would stay.
That was my opinion until I noticed the undeniable skill and craftsmanship of a certain Instagram user. Artist Pigminted takes all of my preconceived thoughts about woodworking and spin-attacks it right out the window!
Pigminted, based out of San Diego, has taken his passion for woodcraft and combined it with an intense love for video games to create some unique, breathtaking pieces. His styles range from depictions of scenes from games, official game cart recreations, and even some custom game carts with a personalized touch.
Take for example this double-sided piece based on Breath of the Wild. The entire wooden canvas is styled after a classic NES cartridge. On the front, you can see the familiar key art of Link overlooking the wondrous world of Hyrule with the logo text above him. If that wasn’t enough to make the piece unique, once you flip it over, your eyes immediately behold an important scene from the game itself. On the backside, Pigminted has taken both the time and effort to painstakingly recreate the battle plan illustration that features Vah Ruta, Vah Rudania, Vah Medoh, and Vah Naboris, as well as the overwhelming numbers of Guardians who await to tackle the threat of Calamity Ganon. The ornate carvings depict the Divine Beasts with a golden hue, the Guardians with a muted black, and Calamity Ganon with a faded look of crimson. There are even etchings of Hyrule Castle in the background, as well as the loyal soldiers of her majesty, keeping the scene framed squarely on the canvas.
Another example of Pigminted’s amazing attention to detail is his recreation of the Nintendo 64 cart for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. The dimensions for the carving make this an exact replica for the official cartridge from Nintendo. However, it’s the subtle features given to the other elements that make the piece so grand. For starters, the logo is extended out to give the piece a 3D look, with bright reds, blues, and silvers to depict both the Hylian Shield/Master Sword combo and the series name in a pop-out manner. The background is a glittery gold, similar to how the first prints of the cartridge were released, with the respective ESRB sticker, Nintendo logo, Nintendo’s Seal of Approval, and a Nintendo 64 logo.
The last example takes an iconic scene from The Legend of Zelda and adds even more of a personal flair. The NES cart motif is carried over to this canvas as we see Link overlooking a small cliff facing toward Death Mountain with the player’s heads-up-display showcasing equipped items, rupees, and even the famous heart containers. Flipping the cart over shows off the most amazing part of this piece. The scene depicts Link clutching the Triforce in a pose of triumph with emerald waves of energy highlighting the treasure in a fashion similar to what you would see in a stained-glass window. Pigminted claims that this was a one-off prototype and the glass effect caused too many issues, but it made for a stunning piece nonetheless.
Pigminted doesn’t just focus on Zelda-inspired works, the artist makes recreations of Pokemon cards, Hearthstone cards, other game titles, as well as other custom pieces. He has his own Etsy store where he sells his work and offers other examples for those who might be interested in having custom pieces made for themselves.
So, next time you think a medium is limited to showing off just one type of subject matter, like I did, just remember that the passion of video games can work in some powerful, mysterious, and artistic ways.
