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This dad takes his son's artwork to the next level — and their videos have gone viral

Watch artist James Raiz transform his son's imagined superhero into a bell bottom and high heel-wearing comic book character.

Watch James Raiz transform his son's imagined superhero into a comic book character

Mercedes Grundy · CBC Arts ·
(James Raiz)

Toronto-based artist James Raiz started his YouTube channel, TheBoxOfficeArtist, in 2013, and now has almost half a million subscribers who tune in for his tutorials, drawing challenges, time-lapses and much more. Raiz, a visual effects artist and graphic novel illustrator, ​has a passion for film and superheroes (check out his Avengers: Infinity War mural) — but one of his greatest sources of inspiration is his young son's imagination and artwork.

Raiz started posting time-lapse videos where he re-draws his young son's superheroes in his classic comic book style, and they've been a huge hit on his channel (this one has 1.7 million views).

Watch the video:

James Raiz collaborates with his son for amazing illustrations

6 years ago
Duration 2:17
Watch artist James Raiz turn his 9-year-old son's drawing into a comic book superhero.

The process is simple: his 9-year-old son imagines a character, then Raiz re-interprets that character in his own style — creating a hero worthy of a Marvel comic cover.

In this time-lapse video, watch Raiz re-create the mallet-wielding, high-heeled character of his son's dreams.

(CBC Arts)
(CBC Arts)

This video was featured in our "Family" episode of CBC Arts: Exhibitionists. Stream the show or catch it on CBC Television Friday nights at 11:30pm (12am NT) and Sundays at 3:30pm (4pm NT). Watch more videos here.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mercedes Grundy

Mercedes Grundy is a producer for CBC's Unscripted division. She has played an integral role in the creation of series like Exhibitionists, The Filmmakers and Canada's a Drag as well as special projects like Superqueeroes and The 2010s: The Decade Canadian Artists Stopped Saying Sorry. Collectively, these projects have won Grundy 5 Canadian Screen Awards. She has an educational background in photography, and produces film and theatre when not busy here at the CBC.