Gomineko Updates

Hello All,

Just a few updates.

First off, a big thank you to all of you who sent in submissions for the upcoming Japanese Mythical Creatures Book. It is with the layout guys now and we hope to have it finished mid summer. I will be returning your art once I have the book in hand, along with special hardcover copies I'm making for all the participants. I appreciate your patience, this was a long project but we received so much amazing artwork the book is going to be incredible.

For the next Gomineko project I want to explore Japanese Youkai. (Supernatural Creatures). The term is loosely used for a wide range of beings - from the raging Hannya to the mischevious tanuki. There are Henge, the shapeshifters, and Tsukumogami, household objects that come to life after 100 years of devoted service. It is a huge topic to tackle and I want the book to be a visual exploration of the entire spectrum. There are several great reference books in English already on Youkai, along with illustrations from youkai masters Shigeru Mizuki and the more antiquated Kyosai and Toriyama Sekian. Lafcadio Hearn's Kwaidan book is incredibly illuminating and this website is awesome for quick reference http://www.obakemono.com/. I plan to outline what youkai are and the different categories that fall under the term. I want to have a section on stories that include these beings. There will be a section on yokai sketches for tattoo. The project part, where you come in, is the last section of the book which will be devoted to new youkai, ones you have to make up, create, and name/explain. I have artists working on a panty raider Youkai, the youkai that sneaks into your bathroom at night and removes the cap off your toothpaste so it gets crusty, a week youkai, a cee-lo youkai ..... the possibilities here are endless and the time line is generous, I won't even touch this book till winter 2011. Please email me with your idea before you get started so there aren't any repeats, and as this book will be presented as a reference book I cannot guarantee that all submissions will go to print. It will ultimately be up to the editing crew. I'm really looking forward to sinking my teeth into this new project and hope you find it challenging and fun.

Deadline is November 30th 2011. Size doesn't matter. Please do not send illustrations in frames...it costs so much in shipping. I have not arranged for this to be a show. I will probably take submission on the road to promote the book's release and return them when the book comes out. If you want to send me a digital submission that works to but it must be at least 400dpi.

Submissions should be addressed to:

Gomineko Books
attn: Crystal Morey
3-13-29 Imagawa
Suginami-ku, Tokyo
167-0035
Japan


Other Gomineko news....

I have steadily been adding stock to the website and I believe worked out all the paypal kinks so do a little drive by when you get a free second www.gominekobooks.com

I will be auctioning off some original Jack "Horimouja" Mosher Illustrations next week on eBay. He's back in the saddle working on his next book, which is going to be mind blowing, and he sent me some illustrations he's been working on recently. Check the blog or facebooks for links to those auctions next week.

We will be at the Sydney tattoo expo next week so stop by if you are i Sydney, I've send heaps of stock over!!

May 13 - 23 is our tour of Tokyo. The Asakusa Sanja Matsuri is during those 10 days...an amazing annual festival. We will explore the temples at Nikko, and see the bBg Buddha in Kamakura, along with going out to meet Horiyoshi III and visit his museum. It's a great chance to see the sight, both on and off the beaten path!


Sept 2-5 We will be at the Boston Tattoo Convention with Horimasa and Horiken. Crystal will be doing a seminar on Japanese Tattooing at the show.

In October we will be doing two back to back tours - one in Tokyo (10/3 - 10/13) and the surrounding areas and the second in Osaka/Kyoto and Nara (10/14 - 10/24).

You can keep up with us here...

www.gominekobooks.com
www.gominekotours.com
www.gominekobooks.blogspot.com
www.facebook.com/gominekobooks
and www.myspace.com/gominekobooks but we've been having so many issues with Myspace we rarely post there.

Thank You for your continued support!

xoxo Gomineko