Yellow Jeans + a Checkered Blazer

got the pants and the jacket at a thrift store for $7 total!

Just busy working here in the studio.  Changing it around.  AGAIN.

I don't know why I can't work when I feel like the place is a mess.  It's not like I'm looking for distractions - enough of that of course - but I can't believe how many art supplies I don't use.

I seem to have a favorite rotation of like 5 materials for drawing comics - and only like 7 more for everything else!

If you count the paint colors as one material, I only use 3 different brushes for oils, 3 for acrylics, and I hardly ever use my oil pastels or chalks.  What am I doing with all this pointless other stuff?!

But once it's all clean I feel like burning on all cylinders and the work gets better.

Speaking of which!  Almost done putting together the Frankenstein preview issue!

Woooo 15 pages of story and then storyboards, sketches, inspirational material and other junk.  Super soon!

some other stuff I've worn this week

Obon at Showa

Showa Boston had their Obon festival this weekend.  It was really lovely, especially since a day later Hurricane Irene blew in, leaving pretty much nothing to do but sit around in the dark.

We had some azuki kakigori (小豆かき氷　red beans over chipped ice) and watched some wonderful dancing, listened to great music, - it was a good time!

Just before we had dinner at Genkiya sushi, one of my favorite Japanese places in Boston.  Had the kushiyaki (串焼き　grilled seafood) and the cucumber summer maki!

Japanese Snacks おすすめ

Just some fun reviews in case you were in the market...

Here are some recommendations!  こちらはいろいろなおすすめだよ！

............................. SAVORY + CRUNCHY ............................

おばあちゃんのポタポタ焼き / Obaachan no Pota Pota Yaki  [site]

Despite my efforts to eat these as slowly as possible, alas, the bag is finished now.  And I am sad.

These have the most delightful crunch, and the soy sauce flavor is perfect.  Pota Pota Yaki is a kind of soy sauce glazed senbei or rice cracker. Like grandma makes.


ハッピーターソ／Happitan [site]

These adorable chips are annoying individually wrapped, but taste great.  Basically like a thick Lays, but you know, you have to work for it.




プリッヅ / Pretz

• Pretz Buffalo Chicken Wing [site]
• Pretz Mashed Potato [site]

These flavors are awesome.  I really dig 'em.  Both seem incredibly American, but the website claims they are meibutsu ／名物　or specialties of different areas in Japan.  Go for Buffalo if you like a punch.

............................. SWEET + SALTY ............................

キットカツ / KIT KATS

• 湯倍メロン  Yubari Melon [site]
• わさび Wasabi [site]
• 一味  Ichimi (Chili) [site]
• 味噌 Miso (with Soy Sauce) [site]
• ずんだ Zunda (Edamame) [site]
• 抹茶 Matcha (Green Tea) [site]
• 桜 Sakura Matcha (Cherry Blossom tea) [site]

All these Kit Kats were really good, but I have to say the Wasabi, Ichimi and Miso are my favorites.  The other flavors are so masked in the white chocolate, they are pretty tame.  If you are looking for something truly weird, go with Yubari Melon!

ブラックサンダー　/ BLACK THUNDER

• Wafer Crisp [site]
• Choco Manju [site]

These things are amazing.  And like, 50 calories.

A chocolate cookie inside more chocolate.

I love anything Black Thunder!  But I think I like the crisp better than the choco ball...

thanks for reading!

............................. 読んでいてたいって、ありがとう！ ............................

Comic Art supplies I use

Hey friends,

I wanted to blog about what I use to draw/ink comics with everyday.

Buying art supplies is so fun - I think I tweeted once that "The only things worth spending money on are shoes, food, and art supplies."

I also wanted to say how happy I've been ordering from JETPENS.com


(They aren't offering me anything to say this, but if they'd like me to test out future pens - will happily oblige wink wink nudge nudge)

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇ PENCILS ◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

Regular 2B TomBow
◉ $12 for set of 12
◉ I never use mechanical pencils.  Hate hate hate mechanical pencils.
  BUY THEM HERE

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇ PENS for LETTERING ◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

Kuretake fudegokochi
◉ about $3.50 + $3 for refills
◉ perfect for inking sound effects and old-school hand-lettering
  BUY IT HERE

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇ PENS for INKING ◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

Tachikawa School G
◉ about $5 + $3 refills
◉ if it suddenly stops working and your ink is full, try dipping in a little water to get it going
 BUY IT HERE

Pentel Pocket Brush Pen
◉ between $14 - 17 + $3 refills
◉ this is a popular pen for good reason - but my only complaint is how quickly you
    can go through ink.  I mean like, order 6 refill packs because you'll need them.
    On the plus side, they are crazy inexpensive refills. (around $3 for pack of 2)
  BUY IT HERE


Tachikawa holder with grip + cap / Zebra Chrome nibs + Nikko School nibs
◉ pen holder with cap about $7
◉ nibs run about $4 for a pack of 3-4
◉ it's so worth it to get a nice pen with a comfy grip and a cap to protect your 
    delicate nib from being dinged and bent!
  BUY THEM HERE

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇ BRUSHES for INKING ◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

Loew-Cornell
◉ small flat brush for inking large areas of black  (*NOT Sharpie!)
◉ thin round 2 brush for most everything else
  Buy them at any art supplier

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇ INK ◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

Deleter #5
◉ about $6 a bottle
◉ now, I love this stuff but I know plenty of artists who hate it.  I think the biggest
    reason: the bottle is made to burst open and ruin all the things in your bag.
    It's happened more times than I can count.  No matter how carefully you store it.
    love that darn cat...
  BUY IT HERE

Speedball Superblack India Ink
◉ about $6
◉ waterproof, not completely matte - more like satin finish, but great quality
  BUY IT HERE

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇ ERASER ◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

Boxy Black
◉ Oh yeah, you read that right.
◉ about $1.50
  BUY IT HERE

Thanks for reading!

(scenes from Sherlock Holmes: The Southampton Horror)

Frankenstein - Mood Boards

Here's the style guide I have going for the Frankenstein project ...

Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

Metropolis

Louise Brooks + Zeigfeld Follies

Japanese Toy Cameras カメラ

Lately I've been having lots of fun with my Harikin Superheadz 35mm camera!  I'd show you photos, but they need to be developed.

And although I have quite enough cameras, I still love looking at these fantastic little doohickeys :

 ( I really want the Green Trees one!)

I really like Brooklyn 5+10 and Four Corner Store

Did I mention my husband got me bags and bags of 35 mm film for Christmas?  Still only have finished 6 - excuse me - 7 rolls - need to carry this thing around with me more!

>> So, photographers - where do you guys send lots of film to be developed? Any suggestions?  Thanks!


Some old Harikin 35 mm photos of our trip to Japan last year

Walking around the neighborhood

potato pancake breakfast at the Broadway diner

Trader Joe's Belgian Waffle cookie, 2 ginger snaps and a ton of strawberries in cream