cut and torn paper / wood 10 cm x 15 cm

The secret is out.
When the dark storm clouds gather, the thunder rolls and the lightning crashes, it’s a sure sign that a pod of electric narwhals is reeling through the skies above. Incidentally, the word narwhal comes (via a number of stops along the way) from the Old Norse word “Nar”, meaning corpse, because of its color. It was a corpse whale. I bet you’re glad I didn’t draw that.

The inspiration equation for this piece reads as such: The B-52’s “Rock Lobster” + one week of non-stop rain / a tokyo train ride = The Electric Narwhal. Which would be a great name for a band. Or a bar. Or a drink. Or a child.

Illustration Friday

This coming Saturday and Sunday, May 17th and 18th, 2008, Design Festa is taking over Tokyo Big Sight, and I’ll be part of the invasion force.

Stop on by to check out the art and have a chat. I’ll be selling some very cool, never before seen…stuff (which will be making their way into the web shop as soon as I can remember how to code again).

So, you’re all coming, right? I knew I could count on you.

cut paper
10″ x 15″ (at the moment)

From where do the seeds of inspiration come?
I can’t answer for anybody else, but each time I sit down to sketch, I seem to pull an idea from a different place. Sometimes I’ll have a theme or concept in mind before picking up my pencil. Or I’ll do some free sketching, and a character or scribble will leap out and demand to be developed. Other times, the texture or color of one of my papers (or a piece of wood) will lead to an idea.

Or, as in the case of this ninja fan, creativity springs out of a crushing deadline rocketing down at me. Read the rest of this entry »

cut paper / wood 10 cm x 15 cm

There’s nothing like a nice, long soak in an onsen to smooth that furrowed brow. It also works wonders for that dry, craggy skin. Of course, no amount of hot spring water is going to help when you’re made of molten rock.

“He” is the right half of the fire-god-themed diptych. It’s always interesting to watch a piece develop, even when you’re the one making it. My original sketch didn’t include Mt. Fuji. The sweep of the hair in She Who Brings the Fire suggested it, creating the atmosphere and much of the concept in the process. Now I just need to come up with a cool title. Here’s what the two pieces look like together:

Read the rest of this entry »

Copyright Armageddon. That’s what this past week has felt like. Judgement Day for intellectual property. Yeah, there’s a whole lot of hyperbole flying around, and a whole lot of guts tied up in knots. Generally, I don’t like talking law or politics on PaperCuts. It’s an art blog, and I prefer to keep it that way. Unfortunately, some issues directly impact me and the work I do, like a shovel to the back of the head.

First, Darren Di Lieto of the Little Chimp Society, a fantastic art portal site (of which I am a member) sent out emails warning people about “Colorful Illustrations 93°C”, an art book created entirely from plagiarized material. Not much later, I heard that the Orphan Works Bill (you can download copies here) was back. A day or two after that, a good friend of mine found that her work had been purloined and used online without permission. This is bound to get wordy, so hang in there. Read the rest of this entry »

A very brief history of the beginning of all things: First, there was the big empty. Then, into that void, the flame leapt into being. Next came water, air, breath. But it was fire that started it all, that pricked pinholes into that infinite black velvet curtain. That brought light and warmth, and, eventually life and the means to sustain life. Being fickle, it also periodically erases what it has helped create. Read the rest of this entry »

Eons ago, when the molten surface of the Earth was beginning to cool and get crispy; when single-celled organisms were just beginning to consider popping into existence, Emma Kid, erstwhile printmaker and writer of the blog benconservato bestowed upon me the mantle and responsibilities of the “You Make My Day” award. Thanks Emma!

Being the kind of guy who loves to shirk this kind of responsibility (actually, I’ll shirk just about anything), I’m only now getting around to accepting the award and passing it up the line. Read the rest of this entry »

There are times when, no matter how much we wish it were otherwise, we just don’t have what is needed to rise to the occasion. Don’t feel too bad for the Big Guy, tho. I’m confident that he won’t be giving up anytime soon. Maybe next time, he’ll try water-wings. Read the rest of this entry »

I apologize up front for the unbearable cheese that is this post’s title. I think I can vouch for every kid growing up in the 80’s when I say that Scrappy-Doo utterly ruined the genius that was Scooby-Doo. That cartoon canine nightmare gave birth to an entire generation of kids with the subconscious urge to dropkick little, yappy dogs. But I digress. This post is not about my issues with The Doo.

The first-ever issue of “PaperScraps” is now available for your perusal. Yippee! “PaperScraps” is an online newsletter about the world of my cut paper art, gallery shows, and things of that ilk. I’ll be sending out an email whenever I update the newsletter (maybe 4 times a year). I may also send out short emails about new events, exhibitions, etc. Chances are, the info won’t be so different from what’s here on the blog (gotta be honest, y’know), but it will be a nice summary, collected all in one place. Plus, if you join the mailing list, I am also planning to make special offers available to members in the future.

Click the image or here to join.

Click here or the image for a more giant giant.

The easiest way to save energy is to saddle someone else with the hard work. Allow me to introduce you to Te-naga (long arms) and Ashi-naga (long legs). Not the most imaginatively named of the Japanese Obakemono (ghosts, monsters and creepy critters of all persuasions), these two are almost certainly the most symbiotic.

Although they were believed to come from separate nations, Te-naga and Ashi-naga were often seen working together, much like the Constructicons, except that they did stuff like fishing instead of consistently failing to crush the Autobots. They did, on occasion, snack on a puny human or two. But what else can you expect from (a) giant(s). Read the rest of this entry »