So our next assignment is to create a book cover (20×25cm) to show a unique perspective of a historic event.
So... I got to thinking on what historic event interested me. I've recently been interested in the history of Japan and its art. I thought of these periods/places/people:
-samurais/Shogunate
-emperors
-Kyoto
-Edo period
-feudal Japan
-Kabuki theatre
I wanted a more specific event but I didn't want to depict the same old thing. I needed a fresh take. And then I stumbled upon the story of Tomoe Gozen, a female Samurai who was instrumental in the Genpei war.
From Wikipedia:
Tomoe Gozen (巴 御前l c. 1157 – 1247) was a late twelfth-century female samurai warrior (onna-bugeisha), known for her bravery and strength. She fought with Minamoto no Yoshinaka in the Genpei War and was a part of the conflict that led to the first bakufu government in Japan.
"Tomoe was especially beautiful, with white skin, long hair, and charming features. She was also a remarkably strong archer, and as a swordswoman she was a warrior worth a thousand, ready to confront a demon or a god, mounted or on foot. She handled unbroken horses with superb skill; she rode unscathed down perilous descents. Whenever a battle was imminent, Yoshinaka sent her out as his first captain, equipped with strong armor, an oversized sword, and a mighty bow; and she performed more deeds of valor than any of his other warriors."
— The Tale of the Heike
At the Battle of Awazu in 1184, she is known for beheading Honda no Moroshige of Musashi. She is also known for having killed Uchida Ieyoshi and for escaping capture by Hatakeyama Shigetada.
Here are some historical depictions of Tomoe:
And so I began thinking visually about the book cover. I've always been a fan of traditional Japanese woodblock printing (ukiyo-e) but had never had the opportunity to do a design/project in this style. Is this my chance?
Here are some examples of the artform:
These prints show motifs of: decadent & decorative styles, clouds, scenery, curlicues etc.
Here's my spiderweb/ thought map for brainstorming ideas for the book cover:
And here are my resulting 20 sketches:
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Please leave comments and feedback! Let's see where this goes!
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI really love this idea. It's always inspiring to hear about the fearless women in history. I think this is your chance to try the style of traditional Japanese woodblock printing. The design with the sword on the spine was interesting. I think the ideas with the double exposure in tomoe's hair can be very striking and I like the play of japanese inspired type for the title. I'm going to suggest try using a brush pen or ink and brush to write the font for your design. Which design idea do you prefer?