I first noticed the oversized hair ribbon fad while tripping Japan in January, and it has gotten quite widespread here in recent months. I think I like ribbons very much even though I’ve never worn one as eye catching.

What was meant to be a girly scribble turned into omg have I been fed too much Japanese fashion this, which took a few hours in photoshop. She should be named Summer right? :D

Here, say hello again to my digital paintings after a two-month gap since the last one :) and currently there are two other WIP fanart that I can’t wait to complete soon.. Being a designer in the field has allowed me to strike a balance between visual design and illustration art, just as how it had been in school before, and personally the best kind of time after a long day at work – besides (trying to get sufficient) sleep – is undoubtedly the time I dedicate to my own little projects.

magician

The general idea of this painting stemmed from the time when Arashi’s single Monster was released, and I had in mind to draw a hooded phantom pulling the strings, quite literally, of a girl he’s infatuated with, based on the mysterious mood the tune creates as well as these particular lines from their lyrics:

僕の記憶が全て消えても (Even if my memories would disappear)
生まれ変わったら　また君を探す (I will search for you once again when I’m reborn)
見かけじゃなくて　心を抱いて (It matters not about appearance; just hold my heart)
満月の夜　君を見つけた　Monster (In the night of a fullmoon, the monster, I, have found you)

Through the 2 months or so of drafting, redrawing and more redrawing, it eventually evolved into something more influenced instead by Nino’s obsession with magic, hence the straightforward title, but the figure is not meant to be him and so I don’t consider this as fanart.

Symbols from the poker cards take the form of fish, buoyant in the chilling midnight air as the dog – a shibaken (Nino’s favourite breed) – and boy tracks. Time exists only beyond the fancy framed window, coming to a standstill as it gets caught in the branches. If you look closely, the picture of the girl in the other half of the waist watch is actually Son Ye Jin.

// Here’s something I want to try with this original piece:
If you could write a descriptive paragraph (or even better, a one-shot fic), do post it as a comment, I’d love to see what different results can be derived from this imagery .. and I’ll link the contributor(s) here :D

Otherwise, feel free to browse the more detailed portions of magician. As always, comments are love <3

And once the storm is over you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure, in fact, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm’s all about.

Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami

One of the most incredulous and bizarre books I’ve ever read – that’s not to say that I’ve read a lot in my entire life, but. – and my slight fascination confusion at the entire concept clearly doesn’t explain why The Wind-up Bird Chronicle and Norwegian Wood in Japanese, newly bought, sits also at my desk. I’m extremely doubtful I’ll be able to make it through even the first few pages of the latter.

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
ほしの王子様「第6章」

「あるときなんて、おひさまがしずむのを、４４かいもみたんだよ！」
　そして、君はこう付け加えた。
「しってる？人はとってもかなしいとき、夕日を見たくなるんだよ」
「じゃあ、その４４回見た日って、きみはとても悲しかったんだね？」
　星の王子様は答えなかった。

Move forward, move on, move off, move up against, move back; directions are but choices circumstances offer you in a platter, whether of expensive silver refined and highly polished to reflect our blank countenances or caked in flaky rust and inflicted with scratches aplenty.

We will all find our way, eventually.
And it boils down to the matter of whether you want to or not.