A creatively-talented member of the Pokemon community shares a handmade wooden shiny Gyarados of their own design, created using only naturally colored pieces of wood through a method called Intarsia. More specifically, the artwork pays homage to the Red Gyarados of the Johto region's Lake of Rage, a place that holds a special place in the hearts of many veteran Pokemon fans.
This iconic moment in the franchise's history was originally presented to players in the Generation 2 games, Pokemon Gold and Silver, which were also the first games in the series to introduce shiny Pokemon. These rare shiny Pokemon are represented primarily by a difference in color and have been sought out by fans throughout the decades since they first arrived in the world of Pokemon. The popular activity of tracking down shiny Pokemon has come to be known as shiny hunting, with fans learning to leverage many different exploits and strategies over the years in order to maximize their chances of finding these rare creatures in the wild.
Pokemon Gold and Silver's Red Gyarados is a rare example of a "guaranteed" shiny however, and commonly makes its way onto the teams of Gen 2 fans after they reach the Lake of Rage. With the shiny Gyarados often being a favorite among nostalgic fans, it's no surprise that the handmade art piece depicting the Pokemon ranks as a favorite to its creator. The maker of the piece, a fan known as mezawoodndyes on Reddit, shared images of their work in a post on the site along with a description of how they made it. While it may look like the wood has been painted or stained, the artwork is actually entirely natural and is made up of different pieces of wonderfully-colored exotic wood through a style of woodwork called Intarsia. Click here to see the full Reddit post.
The creator also explains that their love for the original Red Gyarados has since inspired them to seek out shiny Magikarp, which they claim will be the subject of their next piece of handmade Pokemon art. Shiny hunting in Pokemon games continues to be a preferred element of gameplay for many gamers, and while the activity has evolved greatly over the many generations of games since its inception, it fundamentally remains the same in the latest core-series Pokemon titles, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.
Though the earliest games in the beloved Pokemon series were released many years ago now, their undisputed status as classics affords them a great deal of attention even today. Pokemon titles both old and new continue to provide seemingly endless inspiration for creative fans whose artistic contributions help the Pokemon community stand out in the gaming industry.
