Yuko Shimizu's Blog, page 4

Chris Buzelli interview

Labor Day is quickly approaching, and it is time for another school year. All the art kids out there, wanna read something that inspires you to kick start another year of art filled life?

This interview article of Chris Buzelli for Japanese magazine イラストレーション(=Illustration) was published a while ago, but I hadn't had chance to post in the timely manner. Now is the time.
For English version of unabridged original interview, please check out Illustration Friday (thanks to Penelope Dullaghan!).  If you happened to read Japanese, the actual article is on this post.

PS: I still have Sam Weber and SHOUT interviews to post soon. And I am currently interviewing Brian Stauffer. Stay tuned!!!

Chris Buzelli interview

Labor Day is quickly approaching, and it is time for another school year. All the art kids out there, wanna read something that inspires you to kick start another year of art filled life?

This interview article of Chris Buzelli for Japanese magazine イラストレーション(=Illustration) was published a while ago, but I hadn't had chance to post in the timely manner. Now is the time.
For English version of unabridged original interview, please check out Illustration Friday (thanks to Penelope Dullaghan!).  If you happened to read Japanese, the actual article is on this post.

PS: I still have Sam Weber and SHOUT interviews to post soon. And I am currently interviewing Brian Stauffer. Stay tuned!!!

a big personal work.

"how do you find time to work on your personal work?" I get asked this a lot from students.
I don't, and I don't.
I know, this is probably not the answer aspiring illustrators want to hear.
One of the reasons is that luckily, there are enough clients who call me for what I naturally do well, so I have enough jobs where there is a lot of freedom.
And another, and more important reason is, because I want to try out different things. Essentially, I am doing personal work, personal experiment, but it does not need to come out as 'illustrations I do for myself'.

One of the example is creating my own living environment. I had worked on this for last year and half, putting in as much effort, research, work and passion as I do to my illustrations.
Trust me, I used the same idea I use for illustrations: There are compositions, rhythm, color scheme, positive and negative spaces, dense and sparce....

Today, New York Magazine's interior blog SPECE OF THE WEEK featured this big personal work of mine.
When you have a moment, please take a look...






When I moved to New York in the summer of 1999 with a student visa, I had no money other than savings from my previous corporate job, which I needed to live off for the next four years in school. I bought all my basic furniture from a guy who was moving out of a room I was moving into.
I ended up schlepping the furniture around for next ten years, to various apartments all over New York City.

A year and half ago, I finally decided I will move to a "permanent address", and start everything  over again from scratch.
When I moved to my current apartment, I asked my moving truck to stop by to the Salvation Army, and dropped off almost all my furniture off. (except my red  Barcelona chair which I treated myself with after I finished a painfully torturous advertising job a few years back). I didn't even have a mattress, and had to sleep on an ottoman bed in the living room for the first few month. Then I slowly build the apartment to where I really wanted to be.
I am really excited my favorite magazine thought it was worthwhile featuring about.
Big thank you to Wendy Goodman and Leonor Mamanna of New York Magaizne, and everyone who had helped me to make the apartment the way it looks now.






The apartment is stil work in progress. The couch took a year and half of back and forth between Spruce Austin down in Texas. It finally arrived just a few weeks ago. (I had a 'couch arrival party').









Many of the decorating items are bought from etsy, some from ebay, and some are purchased during my many travels to many cities mostly during school visits. I try not to forget to stop by to local antique stores and flea markets. 

Apartment is actually still in progress. The last photo was taken this morning. A friend gave me a beautiful baby rose bouquet for my birthday, and somehow it just turned itself into a perfect dry flower. So, I decided to decorate my vintage birdcage with the roses. Looks eery cool. Well, at least, that's what I think!

a big personal work.

"how do you find time to work on your personal work?" I get asked this a lot from students.
I don't, and I don't.
I know, this is probably not the answer aspiring illustrators want to hear.
One of the reasons is that luckily, there are enough clients who call me for what I naturally do well, so I have enough jobs where there is a lot of freedom.
And another, and more important reason is, because I want to try out different things. Essentially, I am doing personal work, personal experiment, but it does not need to come out as 'illustrations I do for myself'.

One of the example is creating my own living environment. I had worked on this for last year and half, putting in as much effort, research, work and passion as I do to my illustrations.
Trust me, I used the same idea I use for illustrations: There are compositions, rhythm, color scheme, positive and negative spaces, dense and sparce....

Today, New York Magazine's interior blog SPECE OF THE WEEK featured this big personal work of mine.
When you have a moment, please take a look...






When I moved to New York in the summer of 1999 with a student visa, I had no money other than savings from my previous corporate job, which I needed to live off for the next four years in school. I bought all my basic furniture from a guy who was moving out of a room I was moving into.
I ended up schlepping the furniture around for next ten years, to various apartments all over New York City.

A year and half ago, I finally decided I will move to a "permanent address", and start everything  over again from scratch.
When I moved to my current apartment, I asked my moving truck to stop by to the Salvation Army, and dropped off almost all my furniture off. (except my red  Barcelona chair which I treated myself with after I finished a painfully torturous advertising job a few years back). I didn't even have a mattress, and had to sleep on an ottoman bed in the living room for the first few month. Then I slowly build the apartment to where I really wanted to be.
I am really excited my favorite magazine thought it was worthwhile featuring about.
Big thank you to Wendy Goodman and Leonor Mamanna of New York Magaizne, and everyone who had helped me to make the apartment the way it looks now.






The apartment is stil work in progress. The couch took a year and half of back and forth between Spruce Austin down in Texas. It finally arrived just a few weeks ago. (I had a 'couch arrival party').









Many of the decorating items are bought from etsy, some from ebay, and some are purchased during my many travels to many cities mostly during school visits. I try not to forget to stop by to local antique stores and flea markets. 

Apartment is actually still in progress. The last photo was taken this morning. A friend gave me a beautiful baby rose bouquet for my birthday, and somehow it just turned itself into a perfect dry flower. So, I decided to decorate my vintage birdcage with the roses. Looks eery cool. Well, at least, that's what I think!

San Diego Comic-Con

I am not at Comic-Con.
Many people asked if I was going, including my DC Comics Vertigo editor Karen Berger, with whom I work monthly on covers for their (ahem, bestselling, woo hoo,) series called The Unwritten.
This year, I received my first (hopefully not last...) nomination for Will Eisner Awards in best cover artist category. I am just happy and honored that enough people thought my work deserved a nomination. I don't want to think about wanting to win, which I may feel, if I was in San Diego.
I rather stay in New York, finish up piled up work before heading out to Italy early next month to teach a week long workshop.

BUT, that does not mean I am not present at Comic-Con.
In fact, I am participating in a one night charity auction event curated by Creterion Collection for Japan earthquake relief.
Creterion Collection puts out beautifully packaged collectors edition DVDs with edge, working with many illustrators. I remember dreaming of working with them when I saw a gorgeous package designed by Josh Cochran a few years back.

Eric Skillman of Creterion Collection has curated an auction show of Akira Kurosawa's works interpreted by various illustartors including Josh Cochran and myself. All one of a kind originals.  Proceeds will be donated to Japan Society Earthquake Relief Fund.

So, if you are at Comic-Con, head out to San Diego Wine and Culinary Center across the street from San Diego Convention Center. Friday July 22, 7PM to 1AM. And Buy art for a good cause!!

A TRIBUTE TO THE FILMS OF AKIRA KUROSAWA
A benefit for Japan Relief, presented by The Criterion Collection and Tr!ckster
Tr!ckster is being held at the San Diego Wine and Culinary Center,  200 Harbor Drive, San Diego. A Tribute to the Films of Akira Kurosawa," is one night only, Friday July 22, 7:00 PM to 1:00 AM.






These are DVD packages I worked with Criterion Collection. The Mikado is an opera-film, and Topsy-Turvy is another film about two men who were behind created the opera Mikado. It was fun to work on both covers simultaneously.









Topsy-Turvy, like the title, has the upside down heads of two main characters. It was a tough job to draw both of their portraits on one head and make them look like the actors. Eric helped me a lot with the process. I am happy with the result.
Below are the actors in the film.






Below is the press release

A TRIBUTE TO THE FILMS OF AKIRA KUROSAWA
A benefit for Japan Relief, presented by The Criterion Collection and Tr!ckster

TR!CKSTER and The Criterion Collection  have joined forces to curate a one-night-only celebration of the works of legendary director Akira Kurosawa. Cited as an inspiration to generations of storytellers, Kurosawa's films resonate with a singular clarity of vision, and his images last in our minds long after the last frame has played.

This intimate show, curated by Criterion designer Eric Skillman, will feature original pieces by artists from the worlds of comics, animation, and illustration, including: Mike Allred, Scott C., Josh Cochran, Francesco Francavilla, Robert Goodin, Victor Kerlow, Ted Mathot, Scott Morse, Sho Murase, Yuko Shimizu, Bill Presing, Jim Rugg, Bill Sienkiewicz, and Connor Willumsen.  Though the gallery show will be free to enter and enjoy for the general public, all proceeds from sales of these works will be donated to the Japan Society Earthquake Relief Fund.
This is a special engagement gallery event, existing for one night only: Friday, July 22, 2011.

Tr!ckster is being held at the San Diego Wine and Culinary Center, which is a venue across the street from the San Diego Convention Center where Comic-Con is being held. Its address is 200 Harbor Drive, San Diego. Our show, "A Tribute to the Films of Akira Kurosawa," is one night only, Friday July 22, 7:00 PM to 1:00 AM.

San Diego Comic-Con

I am not at Comic-Con.
Many people asked if I was going, including my DC Comics Vertigo editor Karen Berger, with whom I work monthly on covers for their (ahem, bestselling,) series called The Unwritten.
This year, I received my first (hopefully not last...) nomination for Will Eisner Awards in best cover artist category. I am just happy and honored that enough people thought my work deserved a nomination. I don't want to think about wanting to win, which I may feel, if I was in San Diego.
I rather stay in New York, finish up piled up work before heading out to Italy early next month to teach a week long workshop.

BUT, that does not mean I am not present at Comic-Con.
In fact, I am participating in a one night charity auction event curated by Creterion Collection for Japan earthquake relief.
Creterion Collection puts out beautifully packaged collectors edition DVDs with edge, working with many illustrators. I remember dreaming of working with them when I saw a gorgeous package designed by Josh Cochran a few years back.

Eric Skillman of Creterion Collection has curated a auction show of Akira Kurosawa's works interpreted by various illustartors including Josh and myself. All one of a kind originals.  Proceeds will be donated to Japan Society Earthquake Relief Fund.

So, if you are at Comic-Con, head out to San Diego Wine and Culinary Center across the street from San Diego Convention Center. Friday July 22, 7PM to 1AM. And Buy art for a good cause!!

A TRIBUTE TO THE FILMS OF AKIRA KUROSAWA
A benefit for Japan Relief, presented by The Criterion Collection and Tr!ckster
Tr!ckster is being held at the San Diego Wine and Culinary Center,  200 Harbor Drive, San Diego. A Tribute to the Films of Akira Kurosawa," is one night only, Friday July 22, 7:00 PM to 1:00 AM.






These are DVD packages I worked with Criterion Collection. The Mikado is an opera-film, and Topsy-Turvy is another film about two men who were behind created the opera Mikado. It was fun to work on both covers simultaneously.









Topsy-Turvy, like the title, has the upside down heads of two main characters. It was a tough job to draw both of their portraits on one head and make them look like the actors. Eric helped me a lot with the process. I am happy with the result.
Below are the actors in the film.






Below is the press release

A TRIBUTE TO THE FILMS OF AKIRA KUROSAWA
A benefit for Japan Relief, presented by The Criterion Collection and Tr!ckster

TR!CKSTER and The Criterion Collection  have joined forces to curate a one-night-only celebration of the works of legendary director Akira Kurosawa. Cited as an inspiration to generations of storytellers, Kurosawa's films resonate with a singular clarity of vision, and his images last in our minds long after the last frame has played.

This intimate show, curated by Criterion designer Eric Skillman, will feature original pieces by artists from the worlds of comics, animation, and illustration, including: Mike Allred, Scott C., Josh Cochran, Francesco Francavilla, Robert Goodin, Victor Kerlow, Ted Mathot, Scott Morse, Sho Murase, Yuko Shimizu, Bill Presing, Jim Rugg, Bill Sienkiewicz, and Connor Willumsen.  Though the gallery show will be free to enter and enjoy for the general public, all proceeds from sales of these works will be donated to the Japan Society Earthquake Relief Fund.
This is a special engagement gallery event, existing for one night only: Friday, July 22, 2011.

Tr!ckster is being held at the San Diego Wine and Culinary Center, which is a venue across the street from the San Diego Convention Center where Comic-Con is being held. Its address is 200 Harbor Drive, San Diego. Our show, "A Tribute to the Films of Akira Kurosawa," is one night only, Friday July 22, 7:00 PM to 1:00 AM.

Brian Rea interview

I have been interviewing fellow illustrators and introducing them to Japanese audience through ILLUSTRATION Magazine (イラストレーション) for about two years now.
The new issue just came out. This was the first issue after the huge disaster in Northen Japan. The request from the editor in chief was that they wanted to introduce someone who's work is heartfelt, sweet and touching. Possibly bring smiles to those who are going through tough times. We both thought Brian Rea's work was perfect.

As usual, for those who cannot read Japanese, Illustration Friday was kind enough to post the full length unabridged English version on their site.






I recommend this interivew to particulary those who recently finished school. Brian talks about his process of getting over style and decoration, importance of sketchbooks, and having passion outside of art, among other things.

I had been extremely busy last half a year or so, and there still are interviews to: SHOUT, Chris Buzelli and Sam Weber that is waiting to be posted on Illustration Friday. I will let you know once they are up on the web.

Brian Rea interview

I have been interviewing fellow illustrators and introducing them to Japanese audience through ILLUSTRATION Magazine (イラストレーション) for about two years now.
The new issue just came out. This was the first issue after the huge disaster in Northen Japan. The request from the editor in chief was that they wanted to introduce someone who's work is heartfelt, sweet and touching. Possibly bring smiles to those who are going through tough times. We both thought Brian Rea's work was perfect.

As usual, for those who cannot read Japanese, Illustration Friday was kind enough to post the full length unabridged English version on their site.






I recommend this interivew to particulary those who recently finished school. Brian talks about his process of getting over style and decoration, importance of sketchbooks, and having passion outside of art, among other things.

I had been extremely busy last half a year or so, and there still are interviews to: SHOUT, Chris Buzelli and Sam Weber that is waiting to be posted on Illustration Friday. I will let you know once they are up on the web.

buy art for a good cause.

Weather in New York is finally neither boiling hot or cold. So, come out to SOHO this Saturday afternoon, and buy art for a really good cause.
My good Japanese artist friends who live and work in New York, have spend months organizing this one night charity art show Dear Japan. All the proceeds will go to Japan Society's Japan Earthquake Relief Fund" (David has posted details earlier too).
170 illustrators and fine artists are participating in the show, and most of them are selling art for a fraction of what they normally sell them for. Everything for sale at the show is $200 for less. Yes, even an original Marshall Arisman print!






I took time off from jobs yesterday, and created a 10" x 10" drawing using black and red ink. Since it is not for print media, I have decided to make it all about different textures subtleness of which can only be seen if you are looking at it close enough. All the red dots that may seem like a computer generated pattern are drawn by hand using red ink one by one. This drawing is framed and ready to be on your wall. Hope someone can take it back home with him/her on Saturday night. 









I have also picked some of my personal favorite from the show.  More exciting works can be seen (and purchased) at the show. Hope to see you on Saturday!

Art Connect New York Gallery Space: 491 Broadway, 5th Floor New York, New York 10012
June 4th, 2011, Saturday 4-8 PM
Purchase by cash or checks

more info on Dear Japan Blog: http://dearjapanny.wordpress.com/
 

buy art for a good cause.

Weather in New York is finally neither boiling hot or cold. So, come out to SOHO this Saturday afternoon, and buy art for a really good cause.
My good Japanese artist friends who live and work in New York, have spend months organizing this one night charity art show Dear Japan. All the proceeds will go to Japan Society's Japan Earthquake Relief Fund" (David has posted details earlier too).
170 illustrators and fine artists are participating in the show, and most of them are selling art for a fraction of what they normally sell them for. Everything for sale at the show is $200 for less. Yes, even an original Marshall Arisman print!






I took time off from jobs yesterday, and created a 10" x 10" drawing using black and red ink. Since it is not for print media, I have decided to make it all about different textures subtleness of which can only be seen if you are looking at it close enough. All the red dots that may seem like a computer generated pattern are drawn by hand using red ink one by one. This drawing is framed and ready to be on your wall. Hope someone can take it back home with him/her on Saturday night. 









I have also picked some of my personal favorite from the show.  More exciting works can be seen (and purchased) at the show. Hope to see you on Saturday!

Art Connect New York Gallery Space: 491 Broadway, 5th Floor New York, New York 10012
June 4th, 2011, Saturday 4-8 PM
Purchase by cash or checks

more info on Dear Japan Blog: http://dearjapanny.wordpress.com/