East and West - Complete

Quince

I did this as a commission for a girl celebrating her quinceñera. We have a mutual interest in CLAMP and the like, so I went for something particularly fruity.

East and West Pin Ups

I fell in love with top-buns and thigh-highs while living in Tokyo. At the same time, I'll always love curvy sun-bleached blondes on the beach. I miss home in other ways too. This is like...an erotic illustration about that.

I know, I know, I should draw the boys too. It's harder for me to imagine guys naked, and that really bugs me. Something to be said about male vs female fashion-- for the guys, I always notice how beautifully the clothes are layered on, and with girls I always notice the hints of skin and curves. So when linking fashion accessories to the body, it's easier for me to think of female accessories? What is wrong with this picture? Female body objectifying methinks?

For Tokyo guys, its all in the scarf and glasses. Maybe a watch? I ran into problems when I got to thinking about the feet. I don't like the idea of drawing socks on a naked body... doesn't really do it for me. But it seems unbalanced if I don't? I've noticed a lot of guys doing the jean-cutoffs-over-leggings thing. Can this please be a fad in America soon?? Also the blazer-over-knit-sweater look. And rolled up jeans over funny colored socks and punky boots. This is a unisex thing actually. I love it!!

For American guys though? To be quite honest I don't see much in American male style. Not commonly, at least. Suggestions please? Discuss?

Japan's got talent

A would like to pimp out some cool artists I had the pleasure of meeting a couple weeks ago at my gallery show at Design Festa Harajuku.

The first is a young woman from Korea, living in Japan. Her sketches are incredibly detailed and delicate. She captured some beautiful city life moments, and her fashion illustrations are very chic. Of the work I saw there, her small show was one of my favorites. Thank you (rara) for kindly talking with me.
Click the image to visit her blog. :)

I also talked at length (in two broken languages) with a very nice young woman named Mai Nakahira. Her illustrations were amazing, and I was very impressed by her storybooks! That she had created something so beautiful and professional by herself was truly amazing. Her style is fanciful and full of magic.


Her show (called "Monster's Cave") was a collaboration with friend and partner-in-crime Hariken, whose work is of a similar genre but with a more edgy style. The both of them were very nice, with a love of strange and silly drawings. Good luck to both of them!
Can I be just like Hariken and Mai when I grow up? Look how awesome they are.

In addition, I enjoyed a collaborative show called "1 2 3 4 5 6 7"


The artworks were by a group of artists. All the work was small and intricate. I loved looking carefully at each piece. (Click the images to see more pictures!)

Everyone was very nice to me. I was too nervous to really talk with everyone, also I because very aware of just how little Japanese I can speak. But nonetheless, it was very fun.

The show

It was short, and quiet, but the closest thing I've ever had to a proper art opening, and I'm really happy with how all the work turned out.

My show is featured on Design Festa Blog

FROM FLORIDA USA, REBECCA MOCK