Todoroki Kawaii

Just a local Japanese female I enjoyed drawing the other day.

By my estimates there are two generations in the USA that have no idea what it's like to get a movie program at a theater. It's simple, give your audience something extra and they can take home and they will appreciate you for it.  In this age of virtual media, the value of tangible mementos is increasing as they become more and more scarce everyday. Going to the movies at one time was on par with going to a theatrical stage performance.  It was an experience.   It was a company presentation , complete with ushers standing in aisles (not just the ticket door), theater programs and even in some cases, intermissions.  Anyone remember those? Now that films are accessible on demand, literally in your pocket, downloadable to watch anywhere, there can be no argument its magical aspect has been lost.  Movies are cheap in terms of long term emotional value. The paper industry in Japan still has a considerable amount of power and leverage.  (Which is why Kindles and...

Had the privilege of getting the assignment to design a mascot/ logo for the entertainment production company  Young Lion Productions .  They are best known for producing the film, "The Harimaya Bridge" starring Danny Glover.    The client wanted something that was nostalgic of his youth.  In this case his high school's mascot.  So the mission was to turn this image: Into what you saw above.  While the original has some crude appeal, something more sophisticated was in order.    Designing a mascot or logo requires a lot of discussion and mediation as it should impact the viewer emotionally and psychologically.    Personally, I gravitate towards a '3D' and animation sense of design.  (I guess what is called the "Disney Style")   My first pass looked something like this: Looks like a distant cousin of the Exxon Tiger, haha.  But though the Exxon Tiger and characters like him in the old days had a lot of pencil milage an...