- uppercase
I was happy to find Issue 4 of UPPERCASE in my mailbox last week, even though I regularly buy other magazines this is the first that I’ve subscribed to… I must admit that was mostly due to the Issue 1 cover design. I wanted this magazine and it took me so long to get it, instead of subscribing directly from them in Canada I went through their one and only Australian stockist – six months later I see Issue 3!
Enough complaining :) This issues cover was designed by San Franciscan illustrator Leigh Wells, her work is a fine example of those times I feel sadly jealous that I am not a talented illustrator.
- flora
Flora With Bird – Julia Rothman VIA
I was sitting here admiring this ink & gauche illustration by Julia Rothman when I realised she is the designer of the Daydream Wallpaper I still want on one my walls so much! Does loving two pieces now make me a fan? I think so :)
- letterpress illustrations!
Christophers Ears, Illustrated by Chelsey Freyta, Printed by bespoke
Honey In Sunshine, Illustrated by Nancy Mungcal, Printed by bespoke
Anyone that knows me will know that I love beautiful illustrations, beautiful paper, and just about anything letterpress printed, so the new Bespoke Letterpress Illustrators Project in right down my alley. Cristophers Ears is definitely my favourite from the illustrations shown at the moment… but Honey In Sunshine is a close runner-up.
The Illustrators Project is a great opportunity for emerging artists to see their work printed beautifully and available for everyone to see and purchase, I once again wish that I was a professional illustrator and remember my drawing class is on tonight :)
I was in contact with Alischa from Bespoke earlier in the year, I so wanted to have my business cards printed by her and she sent me some lovely samples so I could see the quality of the paper and printing. I’ll be keeping a closer eye on the shop from now on.
- sometimes
Sometimes I Think, Sometimes I Am, Sara Fanelli
I am sorely tempted to dismantle this book and hang the beautiful illustrations on my wall. I’d love a print of the front cover in the very least, on the look out now :)
- never apologize
never apologize., originally uploaded by (kerry ball).
- strangled
Illustration by Stuart White VIA
I couldn’t tell you why, but out of all the interesting illustrations and images from Stuart White, this one really spoke to me. I kind of imagine that this is the future ahead of this young melancholy girl, so not a happy picture to my eyes but interesting.
- notgeld
Bielefeld 50 Mark – 1922, originally uploaded by Iliazd.
Wandsbek, 25 Pf, 1922, originally uploaded by Iliazd.
Part of a very cool set on flickr of German Emergency Currency, Notgeld, from between 1914 and 1923. The set owner gives a very interesting history of these notes originally belonging to his Wife’s family, I highly recommend viewing the entire set, for the history as much for the beautiful examples of German design.
- a tasty & chewy new flavour of font
There is so much to love about this font – I must have it! :)
When I realised it is designed by Kevin Cornell of Bearskinrug, I was not surprised I like it so much – I like his style of illustration. Take a look at the top right hand corner of this page (The Bear) I love it!
- kuchisake onna
I was introduced to the illustrations of Andrea Innocent by an ABC radio segment, her sources of inspiration include Japanese ghost stories, folklore and legends. A collection of her work “Love, thieves and fear make ghosts” was most recently showing in Sydney at the Japan Foundation Gallery. I love ghost stories, and the Japanese stories are particularly interesting and creepy.
I once tried to watch Ju-on (the original Japanese movie that was turned into The Grudge) by myself & I swear I lasted less than 15 minutes before I was so creeped out I switched it off and called my Dad. Haha! I felt like such a baby :)
kuchisake onna (口裂け女, Split-mouthed woman) by Andrea Innocent
The basics of the kuchisake onna have been told in the tea house: She was a vain woman married to a samurai (in some accounts, a ninja) who distrusted her. Believing she was cheating on him, he slices her mouth open at the sides–splitting her face open from ear to ear.
She wanders, hiding her mouth behind a fan, the sleeve of a kimono, a stole, or the surgical-style masks now worn in cold and allergy seasons in Japan. She asks someone “watashi, kirei?” (Do you think I’m beautiful? ). The answer is usually a resounding “yes” due to her otherworldly beauty, but then she exposes her face and repeats the question; her otherworldly beauty giving way to otherworldly horror. If the person says or does anything besides saying “yes”, she pursues him with a kama (sickle) or knife and replies “I want to do for you what has been done to me.”
She can’t be outrun, and eventually slices her victim’s mouth open ear to ear. Women killed in this fashion return as kuchisake onna themselves. In some accounts she is said to run lightning fast, in others she “floats” (due to a famous ukiyo-e artist in the Edo period always painting ghosts with no feet, it was generally regarded by many Japanese that all ghosts had no feet–nothing to “truly link” them to the material world).
She has appeared in picture scrolls of yokai and demons as early as the Edo period She was eventually “forgotten” as the Japanese entered the modern age and built a war machine, and then recovered to form an economic giant, but kuchisake onna returned with a vengeance in late 1979. In late 1979 and even into the early 80s, there were many sightings of kuchisake onna. The urban legend probably grew from an actual attack against a child.”