Or really just an influence map to show some of my main interests and what inspires me.
I don't know why, but I woke up today wanting to world to know what I enjoy and what helps me in doing my artwork. I don't usually like to blab on and on about myself but I thought once in a while it wouldn't hurt to explain where I am coming from.
Alot of what I work on currently deals with fashion or along that idea and style. My current work Naked Sushi is a story (for those of you who do not know which is most) about a band and there definitely needs to an aspect of fashion if the story is to work to a certain extent. I mean who would want to see all the members in trash hobo fashion... (I would!) But in all seriousness fashion is a huge inspiration to how I approach a piece. Some of my huge fashion inspirations are designers Alexander McQueen and Giorgio Armani. What can I say, I love the extravagant with the class.
An artist that I want to strive to be if not better than would be Alphonse Mucha. His line work as well as flow is just superb! This man definitely knew how to calculate how a composition should look like to make his subject blend in. This then leads to my absolute love of Eastern Orthodox icons from the Byzantine Era all the way to the Renaissance. Something about gold has always caught my eye and Mucha has it in some of his work that reminded me a lot of the halos in which icons have. Recently I have started working on my first comic story Nirvana White in which deals with angels and demons (Ooooo! SO ORIGINAL!) and icons have inspired me to give them all that sort of style feel. Also I hate to admit it but Lady Gaga's Judas further inspired my icon love to kick into overdrive...
Japan has always been such a big inspiration for myself and is what started a lot of my pathway towards becoming an artist if not to become a comic artist. This society is fueled with imagery and you definitely see that when you step a foot into the country. There is artwork EVERYWHERE whether it be abstract, anime what have you. Everything about this society intrigues me and well I am half Japanese so I guess I will be a little bias. Hayao Miyazaki and Sakura Momoko are the first two animator and manga artist that fueled me as a child to draw which then pushed me into drawing it full time since I was in 2nd grade. Though the country still inspires my style to a certain extent, definitely a more western approach has been integrated into my style making it hopefully more unique than not.
I love fabulous items and people and definitely sweet lolita, drag queens, and Queen Elizabeth would be part of that love. Again I love FASHION and they are the staple inspirations for how I can get a character or piece of artwork fabulous. Not only does lolita fashion like Angelic Pretty feed my visual sweet tooth and make me want to draw fluffy butt angels with ice cream cakes on their dresses but it is just visual stunning to look at. Drag Queens and I have been BFF since the 8th grade and I just love how they come of with their ideas for outfits and themes. Definitely they are societies living breathing works of art. Ever since reading Rose of Versailles, my historical obsession was kicked into overdrive and made me literally wikipedia every era of fashion as well as historical monarchs. One of the best divas of all time was none other than Queen Elizabeth I of England and god damnit to I adore her. Her fashion sense, her pasty makeup face, the era. Everything about her screams amazing!
Alright this is getting way too long so I am going to wrap this up quickly. I love BL (boy love) What can I say? I just love it love it love it. I really only like it when the story is concrete and not just, "Hey let's bone!" "OK!" Really I just find gay love fascinating as well as just fucking beautiful. This ties into my love with Rose of Versailles and artist Ikeda Riyoko. Not quite BL but man Oscar can be my man anyday and she is somebody that any lady would want to strive to be.
Anyways y'all. That is pretty much it. I know it was a very long explanation but maybe some of you will find it interesting? Or just flat out predictable with me. Hahahaha!
Either way I hope to get you all some new art and more Naked Sushi. I have a lot of big announcements to make once the ball gets rolling faster so stay tuned!
This is a piece I had started over a year ago back in February of 2010. I had totally forgotten about the picture but when looking back on it, there is still some potential yet. So I believe I may have to revisit this one. Who knows. I love me some necromancy and zombies though<3 
Here is my third pass so far of a very very time consuming project. It may not look like much but it is definitely coming together. I really need to push the tones harder as well as the hues but so far it is working. I think I'll end up changing Ioria's headband colour as well as his tunic colour. Chiaki is so friggin hard to plan for because all he wears black. I really don't know what I am rambling on about right now. Time to get back at the picture.
This is Chiaki's father Alexandre MacClaine. He is the CEO of Naked Sushi's company label(Which is yet to be decided on a name). Just a simple sketch since I need a break from my current painting project.
