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Kaguya-hime grew up.
Apr. 8th, 2010 10:27 amKaguya-hime quickly grew up to be a normal sized woman.
This is one of the pieces for my "The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter" art show in May.
It's done in COPIC marker, graphite, sakura gel pen and uniball. This is one of the pieces that'll look much more fun in person because it uses a lot of metallic on the kimono and the gold in the background... not to mention pale color shading doesn't generally scan all that well. <3 I stayed up till midnight last night working on this one. Haha, that was foolish. Oh well.
For the kimono geeks out there,... The Heian color combination she's wearing is a summer one called New Leaves of Downy Maple based on a traveling garment in the Jidai Matsuri. I did a lot of research, so if I got it wrong, I'm not sure if I want to know anymore. haha.
~ on DA
This is one of the pieces for my "The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter" art show in May.
It's done in COPIC marker, graphite, sakura gel pen and uniball. This is one of the pieces that'll look much more fun in person because it uses a lot of metallic on the kimono and the gold in the background... not to mention pale color shading doesn't generally scan all that well. <3 I stayed up till midnight last night working on this one. Haha, that was foolish. Oh well.
For the kimono geeks out there,... The Heian color combination she's wearing is a summer one called New Leaves of Downy Maple based on a traveling garment in the Jidai Matsuri. I did a lot of research, so if I got it wrong, I'm not sure if I want to know anymore. haha.
~ on DA
Oshogatsu 2010
Dec. 21st, 2009 11:24 amI'm really happy that this year I'll get to go to Oshogatsu (Happy New Year) in Little Tokyo this year. Come out on New Years Day!
There will be:
Taiko drum and Koto performance
Caligraphy Demostration on Japanese Kites
Japanese Swordmanship Show
Japanese Folk Singing & Dancing
Mochitsuki (pounding of sweet rice)
Origami demo, Kite Making, etc.
Also the LA Kimono club will be there and will be doing a Miss Kimono LA contest. The contest sign up is 11 am, and most of the Little Tokyo celebrations start at noon. I'll be there to support kimono club in furisode ( probably this blue sakura one...) and I'm hoping to dress up one of my friends in furisode, too.
Kimono group photo session will be at Noguchi Plaza in JACCC before 1pm.
La Kimono Club Oshogatsu info.
Little Tokyo Oshogatsu info
DRAWING FOR TODAY, Thumbelina (~ on DA)
There will be:
Taiko drum and Koto performance
Caligraphy Demostration on Japanese Kites
Japanese Swordmanship Show
Japanese Folk Singing & Dancing
Mochitsuki (pounding of sweet rice)
Origami demo, Kite Making, etc.
Also the LA Kimono club will be there and will be doing a Miss Kimono LA contest. The contest sign up is 11 am, and most of the Little Tokyo celebrations start at noon. I'll be there to support kimono club in furisode ( probably this blue sakura one...) and I'm hoping to dress up one of my friends in furisode, too.
Kimono group photo session will be at Noguchi Plaza in JACCC before 1pm.
La Kimono Club Oshogatsu info.
Little Tokyo Oshogatsu info
DRAWING FOR TODAY, Thumbelina (~ on DA)
BATHS ARE AWESOME, YO. (kabuki photo, ps)
Oct. 25th, 2009 07:42 pmI'm going to take a bath.
In a BATH TUB. WHY?
- I haven't truly had a real bath tub for over a year (probably much longer than that... actually... ) Now I have a shiny new real bath tub.
- the giant NAKED WINDOW next to the bathtub now has a neat vinyl stained-glass sticker on it.
please see previous post for comic-arts.
I'm really feeling the romance/drama lately in my head. I think it's the music I've been listening to. So I'm looking forward to some angsty-mc-angst-angst romantic drawing times.
"And you never have to see
The light that wraps itself around me
And I never have to know
The faces there
The places you go
(That you go)
When I count by the resistance
I bend in shapes in ways I never knew
So I'll try to postpone my existence
Yeah I'll stop or start my heart if you ask me to
I'll stop my heart and then I'll wait for you"
~ Silhouettes - Swimming with Dolphins
I'll leave you with a photo of me and the eternally adorable Julie at Kabuki.
In a BATH TUB. WHY?
- I haven't truly had a real bath tub for over a year (probably much longer than that... actually... ) Now I have a shiny new real bath tub.
- the giant NAKED WINDOW next to the bathtub now has a neat vinyl stained-glass sticker on it.
please see previous post for comic-arts.
I'm really feeling the romance/drama lately in my head. I think it's the music I've been listening to. So I'm looking forward to some angsty-mc-angst-angst romantic drawing times.
"And you never have to see
The light that wraps itself around me
And I never have to know
The faces there
The places you go
(That you go)
When I count by the resistance
I bend in shapes in ways I never knew
So I'll try to postpone my existence
Yeah I'll stop or start my heart if you ask me to
I'll stop my heart and then I'll wait for you"
~ Silhouettes - Swimming with Dolphins
I'll leave you with a photo of me and the eternally adorable Julie at Kabuki.
The Kabuki demonstration/performance/lecture last night was AMAZING. It was just as good as the Bunraku (Japanese puppet) event last year. Now all we need is for them to bring Kabuki and Bunraku AGAIN,... and bring out Takarazuka. TEE-HEE! Please pardon my gibberish spewing about it. They explained the musical cues (how the drums immitated rain and snow... ) and then we watched the performance of Sagi Musume (look it up on youtube... it'll make you cry.) Even though I probably should have gotten there earlier, I still was sitting quite close. The theater is relatively small, so I think everyone got a really intimate view of it.
Sagi Musume is about a snow heron who imagines herself as a human girl. As she daydreams,... visually, she's transforming into a woman. With the help of one stage hand, she's able to change extremely quickly (often while still dancing) from kimono to kimono. She dances through her imagined human life, but things get darker and her love ends badly. In despair, she changes back into her real form, the heron. At the very end... the bird maiden, standing on a platform, with a sudden spotlight on her highlighting her feather-patterned kimono... really DID look like a bird. The illusion was fascinating.
a few random notes and sketches done during the lecture and performance:
The onnagata, after performing sagi musume,... came out in his makeup, sans-wig, just in a simple yukata... and explained how he did the female movements!
His explanation and demo was utterly amazing. He'd be standing normally, as a guy... and then he'd say, watch me become a woman... and he'd pull his shoulder blades back, and slope his shoulders,... and roll his upper body delicately as he walked with his knees together... one foot pigeon-toed right in front of the other. That was impressive, but seeing JUST the shoulder part from behind... you really got the impression that he suddenly was a woman. You could hear the murmur of surprise and delight ripple across the audience.
They also showed from start to finish doing the kumadori red makeup! ON STAGE! With a camera on him so we could see close up! They impressed upon us how lucky we were to see this "backstage" information... that they don't show this kind of thing even in Japan. (They even took off one of the "stage ninja"'s masks.)
and then the two actors performed a male and female lion dance. ENCHANTING. We of course gave them a standing ovation.
The most important thing I learned, though, was how to laugh like a woman. <3
Have a nice weekend, everyone!
autumn kitsuke and roses
Oct. 14th, 2009 03:51 pmTODAY'S TEA: Harney & Son's Caribe (thanks to Jocelyn!)
I think I'm going to wear this tomorrow at the Kabuki event,... assuming I can FIND all my kimono bits. I hope I can find them... I haven't gotten to play "dress up" in a while,... and I can't remember the last time I wore kimono. I think I've skipped over the entire summer kimono season! (edit, not entirely true...)
This Fukuro Maple/Peacock Obi, this maple kanzashi, this yellow kimono, this maple obidome.
I'm having so much fun mooning over roses on the internet lately. Look at luanne's gorgeous roses!
The paler one is R’eve d’Or and the pink one is Harlekin.
I'm in love with her "Belle Storey" rose. (BELLE!)
I think I might put it in my backyard.
I think I'm going to wear this tomorrow at the Kabuki event,... assuming I can FIND all my kimono bits. I hope I can find them... I haven't gotten to play "dress up" in a while,... and I can't remember the last time I wore kimono. I think I've skipped over the entire summer kimono season! (edit, not entirely true...)
This Fukuro Maple/Peacock Obi, this maple kanzashi, this yellow kimono, this maple obidome.
I'm having so much fun mooning over roses on the internet lately. Look at luanne's gorgeous roses!
The paler one is R’eve d’Or and the pink one is Harlekin.
I'm in love with her "Belle Storey" rose. (BELLE!)
I think I might put it in my backyard.
Bosozoku and Kabuki
Sep. 16th, 2009 11:32 amTONIGHT:
Wednesday, September 16th at 8pm at Royal/T Cafe in Culver City!
MORE INFO HERE! I'll be there in hot pink with sakura embroidery. BOOYA. By the teeth.
coming up:
More info: http://www.jaccc.org/09kabuki.htm
(I'll be going to the Thurs 8pm performance, probably in kimono.)
There's also apparently a free event at Calarts earlier in the week, but other than this flyer from claw789, I don't know more about it.
Wednesday, September 16th at 8pm at Royal/T Cafe in Culver City!
MORE INFO HERE! I'll be there in hot pink with sakura embroidery. BOOYA. By the teeth.
coming up:
More info: http://www.jaccc.org/09kabuki.htm
(I'll be going to the Thurs 8pm performance, probably in kimono.)
There's also apparently a free event at Calarts earlier in the week, but other than this flyer from claw789, I don't know more about it.
random san fran trip
Sep. 2nd, 2009 10:19 amI'm sitting and drinking tea at Judy's place while checking my email. <3
So yesterday I woke up and drove to San Francisco. This is my last week before I go back to work on Futurama. Crossing the Bay Bridge on a beautiful day and seeing the ocean and the bright blue sky was just wonderful. Completely cleared my head.
(nice change from the HUGE FIRES in LA, too.)
Drove all the way to Japan Town and had a nice relaxing time trying on things at the BABY store.
I'd said before, but I never got to try things on, so I didn't really know... but the dressing rooms are so nice at the BABY store! Very large. I hate HATE HATE trying on dresses in tiny dressing rooms (like the ones some stores have in Japan.) It's like a tiny little standing tent. I always feel like a ginormous elephant in them. And I feel embarrassed... and it's already bad enough that only certain things fit me right.
but BABY's dressing room at their SF store made me totally relaxed. They even had disposable face covers there to keep the makeup off the dresses, and had a petticoat for you to use already in the dressing room! Even has a little bench to sit down on if you need to.
I did -not- try on jackets at Black Peace Now. I love their stuff, I really do, but when pretty much everything is marked "S" for small... I just didn't want to bother. It's not cheap, either! I think I really just need to sit down and go through my books of styles I like and make myself a tail-vest or something to my liking. It's not like it's anymore complicated than other jackets I've made for costumes.
Looked in detail at the New People store on the ground floor, they had lots of cool books! I got one on making those cute silicon sweets actually. My guess about some of the icing being made out of cauk appears to be true? We'll see. (If anyone has english tutorials about this online, please let me know. I want to play around with it.)
Finally saw where the Q-pot stuff was (in a glass case at the register) but they had all the price tags hidden... and I know Q-pot stuff is expensive, so I just didn't feel like asking about it.
I got another great kitsuke book, this one about making soft casual obis and their bows. I mean, it's stuff you could probably figure out if you tried, but I like having the diagrams, and the book had some lovely coordinates too. I haven't bought a kitsuke book for at least a year...!
6% DokiDoki only has about 2 weeks left and then they are switching out the store,....! (Michelle, I have a thingie for you. <3 Sorry I forgot to bring it last time I saw you.)
anyway, I wonder what store will be next??
Had fun exploring that attached shopping center (which I'd never actually done much before...) Got a crepe. <3
Had a lovely dinner with Tony and Judy <3 <3
Today, thanks to Tony's rec, I'm going to The Sutro Baths to explore a bit... and then depending on how I feel, I might head back home.
Photos later.
I'm all packed for Dragoncon, mostly... I have two huge bags and a carryon,... I wonder how much THAT's gonna cost me. :P
So yesterday I woke up and drove to San Francisco. This is my last week before I go back to work on Futurama. Crossing the Bay Bridge on a beautiful day and seeing the ocean and the bright blue sky was just wonderful. Completely cleared my head.
(nice change from the HUGE FIRES in LA, too.)
Drove all the way to Japan Town and had a nice relaxing time trying on things at the BABY store.
I'd said before, but I never got to try things on, so I didn't really know... but the dressing rooms are so nice at the BABY store! Very large. I hate HATE HATE trying on dresses in tiny dressing rooms (like the ones some stores have in Japan.) It's like a tiny little standing tent. I always feel like a ginormous elephant in them. And I feel embarrassed... and it's already bad enough that only certain things fit me right.
but BABY's dressing room at their SF store made me totally relaxed. They even had disposable face covers there to keep the makeup off the dresses, and had a petticoat for you to use already in the dressing room! Even has a little bench to sit down on if you need to.
I did -not- try on jackets at Black Peace Now. I love their stuff, I really do, but when pretty much everything is marked "S" for small... I just didn't want to bother. It's not cheap, either! I think I really just need to sit down and go through my books of styles I like and make myself a tail-vest or something to my liking. It's not like it's anymore complicated than other jackets I've made for costumes.
Looked in detail at the New People store on the ground floor, they had lots of cool books! I got one on making those cute silicon sweets actually. My guess about some of the icing being made out of cauk appears to be true? We'll see. (If anyone has english tutorials about this online, please let me know. I want to play around with it.)
Finally saw where the Q-pot stuff was (in a glass case at the register) but they had all the price tags hidden... and I know Q-pot stuff is expensive, so I just didn't feel like asking about it.
I got another great kitsuke book, this one about making soft casual obis and their bows. I mean, it's stuff you could probably figure out if you tried, but I like having the diagrams, and the book had some lovely coordinates too. I haven't bought a kitsuke book for at least a year...!
6% DokiDoki only has about 2 weeks left and then they are switching out the store,....! (Michelle, I have a thingie for you. <3 Sorry I forgot to bring it last time I saw you.)
anyway, I wonder what store will be next??
Had fun exploring that attached shopping center (which I'd never actually done much before...) Got a crepe. <3
Had a lovely dinner with Tony and Judy <3 <3
Today, thanks to Tony's rec, I'm going to The Sutro Baths to explore a bit... and then depending on how I feel, I might head back home.
Photos later.
I'm all packed for Dragoncon, mostly... I have two huge bags and a carryon,... I wonder how much THAT's gonna cost me. :P
GAMES ON LAPTOP
I want to play some old SNES emulators on the laptop, (we have a MacbookPro)... but how do you play them? do I need to get some kind of plugin or wireless video-game-type controller? Suggestions?
(this really is a not-veiled attempt to get Mitch to play Chrono Trigger)
completely unrelated:
( random fashion likes lately from Kera and AliceDeco )
I want to play some old SNES emulators on the laptop, (we have a MacbookPro)... but how do you play them? do I need to get some kind of plugin or wireless video-game-type controller? Suggestions?
(this really is a not-veiled attempt to get Mitch to play Chrono Trigger)
completely unrelated:
( random fashion likes lately from Kera and AliceDeco )
silk painting
Jul. 19th, 2009 09:50 am
( VHD Silk Cape painting under the cut )
Also, Ryu put up Hello Kitty Yukata obi this past week. (there's still several colorways left!)
I picked out this goldXpink one since it would coordinate best with my existing yukata (and it's really hard for me to find yukata long enough). It was a hard choice though the lavendarXpink was super cute, too.
cakes and socks
Jul. 9th, 2009 05:49 pmQUESTION TIME!
If I make temporary tattoos, what would you like to see me do? I was thinking of doing cute little octopusses or a froufrou loligirl. :) They'd be a free thing.
onward....
I have long and non-skinny legs, so it's very hard for me to find knee socks that will work for me. I've tried a TON of brands from USA and Japan with little luck. (Sock Dreams being an exception. <3) Recently, I've had some good luck with metamorphose's OTKs. All of these in my photo worked. these, however didn't. I'm not really sure what the difference is. Basically, there's something about the intricate design on the non-working ones that is a harder stitch, which doesn't stretch as much. Ends up looking wierd.
BUT LA-DE-DA I have several that fit now!
I ATE THIS TODAY:
(well, not the plastic candy hair barrettes... the edible cakes are from JJ bakery)
I'll be going (in kimono) to this art opening this Saturday evening at the Kyoto Grand with the LA Kimono Club. I think I'll wear my galaxy summer kimono with my july kanzashi. Haven't had time to dress in kimono for a while. *___*
Click for full info/larger image
If I make temporary tattoos, what would you like to see me do? I was thinking of doing cute little octopusses or a froufrou loligirl. :) They'd be a free thing.
onward....
I have long and non-skinny legs, so it's very hard for me to find knee socks that will work for me. I've tried a TON of brands from USA and Japan with little luck. (Sock Dreams being an exception. <3) Recently, I've had some good luck with metamorphose's OTKs. All of these in my photo worked. these, however didn't. I'm not really sure what the difference is. Basically, there's something about the intricate design on the non-working ones that is a harder stitch, which doesn't stretch as much. Ends up looking wierd.
BUT LA-DE-DA I have several that fit now!
I ATE THIS TODAY:
(well, not the plastic candy hair barrettes... the edible cakes are from JJ bakery)
I'll be going (in kimono) to this art opening this Saturday evening at the Kyoto Grand with the LA Kimono Club. I think I'll wear my galaxy summer kimono with my july kanzashi. Haven't had time to dress in kimono for a while. *___*
Click for full info/larger image
Edo Senke Master
Apr. 14th, 2009 07:18 pm
I occasionally take Japanese tea ceremony classes (Edo Senke) with my kimono sensei, Mme. Akutagawa. (that's her in the pink kimono with the black obi. Her obi has tea items on it!) My kitsuke is more well practiced than my tea, though... (which is not really saying much) I don't think I've done tea ceremony in 8 months due to being so busy, and well frankly, my knee injury isn't really well enough to sit in seiza for that long -_-.
I didn't want to miss today though, because the Grand Master's son (of Edo Senke) was coming to give us special lessons. He came all the way from Japan and brought a team and a whole tea table with him. I mostly just watched because I'm so out of practice, but it was interesting! I wore my purple weeping cherry kimono at my sensei's suggestion.
I'm not sure if he did it intentionally... but doesn't the Grand Master's son's hakama/kimono coordination look like green tea? He had a snowflake embroidered as his mon on the back of his kimono. The snowflake is the symbol for our school of tea.
I thought AJ would appreciate this man's tea purse (Fukusabasami). Doesn't it look like a cow? Normally they're made out of decorative kimono fabrics, etc...
Here's a quick shot of my fan, Fukusa and Kobukusa. See the snowflake design?
Cherry Blossom Festival
Apr. 5th, 2009 08:04 am
dear friends, this is why I always (except apparently yesterday) carry a parasol or have sunscreen. ha ha. I now have a kimono-shaped sunburn. LOVELY. XD I think the bead collar next to my neck reflected the sun like a mirror! haha. Usually bead collars are great for heat because they feel cool against your neck... but yeah...but, I had a nice time. I felt very honored to be able to help out with the LA Kimono Club and I met some new people, too! More photos later when my server is done moving. Sorry I couldn't stay later for the evening events, but my family is in town.
as a side note, some of you had been asking how long it takes me to get into kimono, so I timed myself this time... it took me about 30 min, including the obi! So that's not bad! (that doesn't include makeup or hair, but yeah).
Sensei and her sister both used colorful secondary collars paired with white inner bead collars. Accidentally, I matched them!
I'm still a bit intimidated by it, but I think instead of cleaning today (which I did a great deal last week...) that I'm going to work on my Robe à la Française... or at least stare at the pattern a bit. heee.
Kitsuke (chocho)
Mar. 31st, 2009 05:12 pm
( Kitsuke class )
Tonight Mitch and I are staying a bit out of town for two nights to check out a housing area we're interested in, so I won't be able to deal with much until later this week, thanks!
kimono and Sit Down, Shut Up wrapup
Mar. 27th, 2009 08:55 amToday is my last day at Rough Draft Studios for a bit, since we're at season-end!
Just as a catch-up for ya'll, I've been working as Assistant Director on two episodes of "Sit Down, Shut Up", which is a new show that will be airing on FOX in April. (Once I find out my specific air dates, I'll let you know).
It's by the creators of "Arrested Development". It's a really quirky, funny show which has the interesting twist of being hand-drawn animation on top of photographic "real" backgrounds. So anytime we went somewhere in the world of the show, we had to find a real-life place that we could photograph for the backgrounds! I'm really looking forward to seeing people's reactions to some of the funny stuff in the show. (Mind, it's not a kid's show!)
I'm going to use my time off to finish up my book (hopefully I can show you some from it soon!)
...and hopefully just rest up a bit. It's been a crazy few months!
another from Jason!
Just as a catch-up for ya'll, I've been working as Assistant Director on two episodes of "Sit Down, Shut Up", which is a new show that will be airing on FOX in April. (Once I find out my specific air dates, I'll let you know).
It's by the creators of "Arrested Development". It's a really quirky, funny show which has the interesting twist of being hand-drawn animation on top of photographic "real" backgrounds. So anytime we went somewhere in the world of the show, we had to find a real-life place that we could photograph for the backgrounds! I'm really looking forward to seeing people's reactions to some of the funny stuff in the show. (Mind, it's not a kid's show!)
I'm going to use my time off to finish up my book (hopefully I can show you some from it soon!)
...and hopefully just rest up a bit. It's been a crazy few months!
another from Jason!
Forbidden Fruit, Korma and Kimono
Mar. 9th, 2009 11:14 am
photo from lauripiper
I didn't even know this photo was being taken. haha. I think I was talking to Annie.
and for something completely different... look what Crisso gave me this morning!
(click for closer images of the packaging)
I laughed so hard! DAZZLE! Forbidden Fruit!!
Mitch and I finally tried Flavor of India restaurant. IT WAS SO GOOD. Korma makes me so happy, you don't understand. Also, since London cemented my love of Indian food, now when I eat it, I think of my lovely vacation. They deliver for free to my house, too. <3 I'm having the leftovers for lunch today. (Is it lunch time yet??)
