Tokyo for Show Us Your Type

Show Us Your Type is an online project where each issue you have to represent a city typographically. This time it's Tokyo and instead of a 'poster' you had to make an animated gif. So here's my little Tokyo gif I did. {Also check out my London & Berlin submissions}

The next city is Las Vegas, submission deadline:- 23 Feb 2014 go here for details!

Fashion Friday: Kimono style

Kenzo | Kenzo

I'm a bit in love with Japan (see this old post) and the Kimono is an amazingly beautiful and wonderous piece of clothing, from all the different complex patterns to how it's folded and wrapped to it's accessories and history (Must read Liza Dalby's book Kimono). While the traditional Kimono might not be suitable in many (most) modern-day situations it's great that the essence of a Kimono can get twisted and shaped into everyday shirts, jackets, dresses and coats.

 

Veronique Branquinho | Michael Kors

     

 Roksanda Ilincic | Dolce & Gabbana
    

Fausto Puglisi | Kansai Yamamoto

 

          

ISSA | Dries Van Noten

 

Thierry Mugler | Bernhard Willhelm 

Laura Biagotti | By Ti Mo 

 But you can't beat the original, like these oldies in the Tokyo National Museum Collection

 which are actually Kosode which are smaller Kimono with shorter sleeves!

 

and these beauties in the British Museum Collection

 

and these in the Metropolitan Museum Collection

   

and I'm loving these contemporary ones Haruko Watanabe sources with the most amazing patterns.

 

  

I've just got some beautiful Kimono fabric from ebay and will be posting all about them soon...

Would you wear a Kimono? What pattern would you pick?

Ganbare Nippon: Don't Give Up Japan!

I did this for Illustration Rally and their callout for inspiring, hopeful, supportive work for the people of Japan trying to cope with the devastation that the earthquake and tsunami brought upon Japan (Nippon) on 11 March 2011. You can see mine here along with tons of others here.

I combined sakura blossoms in a deep red into a vase of flowers with hands being the vase and holding up a map of Japan in white.

Ganbare Nippon: Don't give up Japan!

Sushi in Progress

I love sushi and I wanted to try out some new inks I got for xmas and having never really used them for illustrations before decided it was high time I did. Here's a work in progress shot, the colours work really well contrasting with the black and white of the sushi. The Japanese Tea Cup is my favourite and I got it in New York last November, while it survived the journey back it wasn't so lucky when my cat came into contact with it and now has a large crack! Oh well must be time to dig out the nori in the back of my cupboard and make some more sushi! yumola!

Happy 2011!

Happy New Year!

2011 is the Year of the Rabbit, which after the year of the tiger (2010) should be a peaceful year due to rabbits being sensitive, calm, pacifist protectors and homebodies! Here's to the New Year and a New Start, whatever's in store let's make the most of it! I drew the image to use as a nengojo (Japanese new year postcard) to send to a Japanese friend in Tokyo, the Japanese is pronounced akemashite o-medetō-gozaimasu and means something like 'Happiness to you on the dawn of a New Year!'

Konnichiwa! I'm Featured on Folksy

 

My Sakura Cherry Blossom Cards are featured in Folksy's top picks in their Japanese Extravaganza!

すばらしい!