Joann Sfar Japan Sketchbook

Ever notice my fixation with all things Japanese? No? Well, try to pay attention. This post combines a few of my favorite things. First, awesome artist sketchbooks. And to be even more particular, French travel sketchbooks--namely, BD superstar Joann Sfar's sketchbook. Second: He went to Japan. And he drew everything he saw it seems during his stay (he has scanned 45 pages of it for online viewing). This guy's got a reputation for being prolific and this should give you a clue why. He just does not stop drawing.



Third: Amazing, on-the-fly ink sketches. During our correspondence last year Joann reveals that he draws his books in the same way he draws his cafe' sketches--in, well...cafe's (He was very generous with insights into his stance on "album" making [over a hundred]. He's a huge talent AND a nice guy, too? Whoda thunk?). One can imagine how he'd be relaxed, espresso on hand and casually completes page after page of his many books. Man, I gotta get to that kind of spontaneity and looseness someday. As our late great Alex Toth once said: Think more, draw less. I do the thinking more part but haven't gotten to the drawing less. Working on it still.



Link to Joan Sfar's Japan Sketchbook.
Link to Joan Sfar's website.

Tirade post on The Rabbi's Cat

Link to Amazon.com page on Joann Sfar books.