If ripped men, swords, and fantastical creatures are your thing, then Simon Soltau is the artist for you. He takes Masters of the Universe to a whole new level.
The striking detail of his paintings is masterful. Soltau’s sketch work captures every anatomical element of his creatures so accurately.
This hobby artist hooked us. So, we’re taking you with us as we learn more.
Let’s dive in!
About Simon Soltau
Simon Soltau, aka SiMo Sol, is a self-taught German artist. Born in 1975, he’s been painting for as long as he can remember.
He grew up with Star Wars, He-Man, Marvels comics, and most of the DC Heroes. He started drawing those characters and found his interest in the arts at an early age.
Soltau worked as an ad agency’s graphic designer and art director until 2010. Suffering from near burnout, he used painting as a positive outlet. Simon returned to his first passion and created his first Masters of the Universe (MOTU) painting.
The painting is a crossover image of the King of Castle Grayskull. The German MOTU community gave overwhelmingly positive feedback. Soltau began painting MOTU regularly in 2013. He’s so into MOTU that he often tags official posters with lettering that resembles the brand.
What Inspires Simon Soltau’s Art?
As a child growing up, 1980s MOTU heavily influenced Simon. He puts an emphasis on painting motifs that are reminiscent of his childhood.
Soltau also notes that his influences can vary within the MOTU universe. Some of his classic works are recreations of card backs and mini motifs. He focuses on key elements and characters so people get the image the moment they see it.
With the SiMo Sol King He-Man, he used the original Conan toy concept that existed before the MOTU became a reality. When he saw He-Man, Simon Soltau recognized Conan in the character. SiMo then added the crossover weapons that he felt were so apparent in concept.
What is SiMo Sol’s Art Style?
SiMo Sol prefers to create his art with traditional methods, which is usually oil paint on canvas. He tried out a lot of media but found oils the best material for his art. Soltau loves the diversity and intensity of the colors.
Oil paint is forgiving and allows the painter to overwork something repeatedly. Which is good because Simon Soltau often changes elements or character parts entirely. He takes the traditional comic book images and paints them virtually lifelike.
Passion and patience are essential for him to create his masterpieces.
What Are Some of SiMo Sol’s Art Pieces?
In case you don’t know, MOTU is a major sub-genre of fantasy involving a hybrid medieval world filled with sorcery and sci-fi technology. Fans around the globe are caught up in fandom sites and comic cons.
In fact, SiMo Sol is well-known in this realm, and we’re highlighting just three of his stunning paintings.
Evil-Lyn – Spying from the Shadows
Evil-Lyn – Spying from the Shadows is a recreation of the famous classic card back drawing from Errol McCarthy. Simon Soltau created the oil painting for the mystery auction at the German Grayskull Con. It’s oil on canvas and measures 27.5” x 39.4”.
Soltau always throws in an easter egg or homage to other works in his paintings. An Instagram follower accurately identifies Michelle Pfeiffer’s profile in Evil Lyn’s face. In the background, Soltau added a sword-wielding character on a hovercraft. We’re waiting for someone to tell us who that is.
The Brute Unleashed
SiMo Sol created The Brute Unleased at Grayskull Con. Visitors watched as he brushed the first layers of this huge painting. It’s a recreation of Alfredo Alcala’s classic MOTU minicomic, The Vengeance of Skeletor.
Painted with oils on canvas, Soltau gives the 39.5” x 47.2” image realistic detail, down to the popping veins and dust on the ground.
He gives a shout-out to his “beloved Sonja.” A significant other, perhaps?
Skeletor – The Eye of Evil
Skeletor – The Eye of Evil is a recreation of a Bruce Timm drawing. Soltau took the classic minicomic Rock People to the Rescue and put the motif into another story context. It’s his usual oil on canvas and measures 31.5″ x 47.2″.
The orb scene is from the first German MOTU audio drama, “Sternenstaub,” or stardust. Audio plays are huge in Germany, and most MOTU fans know the He-Man dragon scene in the evergreen forest. As always, Simon Soltau added extras for viewers to discover.
Where Can I See Simon Soltau’s Art?
We can’t find any permanent exhibits of Simon Soltau’s artwork. However, he does sell giclee prints of his popular paintings as hand-numbered limited editions on some websites.
If you’re a He-Man and She-Rha fan or want to know more about them, dive into the Hemanworld website. There you can feast on more of Soltau’s posters.
We love to follow SiMo Sol’s Facebook and Instagram socials. He provides excellent commentary on each of his paintings and adds action videos as he works too.
Outside Folk Gallery
You can explore more folk, street, and outsider art in our personal collection at Outside Folk Art. We’re celebrating these creatives and giving voice to rising black, Native, immigrant, and working mother artisans.
We’ll also be offering pop-up shows and collaborations with small museums, so be sure to follow us to discover the where and when!
More Than Just a Hobby Artist
As a self-taught artist, Simon Soltau has a true gift. This guy claims to be a hobby artist, but when you see his work, you’d agree with us that he’s quite professional.
Soltau doesn’t just copy what he sees. He embellishes the pictures and adds his own twist to them. It’s rich. We love it.
Are you a MOTU fan? Tell us about your favorite SiMo Sol painting in the comments below.
Leave a Reply