the secret life of....prints

from the day job file:
universal studios hollywood just opened their secret life of pets ride last week and it's amazing how long of a lead time there is on these attractions.......design, engineering, production, installation......i was painting the cats and dogs for it almost two years ago. the alley cats were fun but be on the lookout for the tangled dalmatian reaching for the ice cream- he might look simple but he was one of the harder ones. it's kinda nerve-wracking painting just the right black spots on white fur in front of the universal creative team- not much room there for error.
here's a POV ride through 
i get a lot of good references and direction but it's funny, i rarely see the movies i am working on.
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from the night job file:
the kenton county (KY) library has put together a thoughtful, poignant program honoring some of the community members lost to COVID-19. 20 artists were asked to create portraits for the surviving families so that their loved one could be remembered. thanks to christian schmitt for putting that idea in motion, i was happy to help in any small way- understandably, the reactions have been powerful and heartfelt.
there was a little early reporting on it here.
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hokusai, fuji at sea, 1834

​finally-
in lieu of other project news, i want to share with you  my latest obsession of the past couple years: japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints.
not sure why it has taken me so long to start collecting- generally speaking, i have been a fan for awhile, but it has culminated now with almost nightly searches for beautiful pieces. it truly is the thrill of the hunt. availability is one thing and they can be both remarkably cheap or frustratingly expensive.....and the volume of prints is mind-blowing......

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yoshitoshi, horin temple moon, 1890

harunobu, mitate no kinko, 1765

eisen, blossoms in the new yoshiwara, edo period

gekko, the nine-tailed fox disguised as tamamo no mae, 1896

chikanobu, iga no tsubone, 1866

with subjects ranging from elegant courtesans in ornate kimonos, encounters with ghostly spirits, kabuki actors, sea creatures, to even mundane daily life, it is easy to see the appeal. organized by schools and movements, each piece required draftsmen, carvers, printers and publishers....and a truly meticulous process. the degree to which each artist found their strengths is mesmerizing too. some deftly portray scale and landscape, others, amazing patterns and color......it's all so fascinating.
oh, and often there are SAMURAI!

kuniyoshi, shimamura danjo takanori, edo period

hirezaki, bay watch, meiji period