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December 28, 2006
>> NEW YEAR, AND ENGLAND, ENGLAND, ENGLAND >>
Yuko and the usual suspects are currently away to get "recharged" in the land of Port (for the boys) and egg tart (for the girls). I will be back on the second week of January.
And, I am coming to England for the first time. I will be at the opening of The Illustration Gallery, January 13th. Also, visiting Falmouth. I am excited!
Have a happy new year to everyone!! |
December 23, 2006
>> SURPRISE ENCOUNTOR TO MYSELF FROM 7 YEARS AGO.. >>
By total accident, I found an interview article of myself from 7 years ago online!! It was written by Kyodo Press of Japan when I just moved to NY to start art school at SVA. I had completely forgotten this has even existed, and it was a nice surprise Christmas present for myself. You can read the interview here. (Sorry, Japanese only.)
I had come a long way since then. And I hope to feel the same 7 years from now.
Merry Christmas, everyone. |
December 22, 2006
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>> NEW BOOK THE PICTURE BOOK >>
Edited by Angus Hyland, The Picture Book features the works of 80 contemporary illustrators. I have 6 pages in this book. Thank you Angus and Steven of Pentagramand Lori of Laurence King.
>> BLACK + WHITE MAGAZINE FEATURE >>
Australian photo and culture magazine Black + White issue 88 has two page feature on my work. I sound 10X cooler than I actually am!!!! Thank you Marise Watson for writing such nice article. |
>> HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE! >>
Added three new images on the site before the holidays. See them all here.
Entertainment Weekly is in newsstand today.
Two holiday images added are on the right. Microsoft Zune novelty holiday card image is a variation of the Zune poster.
NY Times illo was from last Christmas. Remember that crazy period with no subways running?? I missed the chance to upload it last year, so here it is now. I made it big enough so you can read this wonderful short-short holiday story by Alice McDermott.
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December 17, 2006
December 8, 2006
>> FRIEND OF MICA >>
Just came back from a business trip to Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore. This was my third visit to MICA, and this time I did six hour senior thesis crit with a faculty and good friend Jose Villarrubia. I had a lot of fun as always, and the seniors there are SO GOOD!
MICA has been so nice to me since more than three years ago when then faculty Celia Johnson invited me for a guest lecture out of the blue. Nobody knew who I was or cared what I was drawing, and I was so surprised and flattered by the offer. I made lots of friends there since then, and I keep going back. Again, thank you everyone. I had a wonderful time, as always.
>> DON'T MISS EHON AT NY PUBLIC LIBRARY >>
Let's just forget the fact that I hate Japan and (contemporary) Japanese culture, and that is why I immigrated to the US.
I took my class to a field trip at New York Public Library this week, to show them EHON exhibit. Let me tell you, it was not just amazing, it was actually mind-blowing. I had never seen such well curated Japanese woodcut print book show, and you can trust me because I am Japanese! Don't miss it. |
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December 4, 2006
>> ONGOING MAKEOVER ON MY SITE.. >>
As a part of ongoing refurbish to my site, I updated my Bio Page today. I felt like it was time I needed an honest first person bio rather than the plain third person one. And I got a new haircut anyway!
My plan is to refurbish my site completely by early next year, with navigation bar and consistent design throughout the site, Press Page, link to my blog which I don't have yet, etc. The next big makeover should be my top page, which I am designing right now.
Dream big.., but I am a self-taught armature who relies mostly on the power of Macromedia Dreamweaver, so see how it is going to go.. Stay tuned.. |
December 2, 2006
>> HURRAH TO EVERYONE I LOVE >>
Just got a letter from Tim O'Brien, chair of Society of Illustrators competition 49. I feel like I am using up all my luck here, I just won a Silver Medal for Institutional Category !!!!! (Image is not up on the site, as it is not officially published yet.)
But, more than my medal, what made me really excited was that as far as I have found out so far, some of the closest people in my life have won the medals this year! I made a doodle of this exciting phenomenon (right).
Thank you so much judges!
>> ILLUSTRATION PAGE MAKEOVER >>
Added some new categories and navigation bar for easy browsing through theIllustration Section. Eventually, I will re-do the whole site, but most probably a little by little rather than a big makeover. Please stay tuned.
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November 29, 2006
November 27, 2006
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>> A BOOK and PRESS, PRESS, PRESS >>
HANDMADE IS IN STORES >
Thanks to editor Andrea Lugli, HANDMADE, an antithesis to super-digital design, is in book stores now. I am honored to have 13 images featured in this book along with my hero and mural collaborator Stefan. Also a review article in Creativity Magazine Nov06 .
CREATIVITY SPARK* ARTICLE >
I got interviewed for an article about "illustration and fine art" in CREATIVITY spark* magazine issue #2. Read the article here.
Thank you Helen Walters.
MINI MINI INTERVEW >
on my love and hate relationship with Japan In LOST AT E MINOR. Thank you Zolton.
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November 26, 2006
>> CAN I SHOW OFF MY SPECTRUM SILVER AWARD?? >>
Spectrum 13 Silver Award came in the mail last week, and I wanted to be very selfish and show it off ! There are four different sides with eyes on the triangle, and my studio-mates and I agreed on going with this side. The base has an eye too! See pics on the right.
Thank you judges, Spectrum, and all my (former) students who indirectly encouraged me to try out on something I would not have thought of otherwise!
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>> LECTURE AT SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY etc. >>
Gave lecture to Masters in Illustration program at Syracuse University. Thank you John Thompson for his kind invitation.
Also, at SVA, Thanksgiving tradition; Marcos spoke to my students, I spoke to Marcos' students last week. |
November 15, 2006
>> MICROSOFT ZUNE POSTERS WILL BE OUT ON THE STREETS! >>
Microsoft's new MP3 player ZUNE has officially been released, and so is my poster (near right).
My Zune poster will start appearing on the streets in December. Till then, you can download mini-posters, wallpapers and other goodies here at zune-arts.net.
>> AMERICAN ILLUSTRATION 25 >>
Finally posting the cover/ poster image(far right). Cover application is posted here.
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>> GROUP SHOW @ VISUAL ARTS GALLERY, NYC >>
I will have some location drawings shown in a group show "Being There" curated by dear professor at SVA's MFA program Carol Fabricatore. Reception is on November 28th. You can read about the show and other details here. |
>> OTHER STUFF >>
Want to know how was American Illustartion party? Log onto Edel Rodriguez's blog. |
November 12, 2006
>> SOCIETY OF ILLUSTRATORS 49 >>
This year's judging for the competition is officially over. It was a great experience judging the editorial category, and getting inspired by all the amazing submissions. Congratulations to all the accepted illustrators including medal winners. You will be hearing from them soon.
>> THIS WEEK'S SPECIAL THANK YOUs >>
goes to my ex-roommate and the one and only James Jean, and to Kagan McLeod, how funny how we ended up becoming such good friends! Thank you both of you for coming to talk to my students despite your busy short stay in New York. You guys were AMAZING! |
November 5, 2006
November 2, 2006
October 30, 2006
>> THIS WEEK'S SPECIAL THANK YOUs >>
1) Read PASTE Magazine AD José Reyes interview article here. Great resources especially for illustration students to read. Thank you José, I am very flattered. I will try to show you multiple sketches from next time on, he he.
2) Shawn Barber was in town. Thank you for showing me your new world of tattoos. And, you can own Shawn's Tattooed Portraits book too. |
October 27, 2006
October 26, 2006
>> WELL, AFTER 4 MONTHS.... >>
I have finally updated my illustration section. And you can see new illos at a glance here. I know, I teach seniors at SVA how they should update their site often, and this was what I had done!! How terrible. I have been traveling a lot since July, and I am finally back to my old self (= stuck in my studio, that is..). Well, at least I had been updating my news page..., blah blah blah, some excuses.. |
>> SPECTRUM? >>
And a student of mine told me today in class that SPECTRUM 13 is out. I have not seen it, but it is out.
And I have a few pieces in there, with yes, Silver Award! (Please see right) When do I get the statuette?? I am SO looking forward to it!
I have to confess, I
am secretly fantasizing of becoming a sci-fi fantasy artist. As a kid, I used to collect all the Frank Frazetta paperback covers. And I am proud to say I still own them! Does any AD out there want to risk hiring me to do a sci-fi fantasy cover? ....well maybe not.. Some things are better kept as a fantasy.. |
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>> AND SOME ILLUSTRATION OUT NOW ARE.. >>
Ooooops, I realized I haven't written this topic in so long, but it is not that I wasn't working..
DOMINO and TORO (Canada) every month as usual, WIRED and Business 2.0 both November, New York Magazine Wedding fall issue, Travel+Leasure Family Nov/Dec issue, PASTE issue 26, and The New Yorker this week and the next week..
And, thank you goes to the great design team at Helicopter, who initially got me the DOMINO gig. It was SO nice to meet you finally!
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October 17, 2006
>> BACK FROM LA >>
Although I definitely miss palm trees in LA and great sea food in Santa Barbara, I am happy to be back home here in rainy cold NYC.
Here are some pictures from the trip, Marcos Chin and me signing newly released Bliss Express at Gallery Nucleus (you can still purchase autographed copies there, I think), and us in front of, yes, palm trees!
Biggest thank you goes to: the one and only Thomas Fuchs for not giving up on me.
Also, special thank you goes to: Gary Taxali, James Jean, Esther Pearl Watson, Mark Todd, Rob Clayton, Martha Rich, Ann Field, Aaron Smith and Nathan Ota. Hope to see you all again soon! |
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>> ILLUSTRATION INSTRUCTORS SYMPOSIUM >>
I will be participating in a panel discussion at A Symposium on the Professional Education of an Illustrator at The Society of Illustrators this weekend. |
October 3, 2006
September 26, 2006
>> ONE DAY VISIT TO RISD >>
Chris Buzelli, illustrator and educator, invited me to speak to his editorial illustration class at Rhode Island School of Design yesterday. The train ride was long but it was so worth it! Thank you students for being such good audience. It was nice meeting you all! |
September 22, 2006
>> GOOD IS GOOD! >>
Subscribe to newly launched Good Magazine. It is purely so good! |
September 20, 2006
September 19, 2006
>> PAINT BALL AUCTION IS OVER >>
Kidrobot Paint Ball auction is officially over. Thank you whoever you are for placing the highest bid for my Dunny all the way from Germany! Hope you'll like having him around. Let me know if you have any handling questions. And thank you everyone else for bidding. All the proceeds are going to Save the Children Foundation.
RISD students, see you guys on Monday. |
September 10, 2006
September 6, 2006
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>> KiDROBOT PAINT BALL. COME SEE MY DUNNY! >>
Kidrobot's Paint Ball to benefit Save The Children foundation is tomorrow, September 7th in New York. Open to public from 8-11PM. Come see my 20" Dunny, or you can even buy it through auction. Go to special site to read more in details. click on icons to see my finished Dunny, and process photos. Dunny was painted in oil based enamel.
Special thank you goes to Soner On for two day long assistance in the middle of heat wave to seal and prime my dunny .
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September 3, 2006
>> YELLOW PENCIL AWARD!! >>
Wow! Just came back from Warsaw, and found in my mailbox an award certificate for D & AD Global Awards' Yellow Pencil Award!!! What a wonderful surprise. The award was given to New York Magazine Sex issue to which I contributed an illustration (right).
Thank you so much everyone at New York Magazine art department. It was one of my big dreams to get this award, and I wasn't expecting to receive it as a surprise!
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>> NEW BOOK FASHION ILLUSTRATOR IS OUT NOW >>
Fashion Illustrator: Drawing and Presentation for the Fashion Designer is a new book by Bethan Morris (published by Harry N. Abrams, Inc, UK) written as text book for students who major in fashion or fashion illustration. There is an illustration I did a while back accompanied by a short interview.
I will also be in a book called Big Book of Fashion Illustration by Martin Dawber which is scheduled to be published soon from Anova Books of UK.
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>> OTHER STUFF... >>
School starts right after Labor Day. Kid Robot's Paint Ball is coming up. AND, Yes, I will, I will, update my illustration section very soon..... |
August 16, 2006
August 10, 2006
>> GET A SMACK! >>
SMACK! is Warner Elektra Atlantic Music's new sampler CD with 17 tracks of music they recommend to people with good taste in music.
You can get it free (includes my front and back cover illustrations) from participating music stores nation wide. (Unfortunately not in NYC area.. ) Please ask the local stores near you.
Thank you Richard Jennings of WEA for his amazing ideas and great art direction, and Michelle Massi for wonderful design!
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>> A BIT MORE ABOUT SUMMER PROJECTS >>
Since my last posting a few days ago, I had received some e-mails asking me about the shows and whether they will be in NYC. So here are a bit more of the details of the shows I am scheduled to be participating.
1) Paint Ball – hand painted Dunny toy charity show with KidRobot will be held on September 7th in New York. (I am painting it RIGHT NOW.)
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Custom-made DJ slip mat show with Plus Et Plus will be opening on October 5th
in New York, then the show is scheduled to travel to Tokyo and Hong Kong.
3) Goo Press's New book Bliss Express releasing party and opening at Gallery Nucleus in Los Angeles on October 7th.
4) Working with Robinhood Foundation and collaborating with Stefan Sagmeister on a mural project. It will be up in a public school in Bronx.
5) And, one more thing scheduled for early November which is not yet released.
I will post more details and schedules once schedule comes closer. Please stay tuned. |
August 7, 2006
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>> NORTH OF THE BORDER >>
Just got back from the north of the border..
Special thank you goes to very special people; wonderful and sweet Anita, Dick and their lovely swimming dog Lucy, the nicest guy with the best music taste; Gary, and just simply the best; Thomas.
Rest of the summer will be spent on working on work for a few shows opening in fall, and a mural project.
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July 5, 2006
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