Next Call for Art Submissions! - Heikegani (Samurai Crabs)

Heikegami - Samurai Crabs

 

These are the rad crabs  popular with Kuniyoshi that feature the face of a samurai on their shells. Really cool little guys. They are a product of the Gempei war, a conflict between the Taira and Minamoto Clans. During the battle of Dan- no-ura Yoshitsune and his chief retainer Benkei defeat the Taira clan. These crabs are believed to be the reincarnated spirits of the defeated Heike warriors, who,  following their leader Tomomori, jumped into the ocean to their deaths in shame from their defeat. Their fierce spirits however would not surrender and instead infused into the crabs living in the bay. Because these crab hold the spirit of their ancestors Japanese people do not eat then, so now they are quite common in that area.

• Deadline for submissions October 31st, 2013
• Submissions WILL NOT be returned so if you want to keep yours please send a HIGH QUALITY digital scan of at least 400dpi. Do not send photos. Email or dropbox to gominekobooks@yahoo.com
• Submissions sent in will be auctioned off online and the money donated to the Support The Underground Crew - a group of underground bikers, musicians and artists that spend one weekend a month biking supplies in and donating their time to help out some of the villages in Tohoku the government deemed too small to resuscitate.
• Post to: Gomineko Books/ 3-13-29 Imagawa/ Suginami-ku, Tokyo/ 167-0035 Japan
• Please send a written statement giving Gomineko the right to publish your piece in any future publication and if you send the original, written permission to include it in the online auction.
• You may send as many submissions in as you'd like but I print one per artist (per motif). There is no guarantee that your piece will be selected but please know that we definitely appreciate the time and energy spent on each piece.              .
• Questions can be emailed to Crystal at gominekobooks@yahoo.com

Japanese Ghosts and Eerie Creatures Exhibition Catalog - This one is a must have!!!!

Size: 9" x 11.5" - Pages: 206 - Published: 2013 - Price: $75 - Binding: Softcover

This is the catalog from the Japanese Ghosts and Eerie Creatures ehibition that just ended and was without a doubt one of the coolest collections of yokai artwork under one roof. Over 200 pages of amazing imagery and a lot of stuff I hadn't seen before. Plus all the pieces are labelled in English as well as Japanese so you can research the stories a bit if you are so inclined. Don't let the kookie 80's cover fool you, thi book is solid gold. I got 200 for the publisher and one they're gone, that's it so don't sleep on this one kids. xo

The Artwork of Takabatake Kasho - Awesome for faces!

Size 6" x 8” - Pages: 136 - Published: 2011 - Price: $42 - Binding: Softcover 

 

I looooove Kasho's work - amazing reference for faces. He has such great tecnique for creating soft thoughtful Japanese faces...a far cry from the angular ones seen in ukiyo-e. Wrapped in fashion from the 20's and 30's his ladies are wonderfully dated and presented. Lots of eyecandy! This is a good one to pick up. 

Humorous Japanese Shunga - OOP - One of my Favorite Shunga Books

Size 8" x 11.5” - Pages: 182 - Published: 1986 - Price: $80 - Binding: Softcover


This is a great collection of Japanese Shunga - It starts out with the regular men and women in a variety of poses but towards the end there is some stuff that made my eyebrows hit my hairline! The Daruma vagina in here makes this book a must have for any collector of Shunga. One of the best ones I stock as far an imagery goes. Lots of fun stuff!

 

Brilliant New Series of Books on Sculptures in Temples & Shrines Around Japan - MUST HAVE

Size: 7.5" x 10" - Pages: 224 - Published: 2012 - Price: $75 - Binding: Softcover

This is one of a series of books that were immediately some of my all time favorites. Gorgeous photography and cover to cover brilliant reference. The sculptures provide nice clean lines and movement imperative to rendering crisp Japanese imagery. So much detail and so much inspiration in this series, words fail me. These are must have reference books!

Size: 7.5" x 10" - Pages: 224 - Published: 2012 - Price: $75 - Binding: Softcover

This is the second book in this must have series of books rife with tattoo reference. Cover to cover photos of dragons, karashishi (foo dogs) phoenix, cranes, peacocks, baku, tortoise, deities, tigers and heaps more. These are must have reference books!

 

Size: 7.5" x 10" - Pages: 224 - Published: 2013 - Price: $75 - Binding: Softcover

This is the third book in this series of mind blowing reference books. So much eye candy and so much to pull from for tattoo designs. These are must have reference books!

Japanese Refillable Brush Pens

 

1 regular brush pen, 1 fat tipped brush pen, 1 med tipped brush pen, 1 fine tipped brush pen with black sumi ink (refillable) and 1 with orange ink perfect for initial sketches. Comes with 3 black ink refills and 1 orange.

5 pens & 4 refills $60

1 orange & 3 blacks $25