JAPAN 365: Drawing-A-Day project, by J Muzacz

This year I have committed to drawing a picture every day, using nothing more than normal ball pens. No erasing, no time to spare getting frustrated and tossing papers in the bin. Just focused, intent drawings of subjects inspired by Japan. So far subjects include rice, houses, people, history, art, animals, music, festivals, architecture, Tohoku earthquake and tsunami aftermath, Typhoon Talas’ wrath, prefecture names in graffiti style and counting…

And, I have less than 80 days to go!

Since I have gotten such good response from friends here in Japan and abroad, I decided to use this collection I am amassing to try and do some good. I plan now to turn them all into a professionally published Bilingual art retrospective on Japan in 2011. With images dating back to the Jomon period, all the way to robot professors giving lectures at Osaka University, I think that with 365 pages including all 365 pictures, captions and explanations giving history to enrich the viewing experience and educate the viewer…This JAPAN 365 book has the potential to become the essential visual representative on every JET’s bookshelf. (And hopefully on all your families and friends’ bookshelves, too!)

You can go here to view all the drawings on my photo blog to date: http://jmuzacz.posterous.com

And you can go here to support the project, claim a book, postcards, original artwork and get updates:

http://www.indiegogo.com/JAPAN365-Drawing-A-Day-Project

Please consider supporting it yourself, giving the book as a gift for Christmas (I will send out special claim slips to put under the tree!), and passing along the links to your friends and family back home to see for themselves. Really, this is just my humble way to promote multicultural exchange and Japanese appreciation here and abroad.

Thanks!

J Muzacz

ALT Kyotango City, Kyoto