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1. Back in 2012 I was in a creative slump. I suddenly felt like trying a new tool to get out of it, and decided to try pocket brushes (I'd never had one since they didn't sell them here). I had seen that Yoji Shinkawa used them a lot for his Metal Gear art - got me curious.
2. I followed an older master's advice to try lots of east asian calligraphy and Sumi-e to advance in my brush inking and my drawing as well. This was a good tool and very practical for it, since it was designed for that end: writing kanji.
I started simple, just simple doodles.
I started simple, just simple doodles.
3. The idea was not to use any pencil, since there's a very Zen thing about trusting yourself and letting whatever happens to stay on the paper as an honest part of expression.
Then one day I doodled a girl and it struck a cord.
Then one day I doodled a girl and it struck a cord.
3. I decided to keep doing girls, improvising all of them just like the rest of my practice. A series started to develop around 2013 - 2014. For a couple of years I did tons of these (some better, some worse, in my eyes).
4. It quickly developed into a study not only in form and execution, but in economy of resources and spaces. It helped me explore negative space and the boundaries of suggestion. What are the boundaries between drawing and symbol?
5. I'm no longer making them and work schedule makes it very hard today for me to reserve time off just for practicing, but I always find ways to include some of this visual language into my everyday work.
People usually enjoy very much how I ink.
This is (partly) the story.
People usually enjoy very much how I ink.
This is (partly) the story.
