Haiga 523 Mark Brooks haiku 1

Haiku by Mark Brooks. Artwork by myself.

spring wind
the hobo's smiling cat
erases herself

Concerning this haiku, Mark san informed me about hobo sign. (see here). I did not know about this practice and i was intrigued. I then wanted to draw my version of the sign, smiling cat, and with the same brush I did the calligraphy. In both process, I kept in mind Spring wind. That's how this haiga came about.

Mark san writes of this haiku, "a firend erased the marking from her mailbox; she had given some panhandling youths some lemonade, of all things, the day before".

Haiga 522 Carol Purington haiku 2

Haiku by Carol Purington. Artwork by myself. Photo credit: Joe Amon, The Denver Post.
I was looking at a series of photographs at The Denver Post website. The series was about wrestlers in a small town school. The photo I used here is one of them. The farm, the barn, cow, all these reminded me of the Woodslawn Farm where Carol has spent most of her life, experiencing the nature only through the window of her room.

I made the photo very light, almost fading in the mist, because the haiku mentions something intangible, more of the impression rather than sketching of actual sky. I could have used just the gradation of blue here, but then that would be too boring so I added this photograph.

Haiga 521 Carol Purington haiku 1

Haiku by Carol Purington. Artwork by myself.
Carol san and I are the same age, but in most of her life she is bedridden. I came to know her haiku from a boxful of haiku books An'ya san had sent to me. Two of Carol's haiku books were in the box. I liked her haiku and made some haiga. I sent her printouts of the haiga so she could look at them without turning on computer each time.

This morning, I got an email from her, saying that she's gotten a new computer so this time, I sent to her a CD, containing my haiga ebooks, some of which contain Carol haiga. Also contained is haiga ebook of Basho's "Narrow Road to the Deep North".

I am happy to know that she is still well enough to handle a new computer, and enthusiastic about writing and appreciating haiku.
This haiga here is in the ebook. Before I post it here, I changed the layout and the colors a bit. As you've probably noticed, I got the left bottom figure from Andrew Wyeth's painting, "Christina’s World". Carol lives in MA, and Wyeth painted in New England area so there's a connection.

Haiga 520 Yosa Buson haiku 20

Haiku by Yosa Buson. Artwork by myself.
Well, this is the last of the Buson haiga series, at least for now.
Buson wrote many haiku on peony flower so I picked one for the final haiga to conclude this series (let me call it "part 1").

I intend to make some more Buson in the future, but meanwhile, I am open for new collaborations. Those who are interested, just send me a batch of haiku (15 to 20) to my email address (see my profile). This is a non-profit activity.

Patti Smith haiga and its making

I finished reading "Just Kids" by Patti Smith. A nice feeling lingered.

I had an empty box of chocolate (my friend in San Francisco had given it to me). When I threw it away, I tore it in pieces. The torn edges caught my eyes, retrieved the pieces, arranged them and scanned them. (image 1 & 2)

On Photoshop, I cropped the scanned image, filled in the right side white space with dark blue (image 2 & 3)

I changed the hue and enhanced color saturation to the maximum (image 4)

At this stage, Patti Smith came to my mind and decided to make a haiga for her. I searched online a right photograph of Patti and her life long partner Robert. (image 5) Then I pasted the photo on the image (image 6).

I then transported the image to Adobe Illustrator, and added color bars and haiku text (image 7)

The night cityscape is that of SF, but resembles that of Manhattan where Patti's story mainly took place. In the letter "San Francisco", only "France" is legible. Patti's preferred poet, Arthur Rimbaud was a French.

Haiga 509 Yosa Buson haiku 19

Haiku by Yosa Buson. Artwork by myself.
Water filling a rice patch insures the growth of rice. Water then moves on to next rice patch, and then to another, making sure each rice patch will be productive.
When I read this haiku, I associate it with one's life. Looking back my life, I question myself "Have I been good to others, like water, at various stages of my life: as a kid, as a student, as a lover, as a husband, as a father, and so on?"
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Buson haiga series is coming to an end soon, I just have one more haiga to show. I intend to make some more Buson in the future, but meanwhile, I am open for new collaborations. Those who are interested, just send me a batch of haiku (15 to 20) to my email address (see my profile). This is a non-profit activity.

Something for a change, an old poster

Just a few days ago, I got Kindle and started reading "Just Kids" by Patti Smith. I purchased the ebook because it was listed as a bestseller, I did not know who Patti was. It turned out that the story was about a young couple, almost my contemporary (Patti is slightly older), who struggled in art and poetry, and eventual Patti's success as a rock 'n roll singer song writer.

In about the same time, I was an art student myself. This poster here is from the time when I was studying fine art at U of Hawaii. The year is not on the poster, it is probably 1970. People on the poster (me on the far left) are my painter friends. We were so enthusiastic then, not satisfied with school activities alone, that we borrowed a big warehouse near Ala Moana and shared it as our studio.

I dated with two girls in the photo. Won't mention who.

A mega-hit song,
after so many springs
still stings my heart

Haiga 508 Yosa Buson haiku 18

Haiku by Yosa Buson. Artwork by myself.
I knew this haiku from my elementary school days. After I started making haiga, this haiku was one of the first to challenge, but somehow I was not satisfied with the result. I redid and redid.
I am now pretty comfortable with this one, though I might work on it again.

Japanese version is read: Haru(spring) no(of) umi(sea) hinemosu(all day long) no ra ri no ta ri(onomatopoeia of sea water movement) kana

One difficulty I faced and worked again and again is "no ta ri no ta ri" part of the haiku. It is the movement of the spring waves: repetitious, slow, languorous movement. Even though it is mentioned in the haiku, I wanted to show it visually so that the image alone can convey the feel.

Haiga 507 Yosa Buson haiku 17

Haiku by Yosa Buson. Artwork by myself.
I'm showing here the first stage of this haiga: a hand-drawn drawing done with sumi ink and brush. To convey the feel of the haiku, I decided this medium and tool were most suitable.
I scanned the drawing and brought the data onto Adobe Illustrator software, and then digitally manipulated, like adding colors, background shapes. And of course the haiku text.

Haiga 506 Yosa Buson haiku 16

Haiku by Yosa Buson. Artwork by myself.
Buson's haiku often deals with very subtle feeling, the kind that I hardly notice, which makes my haiga making quite a challenge.
Here, the haiku says "almost unreal", so I honestly made haiga almost unreal.

In haiga, you need to include the text of haiku. The text can be within the image area, or on the side. Important thing is, you get to see image and text at the same time in the same area so you can examine the resonance emanating between them.
In this haiga, I put the haiku in original language within the image, and translation on the side. This is not a rule as such, just something I do on a whim. The original haiku is in white in this case. I make the text about 70% transparent so it settles nicely with the image, becoming unified so to speak.

iPad haiga by Alexis Rotella and me

Artwork by Alexis Rotella. I added a senryu to it.

Alexis is doing some interesting paintings on ipad and on smartphone, using painting softwares which can be manipulated by fingers. She's sharing them via twitter (@tankaqueen ), and that is where I found this image. Colors are vivid, and shapes are bold. Nice drawing of the facial parts.Overall very simple painting, but it surely leaves in you some strong impression.

Alexis twitters of finger painting on the touch-screen, "Doodling is so much fun, so therapeutic -- color therapy an added bonus".

Experimental art-something haiga-ish

I made this image but all baseball fan know it is not my original image. However, when presented in this manner, I think the image takes on some other meaning than just a score graphic. The image induces the feeling of tension and you could come up with many stories or situations from it.

The image has letters and artwork (simple circles) so it has the appearance of haiga. Is it a haiga? I do not know. One thing sure is that it is not just a graphic anymore. It is coming closer to a piece of fine art, I think.

Extra inning-
plume of powder at hands of
pitcher and batter

I wonder how Cor san evaluate this haiku.

Haiga 505 Yosa Buson haiku 15

Haiku by Yosa Buson. Artwork by myself.

I received an email, asking me if there are any books on modern haiga. Come to think about, I cannot recall any such books, except one by Stephen Addiss, but this book is about traditional haiga. Even in Japan, though there are books on traditional haiga such as ones by Basho and Buson, but none about modern haiga. The reason is perhaps that the this genre is still in developing stage.

My haiga is probably classified as modern haiga, though I am not so conscious of it. To me, whatever artwork you can produce using the tools available today, be they sumi brush, pen and ink, photograph, collage, assemblage, digital and such, can be used for haiga. The important thing is to make sure the artwork and the haiku resonate, which is the difficult part in haiga making.

If you can produce images that emanate poetic message, the techniques and tools do not matter.

Haiga 504 Yosa Buson haiku 14

Haiku by Yosa Buson. Artwork by myself.
Today's haiga is almost like a picutre book image. It is a little over-done for a haiga, but I guess a haiga artist can play around time to time.
In this haiku, Buson was a bit sick and dreamed about chasing the sickness away. Next morning he felt fine. Buson was not a monk like Basho, but I made his head bald just to make the drawing simple.

When I was a kid, I used to sleep under the mosquito net. In a tatami-matted room, there are hooks at the four corners of the room and the net is hook up to them so that the whole room becomes mosquito free. I liked sleeping in the net for it gave me a sense of being embraced. Almost all household had a few nets, but years past, and I do not see them anymore. I kind of miss it.
____________________
The other day when I was in Tokyo, I met a traditional Japanese dyer. Today, I happened to find his homepage. Here you can get some idea of what Edo Komon is.

Haiga 503 Yosa Buson haiku 13

Haiku by Yosa Buson. Artwork by myself.
Here is another Buson haiku without Japanese original. Once again I must ask you viewers to find me the original.

Haiga 502 Yosa Buson haiku 12

Haiku by Yosa Buson. Artwork by myself.
For this haiga, I could not find the original haiku in Japanese. If anyone know it, please let me know.
Whenever I make haiga of haiku written by Japanese haijin, I try to get the idea of the haiku, which appeals to people without Japanese cultural tradition. In this haiga, I drew a scene that is more of less universal because haiku is quite universal. There is no need to include Japanese scenery or things.

As you see in the comment section, Mark Brooks san was so kind to take trouble finding the Japanese orginal haiku. I am now showing you here the revised version. He even sent me an image so I was able to see which parts are hiragana, which are kanji, and which kanji (different kanji for the same sound). Japanese is so complicated....

Haiga 501 Yosa Buson haiku 11

Haiku by Yosa Buson. Artwork by myself.

Just returned from Tokyo trip. I met many people during the trip, but especisally momorable person was a textile dyer who specializes in Edo-Komon patterns. He is the 4th generation of the trade. He showed me his workshop, too. Edo-komon means small patterns popular during the Edo Period. I was just amazed to see all the intricate patterns carved out on the specual rice papers.
The patterns are dyed on to silk and eventually become kimono.

Haiga 500 Yosa Buson haiku 10

Haiku by Yosa Buson. Artwork by myself.
This is the 500th haiga posted on this blog. Over the years, I made more than 1000 haiga and constantly adding new ones so there are a lot more to show.
Now, this Buson haiga is something everybody, the beginners and the advanced poets, can easily understand and appreciate. I myself enjoyed drawing it and coloring it. I gave out quite a few print-outs to many people, too.

I will be out of town for a few days starting tomorrow, will be unable to renew the blog during the time. I have some more Buson to show so stay turned.

Haiga 499 Yosa Buson haiku 9

Haiku by Yosa Buson. Artwork by myself.
The haiku is about the sound, something you cannot see, and has no shape. It is always a challenge to visualize something like this.
The haiku is also about the temple bell, usually a heavy casted bronze type.
I first drew lines, keeping in mind the general shape of the bell, also at the same time, thinking about its sound and the waves its generates when being hit.
Overall effect resulted in pretty abstract, but the abstraction stems from the actual shape of the bell. (most of the so called abstract paintings begin from the sketch of actual object or scene, good example being a series of tree paintings by Piet Mondrian)

Snow ginko and haiga special

During the lunch hour, I set out again into snow. I meant it to be just a casual snap-shooting walk, but there were so many interesting scenes, my walk zigzaged. When I reach the foot of mountains, my leather shoes were all drenched wet. I kept on going till I reached the thicket of an old Shinto shrine (Yamanobe-no-Michi Trail, oldest path in Japan, passes through there). My steps became easy for most of the snow stayed on the tangle of tall tree branches. Here and there, the branches gave and shower of powder snow fell. It was like momentary waterfall.

On snowy day,
bushwarblers the bird
of Spring colors

春色の鳥やうぐいす雪の日に

Finally, substantial snow fall

The weather forecast was right. Snow began last night, and the next morning is fully covered with it. I had to walk to give a lecture in the morning. I picked up my camera, and on the way I took many photos. I was a bit late for the lecture but nobody minded.

Snow shines,
a bit of glitter
on commuters' eyes

雪映えて通勤客の目に光

Haiga 498 Yosa Buson haiku 8

Haiku by Yosa Buson. Artwork is by myself.
Now, this is a rather mysterious haiku. The origianl Japanese haiku is even more mysterious, having certain ambiguity. I did the translation, but as you know, you need to know its meaning before you can translate, but in this case I am not so sure about that. I looked at other translations, and it seems mine is not quite off the mark, though.

That ambiguity was carried over to the haiga, too. I found an old empty bulleten board frame when I was taking a walk. I photographed it and added another sky within its frame. I increased yellow on this photo so it looks a bit older. Also drew a kate, and made it half transparent so it overlaps on both sky. This is my solution to visualizing the ambiguity.

This haiga shows that even if you do not fully understand the haiku, you can still make something out of it.

Haiga 497 Yosa Buson haiku 7

Haiku by Yosa Buson. Artwork by Kuniharu Shimizu.
Hototogisu, or cuckoo, is the kigo of summer, so this haiku is about the season. But what interests me is the word "diagonally".

The city of Heian is a planned city, modeled after old Chinese capital city; the streets are just like in the haiga, in rigid lattice. And this lattice shape corrisponds to the ritual manner also. Many formal ceremonies took place at the emperor's palace. One basic rule of human movements in the formal ritual is that you never move diagonally, they should be always right-angled.
I know this because a part of my priestly learning included the ritual manners.

Knowing all these, our appreciation of the word "diagonally" deepens more. Cuckoo is so free, free from all the rigidness and restraints in human world, which culminates at the emperor's city.

Haiga 497 Yosa Buson haiku 6

Haiku by Yosa Buson. Artwork & English translation by myself.
In the original Japanese haiku, Buson used kanji "shimizu" (literary clear water, but in translation "springwater"). The kanji is the same as my family name so I like the haiku immediately. And of course, the haiku itself is, I think, very haiku; simple observation of the nature, being inspired, sketching it, and resulting in a haiku with many layers of meaning.

Visualization took a while, in fact a whole afternoon, because although I made several attempts, each time there were some uncomfortableness remained in me, in another words I failed each time. In the end, however, Muse finally gave me a solution: focusing. I realized that there were unnecessary elements in the previous attempts. The subject is just the flowing water so I just focused on the flow, and concentrated on making the flow visually interesting.

Haiga 496 Yosa Buson haiku 5

Haiku by Yosa Buson. Artwork by myself.
Spring this year will be my 61st. one. Buson wrote this haiku at about the same age as mine. I think reminiscence is something people of our age begin to do often.

This is a cherry blossom tree. Took me a while to draw all these petals. I drew them in such a way that they fall as snow and turn into blossoms as they rests on the branch of the tree.

World Haiku 2011 anthology published

I received a copy of WH2011 Anthology today.
As in the previous anthologies, there are, in this issue, pages for haiga, chosen from the contests in the previous year. Submitted haiga were predominantly photo-haiga, and I commented on the issue that the contest welcomes haiga done in other various media.

To order the anthology, check the latest new here-> http://www.worldhaiku.net/whatsnew.htm

BTW, I shot this photo in the refregerator, a winter photo so to speak.

Haiga 495 Yosa Buson haiku 4

Haiku by Yosa Buson. Photo by myself.

My friend, a calligrapher, gave me a small paper screen (about the size of B5 when folded). According to him, you do your calligraphy and paste the paper on the screen and put it on a shelf or some place as a decoration.
I had another use of the screen, which you see here in this photo-haiga.

Incense is an art in many countries. Was quite popular in olden time in Japan, being appreciated in the similar ways as tea ceremony and flower arrangement.

A rest day,but...

Photo by my grandson.
I was gonna take a rest in posting new haiga today, but my grandson wanted me to pose with one of his treasure, some anime figure, and he took a rather nice photo so I decided to post it here.

An old man and
a small man,both
admiring last glow of the day

Haiga 494 Yosa Buson haiku 3

Haiku by Yosa Buson. Artwork by myself.
Today in Japan is "Risshun", meaning the first spring day. In the other Asian countries, they celebrated the new year yesterday. Though there are news of heavy snow, Spring is definitely coming soon.

Now that ume blossoms are in full bloom, Buson is so thrilled, like the bird in the haiga, that he just cannot decide which ume to go admire.

Haiga 493 Yosa Buson haiku 2

Haiku by Yosa Buson. Artwork by myself.
Haiku, however small it is, sometimes captures a large scene in the nature, and induce the reader to a wide wide world. Buson's haiku here is one of those.

In the haiga, I tried to visualize such a world. For the rape field, I used silk-screen approach, where layers are put together. In this case I made three layers: green, yellow, and half transparent white.

Haiga 492 Yosa Buson haiku1

Haiku by Yosa Buson. Artwork by myself.
Yosa Buson is one of the big three haiku masters, the other two being of course Basho and Issa. Among the three, I feel strong affinity to Buson for he was a great painter, too, and I admire his paintings. He specialized in Chinese style painting, which was very popular in his time.

In this haiku, Buson noticed a rule of the nature, that is, color white is tend to be canceled by light of similar color, in this case by the moonlight. In the haiga, I made the ume blossoms almost inconspicuous, letting the branches stand out more. Ume tree can best be drawn by sumi brush so that was my choice of tool.

Haiga 491 Mellisa Allen haiku 3

Haiku by Mellisa Allen. Artwork by myself.
I did some debating myself when i was making this haiga: should the owl be staying still, perched on a branch or something, or flying with its wing widely spread? Considering the mood of the haiku, the former seemed likely, but visually not so dynamic and interesting. Thus I chose the later idea. The resultant haiga is just an interpretation of the haiku.

I tweeted a few things about haiga-making last night.
"As a visual artist, I can contribute so much to haiga, and in return, haiku trains me to concentrate and focus"
"Haiga is a kind of game in which your creativity is challenged. It may become a good art education tool"
"On haiga, you can test your creativity in drawing, painting, photography, calligraphy, illustration, graphic design, and so forth"