Art ~ Pink Tentacle (8)

Tag: ‘Art’

Sci-fi illustrations by Shigeru Komatsuzaki

21 Jun 2010

Here is a collection of sci-fi illustrations by the prolific Shigeru Komatsuzaki (1915-2001), whose fantastic work appeared on plastic model kit boxes and in magazines and picture books in the 1960s to 1970s. Click the "+" under each image for a larger view.

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
The Missiler, 1970 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Giant Shocker Machine, 1975 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Space colony, 1980 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Crawler, 1968 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Mobile marine airport, 1980 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Tokyo volcano, ca. 1965

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Attack Boy, 1970 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Undersea super tunnel, 1981 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
SHADO-mobile, ca. 1970 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
UFO, ca. 1970 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Solar City, 1982 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Thunderbird 1, 1964 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Thunderbird 2, 1964 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Thunderbird 3, 1964 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Thunderbird ships, 1964 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Rikishi Boy, 1970 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Frog car boat, 1961 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Baron car boat, 1961 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Highway rescue boat, 1981 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Space train, 1981

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Moon bus [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Air car [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
HariHari, 1970 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Sea monster battle, 1954 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
The Mole (Jet-Mogura Tank), 1968 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Thunderbird 6 - Sky-Ship 1, 1968 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Thunderbird Mars Explorer - Zero X, 1967 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Proteus Bluebird CN7, 1963 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Long John - Spirit of America, 1963 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Earthquake, 1979 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Guardman Robot, 1970 [+]

* * * *

Edit: A few more images. (Thanks, Franz!)

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Underground metropolis, ca. 1980 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
World Space Force, 1982 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Horizon Car, ca. 1960 [+]

Illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki --
Ark of Space, 1968 [+]

108 Comments

Pachimon postcards

14 Jun 2010

Here is a collection of vintage bromide cards showing various pachimon kaiju (imitation creatures based loosely on famous TV and movie monsters) at iconic locations around the world. Published by Yokopro in the 1970s.

Pachi-mon --
New York

Pachi-monster --
London

Pachi-monster illustration --
Egypt

Pachi-mono card --
India

Pachimono card --
Italy

Pachimon illustration --
Africa

Pachi-monster card --
Netherlands

Pachi-mono card --
Rome

Pachimon illustration --
Mexico

Pachimon illustration --
Alaska

Pachi-mono card --
Hong Kong

Pachimono card --
America

Pachi-mon bromide --
Africa

Pachi monster bromide --
London

Pachimon postcard --
Hawaii

Pachi-mon --
Moscow

Pachimono postcard --
Paris

Pachi-mon illustration --
America

[Link: Room 103]

11 Comments

Surrealistic paintings by Tetsuya Ishida

07 Jun 2010

The surrealistic paintings of Tetsuya Ishida (1973-2005) explore the dark side of modern life.

Painting by Tetsuya Ishida --

[Link]

78 Comments

Hayaku: A time lapse journey through Japan

03 Jun 2010

This time-lapse video of Japan -- shot by Brad Kremer in the summer of 2009 -- features impressive footage of Tokyo, Matsuyama, Imabari, Nagano, Gifu, and Mt. Ishizuchi.

+ Video

11 Comments

Impossible motion: Magnet-like slopes

12 May 2010

+ Video

The winner of the 2010 Best Visual Illusion of the Year Contest is "Impossible Motion: Magnet-like Slopes," a three-dimensional object with slopes that appear to defy the laws of gravity when viewed from a certain angle. Created by engineering professor Kokichi Sugihara from the Meiji Institute for Advanced Study of Mathematical Sciences.

[Via: @GreatDismal, @anjkan, @dgroundsel]

8 Comments

Japanese steamship travel posters

10 May 2010

Here is a collection of early 20th century travel posters for Japanese steamship companies (from the book Miwaku no Funatabi, published by the Museum of Maritime Science, 1993).

Vintage passenger ship travel poster --
Osaka Mercantile Steamship Co., Ltd., 1909

Vintage passenger ship poster --
Osaka Mercantile Steamship Co., Ltd., 1916

Vintage passenger ship poster --
Oriental Steamship Co., 1919 (Chinese poster)

Vintage passenger ship poster --
Osaka Mercantile Steamship Co., Ltd., 1916

Vintage passenger ship poster --
Japan Mail Steamship Co. (NYK), 1910

Vintage passenger ship poster --
Korean Mail Steamship Co., 1918

Vintage passenger ship poster --
Osaka Mercantile Steamship Co., Ltd., 1912

Vintage passenger ship poster --
Japan Mail Steamship Co. (NYK), 1914

Vintage passenger ship poster --
Japan Mail Steamship Co. (NYK), 1940

Vintage passenger ship poster --
Osaka Mercantile Steamship Co., Ltd., 1909

Vintage passenger ship poster --
Osaka Mercantile Steamship Co., Ltd., 1916

Vintage passenger ship poster --
Oriental Steamship Co., 1914

Vintage passenger ship poster --
Japan Mail Steamship Co. (NYK), 1909

Vintage passenger ship poster --
Japan Mail Steamship Co. (NYK), 1928-1930

36 Comments

50 Japanese town logos with kanji

22 Apr 2010

Here is a collection of 50 Japanese town logos that incorporate stylized kanji characters into the design.

Kanji municipal flag, Japan --
Fujinomiya (Shizuoka): The kanji 宮 (miya) inside a cherry blossom with Mt Fuji petals

Kanji town logo, Japan --
Fukuyama (Hiroshima): Bat-shaped 山 (yama) denotes old name of Kōmoriyama ("Bat Mountain")

Kanji town symbol, Japan --
Ibaraki (Ōsaka): The kanji 茨 (ibara) in the shape of a pigeon

Kanji municipal icon, Japan --
Nishino-omote (Kagoshima): The kanji 西 (nishi)

Kanji city emblem, Japan --
Ōme (Tōkyō): The kanji 青 (ao) and plum blossom (ume) signify 青梅 (Ōme)

Kanji municipal symbol, Japan --
Kanazawa (Ishikawa): The kanji 金 (kana) inside a plum blossom, the Maeda clan symbol

Kanji municipal icon, Japan --
Okutama (Tōkyō): The kanji 奥 (oku)

Kanji city symbol, Japan --
Hachinohe (Aomori): The kanji 八戸 (Hachinohe) in the shape of a crane (head and wings)

Kanji town flag, Japan --
Kitami (Hokkaidō): The kanji 北 (kita) shaped like a sash weight

Kanji municipal symbol, Japan --
Yūbari (Hokkaidō): The kanji 夕 (yū) inside a hexagon representing coal

Kanji city logo, Japan --
Hitachi (Ibaraki): A flower-shaped 立 (tachi) kanji inside a circle representing the kanji 日 (hi)

Kanji municipal icon, Japan --
Seto (Aichi): The kanji 土 (tsuchi, or "soil") in a clay pot represents the local pottery industry

Kanji municipal symbol, Japan --
Shibuya (Tōkyō): The kanji 渋 (shibu)

Kanji town logo, Japan --
Yonago (Tottori): The kanji 米 (yona)

Kanji municipal flag, Japan --
Beppu (Ōita): The kanji 別 (betsu), the first character in 別府 (Beppu)

Kanji town icon, Japan --
Akita: The kanji 田 (ta) symbolizing arrows, a reference to Akita Castle

Kanji municipal symbol, Japan --
Azumino (Nagano): The kanji 安 (an), the first character in 安曇野 (Azumino)

Kanji city badge, Japan --
Fujiyoshida (Yamanashi): Mt Fuji and the kanji 吉 (yoshi)

Kanji town badge, Japan --
Shinagawa (Tōkyō): The kanji 品 (shina)

Kanji municipal badge, Japan --
Kōchi (Kōchi): The kanji 高 (kō)

Kanji municipal icon, Japan --
Funabashi (Chiba): The kanji 舟 (funa, or "boat")

Kanji municipal symbol, Japan --
Kakamigahara (Gifu): The kanji 各 (kaku), the first character in 各務原 (Kakamigahara)

Kanji municipal flag, Japan --
Izumo (Shimane): The kanji 出 (i)

Kanji town logo, Japan --
Ishinomaki (Miyagi): The kanji 石 (ishi)

Kanji town symbol, Japan --
Karatsu (Saga): The kanji 唐 (kara)

Kanji town logo, Japan --
Kōka (Shiga): The kanji 甲 (kō)

Kanji town flag, Japan --
Shinjuku (Tōkyō): The kanji 新 (shin)

Kanji town emblem, Japan --
Uji (Kyōto): The kanji 宇 (u)

Kanji municipal symbol, Japan --
Nagareyama (Chiba): Seal script style kanji 流 (nagare), representing the Edogawa River

Kanji municipal flag, Japan --
Nabari (Mie): The kanji 名 (na)

Kanji municipal icon, Japan --
Kasuga (Fukuoka): 春 (haru), the first character in 春日 (Kasuga), shaped like local ancient tombs

Kanji city emblem, Japan --
Otaru (Hokkaidō): The kanji 小 (o) inside a six-pointed star symbolizing snow

Kanji town symbol, Japan --
Matsumoto (Nagano): Pine (matsu) needles encircle the kanji 本 (moto)

Kanji town logo, Japan --
Tachikawa (Tōkyō): The kanji 立 (tachi) and 川 (kawa)

Kanji municipal flag, Japan --
Koganei (Tōkyō): The kanji 小 (ko) shaped like a cherry blossom

Kanji town flag, Japan --
Tajimi (Gifu): The kanji 多 (ta) and a Chinese bellflower

Kanji municipal icon, Japan --
Tama (Tōkyō): The kanji 多 (ta) shaped like a pigeon

Kanji municipal symbol, Japan --
Kodaira (Tōkyō): The kanji 小平 (Kodaira)

Kanji town logo, Japan --
Tenri (Nara): The plum blossom-shaped 天 (ten) is similar to the symbol of the Tenrikyo religion

Kanji town flag, Japan --
Yonaguni (Okinawa): The kanji 与 (yo)

Kanji town logo, Japan --
Monbetsu (Hokkaidō): The kanji 紋 (mon)

Kanji town emblem, Japan --
Sendai (Miyagi): The kanji 仙 (sen)

Kanji municipal symbol, Japan --
Suzuka (Mie): The kanji 鈴 (suzu) shaped like a bell

Kanji municipal flag, Japan --
Takatsuki (Ōsaka): The kanji 高 (taka)

Kanji town logo, Japan --
Taketomi (Okinawa): The kanji 竹 (take)

Kanji town icon, Japan --
Yokkaichi (Mie): The kanji 四日 (yokka)

Kanji municipal flag, Japan --
Tsuchiura (Ibaraki): The kanji 土 (tsuchi) represents a flower and the waves on Lake Kasumigaura

Kanji municipal emblem, Japan --
Utsunomiya (Tochigi): The kanji 宮 (miya) looks like a turtle shell, a reference to Utsunomiya Castle

Kanji municipal flag, Japan --
Yamaguchi (Yamaguchi): The kanji 山口 (Yamaguchi)

Kanji municipal emblem, Japan --
Hachijō (Tōkyō): The kanji 八丈 (Hachijō) arranged in the shape of a bird

Related: Hiragana/katakana town logos

[Link: Wikipedia]

20 Comments

Musical Nikes vs. Our Park

16 Apr 2010

Japanese breakbeat duo Hifana bang out a funky rhythm on sensor-embedded Nikes that function as sound controllers (sound programming by Daito Manabe, hardware by 4nchor5 la6). [Via: SNOW Magazine]

+ Video

Meanwhile, the homeless residents of Shibuya's Miyashita Park (now known as "Miyashita NIKE Park") are getting the boot as the local government uses Nike money to transform the public space into a private commercial sports facility. "Our Park," a short documentary directed by Emil Langballe, looks at the issues from the perspective of the homeless. [Via: Hypebeast]

+ Video