tea doodles

 HELLO!

You may find today's post a little bit unusual. 

What's not unusual is my proclivity to doodling on anything. This time I took small cardboards from a teabox. I mean the ones which divide a space in a teabox, so it's possible to maintain the order between teabags. That's why I called this little project "tea doodles".

So far, I draw five of them. I let the pens had the time of their lives on these little cardboards. 

They are below, look at them boldly.

1

a secret, pens on a cardboard, 13,8 x 5,8 cm.

Among leafy ornamentation one lady is whispering something to the ear of another lady. One may wonder why the whispering one is having a green hand. Is she a fairy?

letting the red crane go

 HELLO!

For some time certain thought was tickling my mind, and it was the idea of drawing a lady wearing a kimono. Maybe it's because I haven't been doing an art inspired by Japanese culture in quite a long time. At first I've got no idea how to compose a picture, or which colours I should choose. Finally I came up with usage of a contrast, and with an addition of something symbolic.

Below You could look at my work - letting the red crane go.

letting the red crane go, watercolour crayons on a watercolour paper, 19,7 x 14,5 cm.

unforgettable summer day

HELLO!

Today I would like to share a new work with You. The idea of woman wearing yukata and holding a fan appeared in my mind. Honestly, it is quite possible that hot summer days have something to do with her holding this fan.

Uchiwa was a model of a fan for this drawing. Uchiwa is a handheld, traditional type of Japanese fan which has a form resembling a paddle. This coolish accessory is usually decorated with various patterns. So I designed a pattern with a ginger cat in the fan's centre, surrounded by forget-me-nots on the blue background.

the Poetic Graphics: manga

 HELLO!

From time to time it's good to immerse into manga's universe. In the end of August 2021 this immersion led me to write a poem concerning japanese comics. 

Now I'd like to show you a translation of this poem (called: manga) with a special background, as a part of the series the Poetic Graphics. Hope you'll enjoy it.

Here you can see an original poem.

the Poetic Graphics: manga, graphic.

the Poetic Graphics: blockage

 HELLO!

In the end of July 2021 I wrote a poem which developed from my casual reflections about kanashibari (jap. 金縛り, this is the japanese term for sleep paralysis), and all those stressful situations in which we are unable to say anything.

The original poem you can read HERE.

Below there is blockage as a part of the Poetic Graphics.

the Poetic Graphics: blockage, graphic.

Spot the Difference

 HELLO!

Today I'd like to tell you about my first time with creating a game "spot the difference".

The whole idea started with a desire to write a poem about a game, and reflections concerning manga Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei. Actually, the game appeared in a few chapters of Kōji Kumeta's manga. One can gather an impression that manga is toying with reader in the similar way as "spot the difference" do.

I wasn't sure what kind of situation should my pictures show. At first I thought about drawing a scene from the beach. Somehow I ended up with creating a moment in which girl is petting cat in a very abstract place.

Also, I wanted a colour scheme of my pictures to be limited to black and white. Pretty soon I yielded to temptation of using more colours - mostly pink, red and yellow.

Spot the 5 differences, fineliners on paper, 21 x 14,8 cm.

The answers for this game you will find at the end of this post.

Escapism of a lady with a kiseru

 HELLO!

Do you remember a lady in the cloud of smoke? 

Once again, I draw a lady wearing kimono who is holding a kiseru.

However she is different.

Besides obvious differences you could also notice usage of a frottage.

escaping, crayons on a brown paper, 18,3 x 11,8 cm.

the Poetic Graphics: kintsugi

 HELLO!

Around the Christmas I published a poem concerning kintsugi on my second blog. Kintsugi is the japanese way of fixing destroyed vessels with a lacquer which is mixed with a powdered gold or silver. 

I wanted to translate this poem, and show this translation in a form of "the Poetic Graphic".

the Poetic Graphics: kintsugi, graphic.

a Portrait of Hikaru Masai

 HELLO!

Today I'm showing one of my aims with a great pleasure

. It is Hikaru Masai's portrait. 

Who is Hikaru Masai? 

She is a japanese singer who nowadays is performing as H-el-ical//. Previously Hikaru Masai was a part of Kalafina. This splendid japanese group disbanded in 2019. They were well-known for their songs composed for various anime series.

Previously I drew also portraits of other members of Kalafina: Keiko Kubota and Wakana Ootaki. I was so eager to draw her as well, but as a result of various obstacles I was leaving this aim over.

The time has come but I decided to change something in a style of portraying.

Do not be afraid to look behind the certain curtain

 HELLO!

Long time ago I draw a lady in kimono and left this drawing unfinished. I don't remember what was my purpose for drawing her.

I thought that using this sketch as a basis for a graphic would be a brilliant idea. 

And it turned out to be a brilliant idea.

Samurai whose eyes are aiming at the cherry blossom

 Hello! 🌸

   So, this rare opportunity, which is an image of a man on my blog, has come. For this particular portrayal I chose a samurai. I accepted this challenge with a pleasure (lately One Piece increased my interest in japanese culture much more). I went through a huge brainstorm... Firstly I took pastels and made an undermentioned sketch.

To my own surprise this sketch was looking like a response to Sutekina tsuitachi o. There was a young lady sitting under the cherry blossom with an o-choko (a cylindrical cup which is used for drinking sake) in her hand.

Hanami but it is a collage poem

 Hello! 🌸

   I was wondering for a while where should I present my work - there or on my blue blog with poems (subjects of my blog are interchanging regardless). My hesitation came from usage of polish language in poem's arrangement. Few days ago I was doing some clearing-up in my drawer. I found the old papers, photocopies and flyers. 

   Between them I noticed a printout of my short essay concerning hanami - japanese custom which consists in watching flowers of cherry trees. With the beginning of the Spring, people listen carefully weather forecasts and their full pariculars in the matter of sakura zensen (cherry blossom front which is crossing through islands from South to North). Thanks to those informations people can appropriately prepare for hanami. 

They celebrate a subtle, ephemeral beauty of cherry blossom in the parks, in the palatine gardens or at the cemeteries. The last of the mentioned places actually correspond strongly with a symbolism of gentle flowers, associated with the passing.

   I've decided to cut some words from this essay and arrange a poem.

   Why not?

At the end of 2020 a female guitarist is playing something calm

 Hello! 🎸

     In the last post in this year there will be one of my aims - a female guitarist. I haven't got a clue at the beginning how should I portray her... Finally playing on the guitar make me aware which pose looks the best (and drawing a guitar was kinda problematic). 

A Guitarist, pencil and oil pastels on a paper, 14,8 x 21 cm.

     During creative process I decided to experiment a bit. I used a pencil for a young guitarist sitting on a wall and oil pastels for background. I thought about the fourth story from anime Mononoke (2007) where the grey world became lively thanks to smelling various scents.

So... That's all.

As a new aim I chose... a portrayal of a Samurai 

🏯

(because this year's One Piece was really awesome, entertaining and inspiring... For me it was one of those rare things that made 2020 quite tolerable)

♪ Yuki Kajiura - Fake wings

🎉

Ok, my dear readers

I wish you a Happy, Calm and Great New Year!

May your dreams come true!

🎉

Rhathymia

 Hello! 

     Today's drawing shows a lady who's enjoying her free time as much as she can. She's surrounded by plants, sitting under the tree and playing with her fluffy cat. Girl is also reading a thought-provoking novel.

    Oh, and on her hoodie you'll find a reference to Sailor Moon's opening theme... Dunno why but I find this lady strangely similar to Sailor Mercury... 

😏

Rhathymia, pen on paper, 21 x 14,9 cm.

 Have a Nice Day!  🐾

Lady in the cloud of smoke

 Hello!

     Lately my interest in japanese culture increased much more than ever. A portrait which I'll present in today's post is an evidence of this. Well, just look at this smoking lady.

in the cloud of smoke, crayons on a brown paper, 18 x 12,9 cm.

4 in 4: Nothing special

Hello!

   It took me so long to create the next comic strip of "the Four Seasons in Four Frames". At last I can present you (ekhem, quite late) the third one called: "Nothing special" concerning the personification of Spring.

I decided that the main theme of this comic should be boredom. Firstly I intended to show some polish custom characteristic for Spring... And I came up with different idea because of a sudden lockdown (which was kind of a... strange, apathetic time).

Each of the frames has got a strip in the right upper corner with the name of a month (march, april, may, june).

Below the comic strip you will find a translation of a bubble.

In "the March Frame" Spring looks a bit asleep and she's still covering herself in her yellow cloth (it's a reference to my previous work "A Spring" which you could see THERE).

In "the April Frame" I drew cherry blossom in the background (yeah, my soul is weak when it comes to Japanese culture and hanami).

hanami in purple vibes

Hello!

Today I want to show another graphic which was based on my previous work Sutekina tsuitachi o. If you aren't aware yet this japanese phrase means "Have a Nice Day!"

hanami in purple vibes, graphic, 7.04.2020.

This graphic was born from a pure experimentation. I used a fragment of a photography in which I captured the early version of Sutekina tsuitachi o. At first a usage of purple colour wasn't intended but as the experiment goes I liked this effect much more!

Inspired by Vermeer

Hello!

the Other Side of a Girl with a Pearl Earring, graphic, 22.03.2020 r.

It is a graphic which happened quite spontaneously. It was based on my last year's sketch inspired by Girl with a Pearl Earring painted by Johannes Vermeer. Obviously during drawing I couldn't help but do it in manga manner (still see some One Piece vibes ❤️). 

This graphic I'm dedicating to my friend P.P.

Have a Nice Day!

Plus - stay health and strong nowadays!

Wakana once again

Hello!

Wakana, graphic.

Two years earlier I create a portrait of Wakana. Wakana Ōtaki was a member of japanese groups Kalafina and FictionJunction. Unfortunately Kalafina disbanded in 2018. Currently Wakana gets her solo career moving.

Why am I speaking about her? 

a Geisha is coming in a sketch and graphics

Hello! 

   Japanese culture is one of my interests. Everything started with fascination of anime and manga in 2008. And my drawing style is hugely inspired by all those lines and forms I saw (and lost my heart for them). I'm still amazed by such masterpieces like Puella Magi Madoka Magica or Mononoke because of their experimentations with visuality.

   Today I would like to show a geisha's studies made just yesterday. It's a sketch created in a blast of inspiration.

A Geisha's Studies, pen on paper, 21 x 14,6 cm.