Snake Dance: T-Shirt Design in Process

27Nov09

Please tell me which colour scheme you like most! I’ll be putting this design on threadless soon, so if you like it please vote for it. The silver and bronze will be done in metallic foil, while the background is a large-scale print covering the entire front of the t-shirt. Any comments or suggestions are also welcome.

Filed under: Art, Fashion   |  1 Comment
Tags: illustration, snake, snake dance, t-shirt, tattoo, threadless

Adorable Miniatures from Re-ment & Megahouse

23Nov09

I really want these super kawaai miniatures Jen44 posted on her flickr account from Re-ment and Megahouse. If I could live in that doll house…

Filed under: Japan, Misc   |  2 Comments
Tags: doll, doll house, figurine, Japan, Megahouse, miniature, miniture, Re-ment, Tottoro, toy

Beautiful Tokyo: Photo’s byG2slp

16Nov09

Tokyo never looked so good! Check out these pictures of beautiful girls on the Tokyo streets by photographer G2slp (although I suspect most of these girls are professional models). I’ve posted pictures of his before in Kimono & Yukata: Photo’sby G2slp or check out his flickr account.

Filed under: Fashion, Japan   |  1 Comment
Tags: cute, g2slp, girls, hot, Japan, japanese, street, Tokyo

Decor by Kimono Designer Jotaro Saito

16Nov09

I love Jotaro Saito’s kimonos; his work has the restrained, classic style of traditional Japan, while still  being modern and fresh. But when I saw his interior design I was even more impressed. All the hallmarks of his kimono design are there: dark colours, luscious pattern and texture, a perfect mixture of old and new. Here’s a link to his official website.

Filed under: Fashion, Japan, Traditional   |  Leave a Comment
Tags: decor, furniture, interior, Japan, Jotaro Saito, kimono, Saito Jotaro, style

The Chaotic World of Cleon Peterson

13Nov09

After seeing Cleon Peterson’s work recently in the magazine One Small Seed and I had to post a few pictures of his beautifully macabre work. Today Peterson lives with his wife and two children, working as a commercial designer by day and fine artist by night. But for over a decade; between dropping out of highschool at 15 and returning to college in 2004, Peterson lived the chaotic life he now paints. He comments:

I’d say that everyone sane sees the world through the lens of their past experiences. Living in a desperate world of addiction bring out the worst in you and in your peers… I can say that I experienced things that most haven’t in those years and that desperation makes morals and ethics very flexible.”

I love this work, and the honestly behind it. While his website is nonexistent, check out this interview for a glimpse into Peterson’s work process. You can also buy his work here.

Filed under: Art, International   |  Leave a Comment

Japanese Street Fashion: Photos by Akif Hakan Celebi

12Nov09

Last month I promised you more from photographer Akif Hakan Celebi, after posting his portraits of geisha. Today I’ll skip the introductions and go straight to his series on Japanese street fashion. You can check out his extensive body of work on his official website and deviant art site.

Filed under: Fashion, Japan   |  59 Comments
Tags: Akif Hakan Celebi, Fashion, photo, street, street fashion, style, Tokyo

Beautiful Bonsai

09Nov09

To be honest I’ve never really liked bonsai all that much. Too many interior decorators seem to think that if you have a bonsai and a Buddha in the same room then you’ve got an exotic Japanese theme. Not to mention that identical bonsai’s cultivated in bulk are somewhat less than impressive. But seeing these pictures made me realize that growing bonsai’s really is an art form of its own, at least when the Japanese do it.

Sorry I can’t remember where I got these pictures from so no links today.

Filed under: Japan, Traditional   |  Leave a Comment
Tags: Bonsai, garden, Japan

Origami Inspired Christian Dior

07Nov09

I couldn’t resist posting these pictures from Christian Dior’s 2007 Spring/Summer Couture Collection inspired by Madame Butterfly. Here’s a link to the Vogue Catwalk Report, including close-ups of the dresses.

This collection which was both praised profusely, and harshly criticized for its all-pervading Orientalism. While the fact that it’s couture needs to be taken into consideration, I can’t help but feel that these dresses mix the sublime with the ridiculous – a classic example of taking elements from another culture without any of the spirit behind it.

The collection has none of the  simplicity and restraint of traditional Japan, but the dresses are decadent and bold. It’s John Galliano doing Japan his own way, with Japan as the stage for his own fantasy ball. This is what makes it new, and what makes it interesting.

Filed under: International   |  Leave a Comment
Tags: 2007, Christian Dior, Dior, Galliano, geisha, John Galliano, Madame Butterfly, origami, wedding dress

The Creepiest Dolls Ever: Enchanted Doll

06Nov09

Marina Bychkova’s website Enchanted Doll is a collection of her custom-made dolls. Each ball jointed porcelain doll is unique, with costumes are made with high quality materials like 24 k gold,  Sterling Silver and precious gems. They also don’t come cheap, reaching high prices on auction.

Personally, I don’t know what to make of them, in some ways they’re quite beautiful, and I can admire the skill and labor involved in making one but… they scare me. Context has a lot to do with how we interpret things, and I would have no problem with these dolls if they were exhibited in a gallery setting and presented as a critique of our distorted ideal of beauty. But that’s not the case, while the fact that this website has a firm fan following is another unintended irony.

Filed under: International   |  2 Comments
Tags: creepy, cutom, doll, enchanted, enchanted doll, Marina Bychkova

Tokyo’s Twilight: Photo’s by Sato Shintaro

05Nov09

Shintaro Sato is a photographer known for his iridescent images of Tokyo’s twilight. Sato takes his photographs the old-fashioned way using his Toyo 4 x 5 camera, and yet the photos give the illusion of digital manipulation. This surreal quality is enhanced by the lack of people, as if the city was a miniaturized set. You can visit his official website or even buy his book Tokyo Twilight Zone available here.

Filed under: Japan   |  1 Comment
Tags: city, Japan, photo, photograph, Shintaro Sato, skyline, Tokyo