Japanese Animal Illustrations

Size: 7” x 10” - Pages: 122 - Published: 2001 - Price: $55 - Binding: Hardcover

This book has some awesome animal images! The first half is birds, underwater creatures, insects and flowers done in full color followed by more text than images and those that are there and black and white. The text can be a little daunting in this one, but the full color images are pretty rad and definitely carry the book. A good one for anyone looking for detailed underwater creatures. 

Hokusai Museum Catalog vol. 1 - Birds and Animals

Size: 9” x 12” - Pages: 164 Published: 1990 - Price: $80 - Binding: Hardcover

This book is awesome! Tons of full page, full color renditions of hawks, phoenix, fish, tigers, shi shi, snakes, roosters fox...and heaps of Hokusai sketches towards the end. If you have his sketchbooks there isn't anything new in here per se, but seeing them in full color and large as life really adds a new dimention to his work. This book is a keeper.

New Gomineko Call for Art Submissions for Tokyo Show - Tsuchigumo

Sorry for the delay guys...here you go! Have fun with this one!


Tsuchigumo, the earth spider, appears in several Japanese legends and she is fantastic. She was one of the main adversaries of Minamoto no Yorimitsu, or Raiko as he is often called. Minamoto no Yorimitsu and his four chief retainers were commissioned to rid the captal of an ever growing population of robbers and bandits. Through a series of exploites he was eventually credited with ridding Kyoto of its yokai (monster) denizens as well. There are two famous stories involving Raiko and the Tsuchigumo. In the first story, which is also a well known Noh play, he is a retainer at the palace in Kyoto and is in bed in his chambers, very ill. Delirious he was plagued night after night by dreams of being attacked by demons. His retainers stood by his bedside to keep watch but they eventually fell asleep and Raiko envisioned himself being bound with silken robes. Crazed he struck out with his short sword and the vision evaporated and a creature fled the room leaving a trail of blood. Raiko and his retainers followed the blood to a large mound of earth where they were met by Tsuchigumo, a giant earth spider. Raiko attacks and kills Tsuchigumo and his sword was given the name Kumokirimaru - spider killer.

In another story Raiko and his men are found following a fiery skull, floating in the air above them. Bound by the emperor to rid Kyoto of evil spirits, they raced after the skull chasing it outside the city to a hill where they were met by an army of gruesome yokai. Apparently the yokai did not take kindly to Raiko's quest. The army was led by an enchantingly beautiful woman and while his retainers began to position themselves against the monsters, Raiko sat motionless, staring at her, dumbstruck. He became aware of soft cobwebs enveloping him and with effort, struck out with his sword. With that thrust the phantom woman dissolved into Tsuchigumo, the giant earth spider, and her legions of yokai immediately vanished. Raiko attacks Tsuchigumo, slicing open her belly in the battle. As she died thousands of skulls poured from her belly, a lifetime of human victims, as well as thousands of vicious baby spiders, all the size of small dogs, which Raiko and his retainers in turn set upon and defeated. Grim.


Submissions may be any size/medium and must be received by September 10th. Please send them to:

Crystal Morey
Gomineko Books
IS Heights #1101
3-32-42 Higashi - Shinagawa
Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo
140-0002
Japan

Please include your name, address, email and permission for Gomineko Press to print the illustration in future publications. Please let me know as well if you would like your artwork returned. I will return submissions after the book goes to print.

Here are some Tsuchigumo images for reference....


Kuniyoshi


Yoshitoshi


Kuniyoshi

New Fantabulous Book on Insects!!

I love love love insects and this book has some incredible dragonflies, praying mantis, grasshoppers, bees and butterflies!! If you do insects and are ready to put an asian twist on them, pick this up. It includes a variety of nice flowers as well - lotus, peopies, lillies, iris. This is a great tattoo reference book. Stock on this book is limited, I only get them in occasionally so please understand if there is a delay on your order. If this book is out of stock I will refund your payment and let you know as soon as more come in. xx Gomineko

Size: 21cm x 30cm - Pages: 118 - Published: 2002 - Price: $55 - Softcover


Click here to order: Painting Butterflies and Insects













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