{"id":1997651,"date":"2026-06-18T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-17T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1997651"},"modified":"2026-06-18T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-06-17T21:00:00","slug":"sour-soda-studio-depicts-a-saccharine-world-where-humans-have-lost-control","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1997651","title":{"rendered":"Sour Soda Studio Depicts a Saccharine World Where Humans Have Lost Control"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"entry-content prose-colossal max-w-none\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull is-style-default entry-header is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-fe9cc265 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"colo-post-featured-image wp-block-post-featured-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"857\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sour-soda-8.jpg\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"a digital illustration of colorful flowers with tiny people gripping onto the stems\" style=\"object-fit:cover\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cFlower Huggers.\u201d All images \u00a9 Sour Soda Studio, shared with permission<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group post-title is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-0bc941e6 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<h1 class=\"alignfull wp-block-post-title\">Sour Soda Studio Depicts a Saccharine World Where Humans Have Lost Control<\/h1>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull post-meta is-layout-flex wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-date\"><time datetime=\"2026-06-18T11:36:07-05:00\">June 18, 2026<\/time><\/div>\n<div class=\"taxonomy-category wp-block-post-terms\"><a class=\"category-climate\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/category\/climate\/\" rel=\"tag\">Climate<\/a><a class=\"category-illustration\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/category\/illustration\/\" rel=\"tag\">Illustration<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author-name\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/author\/kmothes\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"wp-block-post-author-name__link\">Kate Mothes<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull post-share-group is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-6c531013 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing has-visible-labels has-icon-color is-style-logos-only is-layout-flex wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-is-layout-flex\">\n<li style=\"color: #1c1e0d\" class=\"outermost-social-sharing-link outermost-social-sharing-link-facebook has-crow-color wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thisiscolossal.com%2F2026%2F06%2Fsour-soda-studio-digital-illustrations%2F&amp;title=Sour%20Soda%20Studio%20Depicts%20a%20Saccharine%20World%20Where%20Humans%20Have%20Lost%20Control\" aria-label=\"Share\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-anchor\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-label \"><br \/>\n\t\t\tShare\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"color: #1c1e0d\" class=\"outermost-social-sharing-link outermost-social-sharing-link-mail has-crow-color wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/cdn-cgi\/l\/email-protection#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\" aria-label=\"Email\" class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-anchor\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-label \"><br \/>\n\t\t\tEmail\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><button class=\"simplefavorite-button preset\" data-postid=\"475173\" data-siteid=\"1\" data-groupid=\"1\" data-favoritecount=\"0\"><i class=\"sf-icon-bookmark\"><\/i>Bookmark<\/button>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Think for a second about what comes to mind when you hear \u201csoda.\u201d Perhaps fizzy, saccharine, and bright? Then consider the connotations of the word \u201csour.\u201d Maybe it evokes the zing of a lemon, tanginess, or something sharper. This is the relationship that forms the basis of <a href=\"https:\/\/soursodastudio.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sour Soda Studio<\/a>, a project built upon two decades of illustration experience with a playful and slightly unsettling view of some of the most pressing issues of the Anthropocene.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt didn\u2019t come from a change of direction, or from a manifesto,\u201d says the artist, who prefers to remain unnamed. \u201cIt came from something simpler: the need to say different things with a different voice.\u201d In these vibrant, often absurd works with titles like \u201cPlastic Wind\u201d and \u201cThe Siren\u2019s Catch,\u201d humans\u2019 control over their surroundings is just a fantasy. Clouds mimic the shapes of trees, tiny figures hold onto botanicals floating inside of bubbles, and totally oblivious festival-goers ignore a polar bear\u2019s plight on a shrinking chunk of ice even as it mauls one of them to death.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sour-soda-9.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-475173\" title=\"\u201cGreen North\u201d\" data-rl_title=\"\u201cGreen North\u201d\" data-rl_caption=\"\u201cGreen North\u201d\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"959\" height=\"1200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sour-soda-9.jpg\" alt=\"a digital illustration of a group of hippie-like figures dancing in a circle around a polar bear that is stuck on an extremely small chunk of ice that&apos;s melting\" class=\"wp-image-475182\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cGreen North\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Sour Soda Studio\u2019s approach is like a bit of a visual side-eye, nodding with an air of dark humor to the anxieties and societal disconnect around the climate crisis and humanity\u2019s role in the balance of nature. A lumberjack whacks at a tree that\u2019s already on fire. A crocodile disappears into the brush with all but a pool cleaner\u2019s arm. And mermaids are fished from the sea like tuna and later canned in attractive packaging. Aren\u2019t sirens known for enticing humans into the depths?<\/p>\n<p>The artist began by tinkering with ideas on paper, then rendering vectors on an iPad. Over time, what he describes as a \u201cvisual alphabet\u201d began to emerge that consisted of simple forms and colors and a world of transitional landscapes and suspended figures, animals, and plants. They\u2019re all \u201cimages that can be poetic, decorative, narrative, or something harder to name,\u201d he says. \u201cMany of them touch on nature, ecosystems, consumption, and the relationship between people and the world they live in.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>See more on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.behance.net\/sour-soda-studio\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Behance<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sour-soda-5.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-475173\" title=\"\u201cThe Siren\u2019s Catch 1\u201d\" data-rl_title=\"\u201cThe Siren\u2019s Catch 1\u201d\" data-rl_caption=\"\u201cThe Siren\u2019s Catch 1\u201d\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"959\" height=\"1200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sour-soda-5.jpg\" alt=\"a digital illustration of a net suspended from a crane, holding people over a sloshing sea\" class=\"wp-image-475178\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cThe Siren\u2019s Catch 1\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sour-soda-3.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-475173\" title=\"\u201cThe Siren\u2019s Catch 2\u201d\" data-rl_title=\"\u201cThe Siren\u2019s Catch 2\u201d\" data-rl_caption=\"\u201cThe Siren\u2019s Catch 2\u201d\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"959\" height=\"1200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sour-soda-3.jpg\" alt=\"a digital illustration of canned fish with labels depicting a mermaid and the brand name &quot;The Siren&apos;s Catch.&quot;\" class=\"wp-image-475176\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cThe Siren\u2019s Catch 2\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sour-soda-4.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-475173\" title=\"\u201cBubble Plant\u201d\" data-rl_title=\"\u201cBubble Plant\u201d\" data-rl_caption=\"\u201cBubble Plant\u201d\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"959\" height=\"1200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sour-soda-4.jpg\" alt=\"a digital illustration of plants floating around in bubbles with tiny people climbing on the bubbles\" class=\"wp-image-475177\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cBubble Plant\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sour-soda-1.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-475173\" title=\"\u201cPool Service\u201d\" data-rl_title=\"\u201cPool Service\u201d\" data-rl_caption=\"\u201cPool Service\u201d\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"959\" height=\"1200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sour-soda-1.jpg\" alt=\"a digital illustration of a crocodile disappearing under some brush near a pool with a person&apos;s disembodied arm and a net floating in the water\" class=\"wp-image-475174\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cPool Service\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sour-soda-10.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-475173\" title=\"\u201cFire Season\u201d\" data-rl_title=\"\u201cFire Season\u201d\" data-rl_caption=\"\u201cFire Season\u201d\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"959\" height=\"1200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sour-soda-10.jpg\" alt=\"a digital illustration of a lumberjack chopping at some wood that is releasing flames, surrounded by trees that are also engulfed in flames\" class=\"wp-image-475183\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cFire Season\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sour-soda-2.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-475173\" title=\"\u201cClearing\u201d\" data-rl_title=\"\u201cClearing\u201d\" data-rl_caption=\"\u201cClearing\u201d\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"959\" height=\"1200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sour-soda-2.jpg\" alt=\"a digital illustration of a house in a cleared square of land amid endless forest\" class=\"wp-image-475175\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cClearing\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sour-soda-6.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-475173\" title=\"\u201cTrapped Clouds\u201d\" data-rl_title=\"\u201cTrapped Clouds\u201d\" data-rl_caption=\"\u201cTrapped Clouds\u201d\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"959\" height=\"1200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sour-soda-6.jpg\" alt=\"a digital illustration of a house amid two trees emitting a large plume f smoke amid clouds\" class=\"wp-image-475179\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cTrapped Clouds\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sour-soda-11.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-475173\" title=\"\u201cPlastic Wind\u201d\" data-rl_title=\"\u201cPlastic Wind\u201d\" data-rl_caption=\"\u201cPlastic Wind\u201d\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1200\" height=\"857\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sour-soda-11.jpg\" alt=\"a digital illustration of a figure standing on the edge of a steep cliff next to a tree on a windy day as a plastic bag blows in\" class=\"wp-image-475184\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cPlastic Wind\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sour-soda-7.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-475173\" title=\"\u201cDelivery\u201d\" data-rl_title=\"\u201cDelivery\u201d\" data-rl_caption=\"\u201cDelivery\u201d\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1200\" height=\"959\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sour-soda-7.jpg\" alt=\"a digital illustration of a stork carrying a baby in a sack over some trees\" class=\"wp-image-475180\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cDelivery\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sour-soda-12.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-475173\" title=\"\u201cMigration\u201d\" data-rl_title=\"\u201cMigration\u201d\" data-rl_caption=\"\u201cMigration\u201d\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1240\" height=\"992\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/sour-soda-12.jpg\" alt=\"a digital illustration of numerous large white birds flying in such numbers and so close together that they begin to resemble clouds or waves\" class=\"wp-image-475185\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cMigration\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<aside class=\"after-entry\" role=\"complementary\" aria-label=\"After Entry\">\n<section id=\"block-16\" class=\"widget widget_block widget_text\">\n<p><mark 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Sour Soda Studio Depicts a Saccharine World Where Humans Have Lost Control June 18, 2026 ClimateIllustration Kate Mothes Share Email Bookmark Think for a second about what comes to mind when you hear \u201csoda.\u201d Perhaps fizzy, saccharine, and bright? Then consider the connotations of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,270],"class_list":["post-1997651","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-thisiscolossal-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1997651","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1997651"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1997651\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1997651"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1997651"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1997651"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}