Street Artist Paints Playful Fake Shadows Throughout California City

By Andrea Romano
September 02, 2017
Damon Belanger
Everything is just a little bit more whimsical in this Northern California town. Flowers spring from bike racks. Black cats appear from street benches. Strange monsters stoop from mailboxes.

Okay, not literally, but you might see these quirky shapes if you stroll around Redwood City. Just be sure to look down.

San Francisco Bay Area-based graphic artist, Damon Belanger, was commissioned by the city to create 23 fake shadows in downtown to show the creativity of the area. Belanger’s shadows take the form of flora, fauna, and everything in between.

“The shadows give regular, mundane objects a lively spirit so people can have a little fun in their everyday life,” Belanger told the San Mateo Daily Journal.

Related: Street Artist Creates Larger-than-life Athletes Around Rio

To make these shadows, Belanger first made a chalk outline of the character, even borrowing the actual shadow of the object to get the shape just right. Then, once the chalk outline was complete, he painted the object in gray paint.

“The theme of the project is cartoons, robots, and whimsical creatures,” Belanger told SFGate.com.

The installment spreads out all over downtown, ranging from the Caltrain station to the San Mateo County History Museum.

The Redwood City Improvement Association donated $30,000 to the city and partnered with the Redwood City Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Department, the Redwood City Parks and Arts Foundation, and the Partnership Redwood City Program to bring it to life, according to Design You Trust.
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Redwood City's Lively Shadows

Credit: Simon Chaung

Graphic artist Damon Belanger created 20 fake shadows in the downtown area of Redwood City.

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Shades of Gray

Credit: Simon Chuang

Belanger first made a chalk outline of the character, borrowing from the object's actual shadow to get the shape just right. Then he painted the creature with gray paint.

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Wild Ride

Credit: Damon Belanger

Even locked bikes come to life. Redwood City's public art project manager, Susie Peyton, told SFGate.com that "anything that was not going anywhere could be used.

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Dog the Cat

Credit: Damon Belanger

“The theme of the project is cartoons, robots, and whimsical creatures,” Belanger told SFGate.com.

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Jeff the Monster

Credit: Damon Belanger

A map of the shadow artworks is available online — and even reveals the creatures' amusing names. Pictured here is Jeff the Mailbox.

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Double Dribble

Credit: Damon Belanger

Belanger’s shadows take the form of flora, fauna, and everything in between.

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Parking Monkeys

Credit: Damon Belanger

“The shadows give regular, mundane objects a lively spirit so people can have a little fun in their everyday life,” Belanger told the San Mateo Daily Journal.

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Robot Band

Credit: Damon Belanger

The installment spreads out all over downtown, ranging from the Caltrain station to the San Mateo County History Museum.

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By Andrea Romano