I have included this title to make a point of adaptability to the subject. Grimm Press asked me to work with them on an illustrated version of Rashomon, a short story by Ryunosuke Akutagawa made famous by the 1950 film version directed by Akira Kurosawa. Nothing in my portfolio at that point pointed towards such extreme subject matter yet I was very happy to have been given the opportunity. So often we are ‘type-cast,’ or put into narrow boxes, and there are very few publishers willing to take a risk that an artist or writer can step outside their usual subject matter.

Fortunately, I have always been a fan of Japanese cinema, as well as having collected Japanese prints throughout my life, so adapting my style, characters, even colours to the subject matter came naturally. Using coloured papers and thick pens strokes I wanted to invoke an atmosphere of suspense and unease but one that also reflected the art and culture of Japan. The text ‘scrolls’ were a device taken directly from woodblock prints which successfully anchored the artwork in that period and culture.

GrimmPress.com.tw      ISBN-13: 978-986-189-357-0