Reduce The Panic » japan

Redesigning Asia with Modern Japanese Art

Catherine South — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 10:50:39 +0000

Ancient Japanese art focused on the culture and surroundings of the Asian island, depicting scenes of human affairs, landscapes and mythology in a highly stylized way. This design style has persisted in Japanese art, influencing modern Japanese artists and designers.

Ancient Japanese Design

Japanese art focuses on the quality of each line that is painted or drawn. This may be attributed to the traditional writing method in Japan, in which the text characters are painted with a brush and ink. This writing technique inspires artists to appreciate line quality. Japanese calligraphic influences can be found in the majority of famous Japanese paintings, woodcuts and sketches.

Below left is an image of Hokusai’s The Great Wave, followed by the famous Japanese paintings; White Phoenix on Old Pine from the Colourful Realm of Living Beings by Ito Jakuchu, Barbarians from the South by Kano Naizen and Wind God by Ogata Korin.

source:wikipedia-greatwave,whitephoenix,barbarians,windgod

Ancient Art in Modern Japanese Design

The quality of each line is still an important aspect of Japanese art, and the tradition of outlining areas of color persists in modern art works. Note in the pictures below how similar shapes and lines are repeated, creating subtle patterns in the piece. This creates a sense of movement and animation in the painting, and is a technique that can be seen in the famous Japanese paintings above.

Some modern Japanese artworks combine ancient and modern design techniques, along with ancient and modern characters. One popular form of modern art in Japan is anime, a style of animated cartoon unique to the small island.

source:indecentbazaar,sandervanliempt,all-art,superpunch,plastolux

The Dark Side of Hello Kitty

Catherine South — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 11:06:27 +0000

Hello Kitty (Harō Kiti in Japanese), is a cartoon character designed by the Sanrio company to decorate clothing and accessories. The character is typically portrayed as having white fur and either a bow or a flower on one ear. The Hello Kitty cat has become a symbol for cuteness, which has inspired a number of art works that attempt to dispel the coochy cute appearance of Hello Kitty.

Hello Kitty Loves You…

…and wants your blood. These evil Hello Kitty doppelgangers are like a feline version of Chucky, the evil doll from the movie Child’s Play.

source:tracismixedbag,cutoutandkeep,undead-art,documentingreality

Hell Kitty

Naughty dogs go to Hello Kitty hell, where Hello Kitty demons and devils reign. Meow meow.

source:thedevilanddanvojir,politikaljunkee,ajgrifdog,toycutter

Emo Kitty

For a creature as cute as Hello Kitty, this little bobcat can sure be emo at times. Add a few design elements such as emo hair and make up, a lot of black and a dash of pink and voila! Emo Kitty is born!

source:shirtoid,morbid,poohbear8014

Cupcakes with a Sweet Tooth for Anime

Catherine South — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 12:44:34 +0000

Anime is the term given to Japanese animation, which has a distinct style that is unique to Asian Animation companies. Anime cartoons have become popular around the world, and are either subtitled or dubbed into other languages. This popular art form has inspired artists to create fan art pieces, such as these anime cupcakes.

Pokémon

The characters and items from the popular anime series Pokémon are very recognizable, and make for super cute cupcake designs. The character Pikachu and the pokéball transportation device are two of the most recognizable designs.

source:cutestfood,familyfun,cupcakesoftheday,cakecentral

Dragon Ball Z Cupcakes

Dragon Ball Z’s wild-haired animated characters are popular for their lively attitudes and endless adventures. The cartoon TV series was based on a manga (comic) strip that originally ran in the magazine Weekly Shonen Jump from 1984-1995. These anime cupcakes are fan art that you can eat, and are an excellent baking project idea for kids and adults alike.

source:crumbsanddoilies,partycupcakeideas

Naruto Cupcakes

The world of Naruto is one of magic and intrigue, populated by a human-like race. The characters have a wealth of personality and character, which make them an intriguing subject for cupcake design. This edible fan art makes an excellent gift for anime fans, and can be used in place of a birthday cake.

Source:weheartit,cococakecupcakes