Comics etc.

I refered to the work of Jonathan Edwards in one of my previous posts in particular about his comic Aunt Connie & The Plague of Beards. Jonathan has now upgraded his website to sell his work including copies of his comics. Check out his work and all the great stuff for sale on his website.

Also Curtis Jobling has a website that has just been launched have a look.

Just read a really good interview of Neil Gaiman on Paul Gravett's website about the film Stardust which is out in the UK in October. He also refers to Henry Selick's stop motion film Caroline which is due for release next year.

Shinden-Ryu-Iai

I found this photograph also with the sho-do photographs. While I was in Japan I studied Shinden-Ryu-Iai a particular school/style of Iai-do. I was taught by an amazing teacher Origuchi Kozo who taught art at the local junior high school where I worked. Origuchi also played classic guitar and a traditional Japanese musucal instrament the shakuhachi. The photograph was taken at regional class where we practiced cutting with katana, this was very different from using a replica katana. It was great to get the chance to pratice with the real katana and to understand all the movements I had been practicing. Most of the classes where in held in the gym of the junior high school which had no heating. Which meant wearing socks in the winter to stop my feet from freezing. I took part in regional competitions and gradings and was awarding my ichi-dan after my first year, which is normal for where I was studing. Unfortunately my work contract finished before I could go for my next grading.