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November 2, 2009
“Like Wolverine, James Jean is the best at what he does. Unlike Wolverine, James Jean doesn’t kill people with razors that pop out of his hand. You might not know James Jean by name but you’ve seen his work. His art’s all over the place. It’s in galleries, on Prada bags, album covers, in magazines and on the covers of DC comics. Tom Herpich and Kenichi Hoshine are simlarly talented and definitely blow minds with their intense talent and vision but James Jean is the king. James’ drawings have sophistication, power and delicacy beyond what most drawers can muster.”
– Nick Gazin, VICELAND
James Jean is coming to Manila and we’re all excited. We were so excited that we called up Fully Booked and asked them to do this raffle with us. So we’re now running this contest, and Fully Booked is giving away these great prizes. Honestly, we want them for ourselves. If you want a shot at this, all you need to do is leave a comment below answering the question “Which is your favorite James Jean masterpiece and why?” You can leave as many answers as you want, but note that the top 10 entries will be decided upon by us.
The full mechanics of the contest can be found below:
The following prizes are up for grabs, courtesy of Fully Booked:
One (1) copy of Process Recess volume 3
One (1) copy of Fables Volume 1 Deluxe Edition
One (1) copy of XOXO Postcard BookContest runs from November 4 – November 18. Deadline for entries is November 18, 11:59 PM. Editors of UNO will submit a shortlist of contestants to Fully Booked. Fully Booked will then determine the 3 lucky winners.
Winners will be announced on November 20.
Prizes can be claimed at Fully Booked Bonifacio High Street. Prizes not claimed after 30 days will be forfeited in favor of Fully Booked.
Hands down, my favorite James Jean masterpiece would have to be his Fables Covers.
I know it’s more than one piece of artwork but as a collection, it starts and ends beautifully and perfectly. His Fables covers not only attracted me to the books and gave me the chance to read what is now one of my favorite series but they also hold a story of their own.
Jean placed key elements in each cover that already give readers an idea of what to expect in each volume but readers have to be clever enough to figure it out. I love it, it’s like a stunning visual puzzle.
My favorite pieces of James Jean art has been (aside from his Fables covers) the short story in Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall, entitled “A Frog’s-Eye View”. I love it because it features the tale of an old Fables favorite, Flycatcher a.k.a. Prince Ambrose, the frog prince. It was the first time that I learned of his tale beyond the old fairy tale, and I finally saw how the mighty prince became a simple janitor.
Willingham’s script meshes beautifully with Jean’s art as we see how his curse was first broken, how he married, and had a family (despite turning back into a frog once in a while). When the forces of The Adversary struck Ambrose’s kingdom, the expressions on his and his family’s faces when they attack and he is left as a frog are heartbreaking.
Even as Ambrose tries to make sense of the tragedy, there is a feeling that he might be better off not knowing what happened, making the situation even more tragic in the process.
I’m in love with James Jean’s XOXO postcard book. His illustrations render emotions relating to dreamscapes & fantasies. Its mini print would be a lovely addition to my wall but I think it will be hard for me to separate them all. Maybe I’ll just put it in a glass case & let house visitors drool over it. :p
I must say I would have to pick the Trembled Blossoms simply because this was the one that made me take notice of who James Jean is in the first place. It stood out so much I have it (the one in FullyBooked’s magazine) pasted on my office wall desk. But I like the cover of Fables, Sons of Empire as well.
Soft and whimsical, dark and edgy with telltale signs of japanese anime-like doodles, its as if I’ve stepped inside a child’s dream world where everything is tempered by the present mood. Quite a fantastic place to explore indeed.
My favorite piece for James Jean is the cover for 1001 nights of Snowfall. seeing his past covers for fables is such a delight. However, i feel that much of the material where his pieces have been printed doesn’t do his art justice. The glossy dustjacket of the cover simply makes the cover plays to the artist’s strengths. Also, the thing about this cover is that Snow’s depiction isnt really your typical cover that shows women in sexy clad attire but a sense of a phantom-like presence-haunting and power-that’s how i describe James Jean’s cover for 1001 nights of snowfall. An added treat to this book is Mr. Jean also does interior art for one anthology in the collection.
There a lot of cover artists that have made a name in the medium but this piece has made Mr. Jean’s work simply TIMELESS. Artists come and go but this cover truly stands out as a pinnacle in the medium for future generations to come.
My pick for the best masterpiece James Jean made has got to be the cover for Fables # 81:Blue Horizon. It is really evocative for the series as you would be very surprised at how the story actually unfolds from looking at the cover.
Plus, being that this was his last cover art for Fables as he wanted to focus on his personal art, this was a very nice farewell for him. Just goes to show that Fables, even though it is a great series, will definitely be different without James Jean making the covers for it.
Here is a link for this specific art
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/Velandis/james-jean-fables.jpg
My favorite James Jean artwork is “Supertron”, 2005:
http://www.jamesjean.com/recess/supertron.jpg
Aside from reminding me of my childhood days spent stomping on puddles and walking in the rain, the mysterious little girl in the picture is the perfect mix of sad and beautiful — the same reason why I love his Fables covers (particularly those of Snow). The girl strikes me as a potential heroine of a post-apocalyptic story, particularly since the art work is so scarce and gloomy, apart from the odd balloons. I also admire the fact that this single piece of art inspired hundreds of people around the world, enough so to have it tattooed on their bodies. The odd balloons are wonderful against skin, and I have been seriously thinking of getting one myself.
Among James Jean’s masterpieces, what I like most is his work with fashion label Prada for their Spring Summer 2008 collection where his works are splashed across skirts, blouses, and even bags. I think the collaboration is very creative and genius. I love the fact that his works are on the runway (Who would think they’d ever be, right?) and that the clothes have the whimsical and enchanting consistency James Jean’s works have always had. And mind you, the collection earned rave reviews!
Prada SS 08: http://tinyurl.com/yjm586n
James Jean first caught my attention with his amazing covers for Fables — but my favorite would be his covers for Umbrella Academy –
I didn’t know about the series but the cover art for issue #1 told such a compelling story that I bought it and got hooked!
Of course it’ll have to be the Fables covers! I collect the Fables compilations (get them from Fully Booked!) and I must say the covers just keep getting better and better. And better. Evokes the right emotion, readies you for what’s in the book. Look at the Vol 12 – The Dark Ages cover- I love the mix of full-on painting, the apparently wilting roses on the vine, and then there are the scatterings of those tiny cute icons of the characters/things from the book. Love-ly!
My favorite James Jean masterpiece is his work for Prada:
http://www.jamesjean.com/work/pradawallpaper.jpg
I love the fact that it’s one really big beautiful piece of work that is consistently detailed. Even if you take just a portion of this piece, it can still stand as a beautiful artwork by itself. I love how even if it’s so abstract, he still uses delicate lines. This just gives this piece a sense of elegance despite being composed of headless men and stockinged legs sprouting out of flowers with a dash of birds and horses here and there.
I really love James Jean’s art in 1001 Nights of Snowfall as well as the beautiful covers that grace the covers of every Fables issue. The art is graceful, emotive and multi-faceted. Every time I see one of the covers, I feel like my brain gets stimulated in so many ways, receiving messages that I can barely understand yet feel. The composition and use of space of each cover is also always pitch-perfect; James Jean doesn’t waste a single space or line. Everything slots perfectly into place.
My favorite James Jean work is the Black Parade Album cover of the band My Chemical Romance. Super “ASTIG” according to my friends (and me). First time I saw a James Jean drawing. It’s like Love at first sight.
I have to pick James Jean’s work in the short story “Frog’s Eye View” in the Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall graphic novel. His illustrations evoked a whimsical environment which is very suited to the Fables Universe while providing a subtle and somber atmosphere which complimented the story.
The “Toymaker” is my favorite among James Jean masterpieces. It’s compelling, disturbing, astoundingly beautiful! It inspires me more to be unique, do best on my art and make a difference!
Besides the Fable Covers, I have to say that my favorite of his masterpieces is his work for AIDES. It’s just ingenious of him to come up with the concept and symbolisms in those three works, how he use the under the sea theme to depict a metaphor on safe-sex; the beautiful but dangerous sea-life (octopi, seaweeds, jellyfish, and school of fish) creatively symbolizing sex icons (cocks, cunts, balls, and sperm), while the girl is safe in a bubble of what seems to be a condom. It shows that having safe-sex is getting the best of both worlds: being alive yet experiencing the beauty of sex. A marvelous work, indeed.
I first fell in love with James Jean through his album art for MCR’s The Black Parade. I then looked him up on the net and discovered all his other beautiful works of art – oil paintings, mixed media, and plain old pencil on paper – all obsessively detailed, but each still with its own quiet simplicity. However, I think that I will always love his moleskin sketches (which can be found on his website) the best. Some people might not call them masterpieces per se, but they will always be especially beautiful to me because of their spontaneity, and how everything just “flowed” into place while he was drawing. He fills his sketchbooks with paintings, figure drawings of life models, and sketches of the people and the places that he sees in everyday life. If you see these people/places in person, you probably wouldn’t see anything special about them, but he renders them in such a way that you are compelled to think about those strangers, like who they are, and what they were thinking when he drew them. It inspires me to look at the world around me from a new perspective, and add depth to an otherwise mundane life. I don’t know how he is able to draw all those things so fast and yet they still look so good, and I take it as a testament to just how talented he is. Also, I like how you can see him progress through those sketchbooks, and how his style evolved into the awesomeness it is today.
I believe it was when he was still doing covers for Gerard Way’s The Umbrella Academy–issue #4, in particular. Every sense of the piece was magical. Everytime I laid my eyes on that cover, I would ache with wonder and fear from its beauty. It was very mysterious, very beautiful. As a young fan of Mr. Jean’s work, it opened up my eyes and enabled me to discern exquisite traits from the simplest of things. Its beauty unlocked all kinds of beauty, and I never forgot what it taught me.
my favorite would be the wallpaper he made for the Haaz Gallery.
What i love about james jean’s works, really, is that it’s all so intriguing and enchanting. Whenever i look at his works i keep thinking about what could have possibly been going through his mind that he was able to come up with such artworks and what could be the story behind it. this particular artwork is my favorite because i love that there’s enough space for the eyes to rest, the contrast between the reds and dark blues makes it alive, and the lines are so delicate and clean. i also love the continuity of the entire artwork and there’s something interesting wherever i look. i love it!
I am seventeen years old, and James Jean is my idol.
It’s been a couple of years since I’d stumbled upon his portfolio.
Most people know of his existence because of his comic book covers- as I can see in most of the entries to this contest above. However, James Jean’s “The Willow Tree” collection of artwork from the second edition of Process Recess is my favorite.
It sums up most of what I love about James Jean’s art: his ability to provide a certain raw quality to a piece, while at the same time using certain techniques to incorporate a “polished” feel to it; the way he animates his work by adding Asian elements, and the fact that each piece delivers a spectrum of messages.
On the piece I chose as my favorite- it depicts the loss of vitality in nature due to man’s hatred. Its colors are muted save for the dashes of red that he placed to emphasize this “vitality”, which is present in The Willow Tree until it is chopped down.
A group of children hung onto its branches for support and yet were the cause of the entire tree’s death- a metaphor for the generation’s dependence on nature yet ignorance towards its deterioration.
It is a piece that calls for compromise. It is a scream of hurt.
“The Willow Tree”, to me, is a masterpiece.
Link: http://www.processrecess.com/pindex.php?type=prints%20%3E%20recess
James Jean’s illustrations for Fables complements the fairy tale fantasy stories of the book. Its what made me a fan of the comic book series. But I have to pick his works on Kindling as my favorite. The 12 high-quality prints of out of this world paintings are awesome. Just pure awesomeness.
James Jean is insane; that’s why i love him so much
. But if there’s one work i’d have to say encompassed his insanity at one enigmatic and powerful blow it would have to be his work for Prada. It so schizophrenic and cohesive at the same time, I can’t help but feel afraid of the things that go on inside his head! But what amazes me the most is how he can conjure up something out of nothing; how he can create a fantasy never before seen. In this work he transpires the enigma of the unknown as well as the warmth of familiarity; i mean who else can paint a picture of, what i think it to be, the birth of women against a backdrop of chaotic yet orderly array of wild beasts and passionate imagination. James jean is an irony; he is a lunatic… and i don’t think anyone would have it any other way.
As an artist myself (though not even half as good as James) my favorite James Jean masterpiece would have to be his next one. He’s so good you can’t wait to see what he’ll do next. But if I have to choose among his present body of work, (I still can’t choose any single one) being a comicbook fan I would have to say Fables # 44 & 45. You have to view the covers side by side to fully appreciate their beauty and James Jean’s brilliance as an artist. Both covers are a depiction of Baghdad. The first one features the mundy (real) world and the other is set in the homeworld of the Arabian Fables. They are literally day and night, reality and fantasy. They would look great together on any gallery or any art lovers wall.
I’m a fan of James Jean’s artworks, and i have to say it’s hard to pick one. His FABLES covers have always drawn me to pick up a copy and read through the graphic novels, and by that alone, it’s hard to pick a fave. One particular artwork though that i always remember is his cover for 1001 Nights of Snowfall. Why? If you put the book and spread the back and front covers out, you will see that it already tells the wonderful stories, beautifully and artfully detailed on the artwork. I am truly impressed by the little details he puts into his artworks, even minute details that set the theme, indicate little hints of what’s in store — he has a very lovely way of beguiling you into reading it and getting caught into the action with his amazing illustrations!
Just like the others have said it’s hard to pick just one but I guess for me it’s a sentimental favorite- whenever I go into a comic shop and they have back issues of Fables I always look for Fables #18 with the James Jean Thumbelina cover and give it to people as a gift (it’s also 1 shot/ 1 issue story) Then I was lucky enough to go to Wonder Con 08 in San Francisco when I asked Bill Willingham to sign my Fables #18 he took a moment and said to me “I haven’t seen this cover in a while” and stopped to admire the art. Later in panel he said that #18 was one of his favorite covers which apparently Jean’s wife modeled for.
from the Wonder Con Panel: Willingham on Jean “He’s young. He’s handsome. He’s humble. He’s married to a gorgeous woman. He has talent like you would not believe. So for all these reasons I hate him.”
I’ve been a James Jean fan for quite some time now but among all his great works (FABLES changed my life), the numerous notebook sketches he posts on his website are the ones I consider my favorite. I love all his sketches and doodles but my favorite one is in one of his Moleskines (http://jamesjean.com/sketchbook/moleskinfeb2008008.jpg). I’m in love with his ability to make the mundane look so intricate, interesting and out of this world. He seems to put his own twists on the regular and somehow manage to make them entirely his own. When he draws, it’s like he commands his brain to fly out and traverse the unconventional, the paranormal, and the subconscious so by the time it gets back, he translates everything he ever imagined on paper. His sketches and doodles are inspirational to me because I get to somehow chronicle his development as an artist. He inspires me to just draw and draw and draw on everything I can get my hands on.
My favorite James Jean masterpiece is the cover of Fables 81 Blue Horizon http://www.processrecess.com/index.php?uid=D32B18. I like the artwork’s depressing feel. It’s just perfect because in the comics, Boy Blue died and it was James Jean’s last Fables cover art. James Jean was also able to add tiny toy like images of the Fables characters without changing the sad mood of the artwork. I became a fan of Boy Blue because of this amazing cover!
I love all of James Jean’s artworks. His Fables covers did, however, enchant me best. My fave JJ artwork would have to be the cover for Fables #33. You can really feel the emotion put into it. For me, it’s something more than just a well painted comic book cover. No one can do it like James Jean.
http://www.jjeanius.net/images/PubCovers/Fab33.jpg
My Favorite covers of james jean would have to be the ones he did for Green Arrow. I’m a big Green Arrow fan and to see him illustrated in the way James Jean does is truly amazing. I’m quite particular to his covers for Green Arrow# 58, 57 , 50 , 46 , 47 just to round out my top five. Wish they’d make them posters. I like the way James Jean uses a subdued color pallette but is able to express a lot of emotion through them. He also makes everything on each cover standout with the detail and the way the characters pose and expres themselves. Also love the way he plays with the covers graphically even making the logos and text part of the art as evidenced in his covers for FABLES (which I also collect).
I like XOXO. I’m so intrique on his graphic arts, It so mysterious and the way he make the painting come to life. Colors are so qualm and lively.
My favorite james jean masterpiece work is ALL his fables covers(sorry I can’t just choose one). WHY? Because it is deceiving. You all almost thought you knew the story but you don’t, I love the way he played the themes on them it is so unexpected and not a “sneak peak” type of cover, more of what-a-painter-wants- to-paint type, it’s really intelligent, and that itself is a MASTERPIECE.
I love james jean.
Which is your favorite James Jean masterpiece and why?”
Hands down, it’s James Jean’s cover illustration for t Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall. The images are nothing spectacular. It’s simply angry wolves and mysteriously draped woman. What makes it spectacular for me is the color. It brings out the darkness and tells you it’s not an ordinary children’s book.
It would have to be the Succubus. I have never seen a much deeper insight into the subject and it was not the usual sexy and seductive interpretation. His work gave me chills and it actually scared me. The succubus is, in lore, a demon and what better to rape and devour than a pure and chaste monk? Add an innocent kid in the background and the composition is… oh a masterpiece!
To be honest, it’s hard for me to decide which of his works is my favorite since:
First, I find most of his artworks imaginatively unique and inspirational.
Second, I am also fascinated with his style which infuses both traditional and digital techniques in his intricate artworks. Third, He always plays with the elements in each composition that he creates even though the colors that he used are subtle and lastly, I love his interpretation for all of his concepts whether it be cover illustrations, ads and paintings.
But if I have to chose one that would be the cover for the first issue of the “Umbrella Academy” because this was the artwork that got me to know who James Jean was. He illustrated the cover very beautifully yet still keeping the composition simple.
All of James Jean’s works are great, whimsical and beautiful, but one of his masterpiece I am attracted to the most would be the motorcycle helmet he designed for the Celeritas Charity Event for the benefit of Riders for Health.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lizkim/3719299371/
For me, a masterpiece is something that would have an instant and lasting impact as soon as you lay your eyes on it.
There weren’t much other elements as it would be very distracting.
The design and idea was simple, clean, functional, and speaks fragility right in your face. There’s a sense of care and caution, like whatever that motorcycle helmet bears hold inside should be treated with utmost care and importance. The design serves its purpose. Very moving.
i like vanity. it reminds me to see past what is seen and to love myself (and the world) more. with a mirror for reflecting, instead of for reflection, and butterflies for transformation.
http://www.jamesjean.com/work/vanity.htm
thank you for this raffle!
i have to say that i’m a frustrated artist but when i saw fables cover for the firt time i was actually inspired to do sketching again.
i love his fables covers which i’m sure people would appreciate more if they have read the actual series. but i have to say i like most his process recess series which helps people like me understand and appreciate james jean’s art better.
While I love all of James Jean’s work, I believe that his Kindling collection really shows the best of Jean’s work. Not only does it portray his technical skill, the imagery he has created captures the grit and whimsy of children and creates around them a unique mythology of imaginative creatures and images. The entire collection is beautiful but “Maze” in particular is stunning and iconic; an instantly recognizable piece by James Jean and one that epitomizes his imagination and body of work. [http://www.jamesjean.com/work/maze.jpg]
James Jean is an illustrator who pushes beyond the boundary of safety without sacrificing beauty and is an all-around versatile artist. His entire body of work is amazing because of it.
it is going be the “hare/bindle”. it was beautifully done. it is just in black and white and the paint just have that soft look/feel, but it shows a lot about how great the artist’s talent. this painting is like wanting you to put eyes on the faceless subjects through your mind. i just love the feel of this artwork. it is simple but yet grand. i would love to have this in our living room.
My favorite masterpiece by James Jean is his work entitled “Ballad”.
http://i34.tinypic.com/2e5sky9.jpg
I have always been partial to the idea of strong female characters. And while most of James’ stylized females seem frail in figure, are whimsical and enchanting, I felt that this beautifully rendered fae of his is my favorite. The taut pull of the bow and arrow and the serene sureness of her face- I could not help but be drawn by this character. She is a strong, untangled subject while her companions are either victims of conflict or minor spectators. It’s his command of emphasis- the aptly placed netting of vibrant red string and flora across a gorgeous mess of wash and texture that is able to capture my imagination. Through his great and humbling talent, he is able to tell his Ballad as a moving breathing story that will forever, and ever fascinate me- just as his other works do and forever will.
I was never into comic books, but when I saw the cover of 1001 Nights of Snowfall, that started my obssession with the graphic novel Fables. It piqued my interest because it felt familiar and yet something is very different. My A-HA moment came when I read the short synopsis of the novel. That’s when I knew, the cover is an old friend came to life, a past that became more interesting and a little bit dark. I wouldn’t have felt anything if it were any other comic book cover, but his illustrations for Fables made you want to imagine and explore. If you look closely at the illustrations, you’d always see something you never noticed before. That’s how James Jean makes an impact.
The cover to Fables volume 1 always sticks in my mind,
I would buy the original art, but my wallet is unkind.
So please be nice and see the light,
Winning something will be a delight.
Not a whole lot of people know this, but James Jean did the album art for My Chemical Romance’s (MCR’s) The Black Parade (TBP). The page in the booklet where he drew the black parade/marching skeleton scene is my favorite artwork from him, because like a lot of his works, it tells us a story, and this particular piece tells such a powerful, emotionally charged story: A dying cancer patient whose death comes in the form of a marching band- The Black Parade.
To me, the most striking feature in James Jean’s artworks (besides its stunningly beautiful execution) is its ability to tell us a story, no matter what it is. This is why I believe he is the perfect artist for making cover art illustrations, and why he has won so many awards for his art. He is just so damn good at making powerful, beautiful, dynamic artworks filled with layers upon and layers of meaning and interpretation. It doesn’t just stop at being beautiful, it captures us in a way that you want to stop, look and stare at his art for a moment or so, trying to grasp the awesomeness of what stands before you. Every good artist can draw an aesthetically pleasing piece of artwork, but it takes genius to bring it up to the level of James Jean.
This is why I favor him greatly, and why I favor his work in MCR’s album. It is full of emotion, darker than what most prefer, but still, it captures us to look beyond what’s printed and see the real meaning behind the reason why the artwork was created in the first place. The immediate visual imagery of James Jean’s artworks grab our attention, and the deeper meaning of it grabs our hearts.
I have never believed much in modern Art, but this guy changed that cynical notion. In this time where everything could be digitally enhanced and virtually manipulated, it’s a major reassurance that emerging artists like James Jean still exists. I first encountered his work by browsing entertainment movie magazines, which was an unlikely avenue to discover real, unadulterated art. I immediately searched for this unknown, talented guy and browsed all his works, dreaming that someday, a frustrated artist like me could own an authentic James Jean work. His work transports you into another world / realm where only few could reach. Staring at his art makes you feel eerie and nostalgic. So it came as a surprise that he’s finally getting to Manila!It’s a reaffirmation that we Filipinos, despite of the global crisis , still have great taste for impressive Art. It’s great to observe that we still have a knack to appreciate this type of medium, knowing that there are a lot of other forms of media available in the market.
His rendering of colors and execution of images left me breathless. I have always believed that the true great measure of an effective artwork is to astound and capture its audience’s taste and imagination, and surprisingly, he’s one of the rare contemporary artists who do so. Just by merely staring at some of his finished works, and even sketches!, I really felt life behind the images and concepts he produced. His works speak even without spoken to.
I have loved and adored all his works, but I guess for now I’d choose “Vanity”. This work highly speaks of our current societal state where the current trend and the name of the game are to look perfect and appear meticulously attractive. This is pure Art. Majority of his works had an underlying meaning which few people could decipher, though all works of art are subject to different interpretations. Vanity in itself is a sin which most people today do not notice anymore, and this clearly implicated on this piece.
My favorite James Jean masterpiece? As an advertising student and an artist myself, my favorite would be his illustrations for AIDS AWARENESS campaign of TBWA\Paris. Although the concept was not entirely his, the illustration’s execution and rendering was phenomenal. I also like the way he portrayed the sexual symbols in his work; it was very erotic but tastefully done. All in all it was a fantastic work of art and a very effective advocacy ad campaign too. (it even won a bronze lion at Cannes!)
Other honorable mentions would be the covers of 1001 Nights of Snowfall, Umbrella Academy #1 and Jack of Fables #2.
Out of all of James Jean’s masterpieces, my favorite is his illustration entitled “Crayon Eater”. Crayon Eater is my favorite because it’s simple, creative, humorous and something that I can relate to as an artist. Every child can be considered an artist as a lot of imagination and creativity are going through their minds. The crayons fueling a child’s imagination is very humorous and playful. I love how their imaginations are represented through the various symbols such as toys and the female forms with a crayon color treatment. The orange colors used in the illustration show that it’s young, fresh and creative. Overall, the piece is very memorable as it reminds me that I should always be full of imagination to fuel my creativity as an artist.
I have to be honest and I have to say it’s definitely The Black Parade’s album illustrations.
It’s the ONLY artwork (of all the artworks I’ve seen made by different artists) I’ve seen that inspired me to do something like that even though I know I’m not that talented. Ofcourse I do appreciate some other artworks of other artists but I’ve never been so inspired as the time I saw The Black Parade illustrations he made. As I’ve mentioned, I even did something like that; not only that I even analyzed why it’s drawn/painted like that. I’ve never been this addicted to art ever since.
His works inspired me to pursue my love for art.
I remembered a professor once told us, “The greatest thing an artist could do is to inspire.” A lot of artists are contented by just doing their craft, but what REAL artists do is to make art to inspire others.
He may not be the greatest artist for everyone but he did the greatest thing a true artist does…to inspire.
Nothing could be more subversive than the works of the James Jean, but among all of his creation, the piece that made its territorial markings on me is his poster piece on STD protection.It was singularly one of the most creative portrayals of human sexuality. The piece was nothing short of masterpiece in expressing the basic human desires- Curiosity and Sex. The world he created ingeniously hid all declared taboos in society and painted them with excruciating detail yet ironically, made them more unseeingly. But knowing James Jean, his penchant for creating pictures within pictures, I took a second glance and made heavy eye squinting action – the truth reveals itself and made me scream- WOAH!
In retrospect, the piece itself screamed of beauty and innocence in a world where overt portrayal of sex is generally frowned upon. Truth is, children will always be curious and will at some point, experiment on relationships, which is absolutely normal as sex is a basic human drive- and what better way to set you off the exploration to uncharted islands than with latex protection. Obviously, a spaceship is needed before venturing into the unknown- hurrah James Jean.
This one’s easy, it’s clearly the Fables Arabian Nights (and Days) TPB cover. It was definitely not a cliche treatment of a middle eastern subject and yet it conveyed the mysticism and splendor of the culture. James Jean opted to render the work with a heavy bluish hue which was a refreshing choice considering the usual browns and reds typically used in these kinds of themes. It’s amazing how he is able to create quite the unique presentation of material that’s already been expressed to death over the ages.
[...] but we have something to help bide the wait. We’re raffling off some of his works. To join, click here. The following prizes are up for grabs, courtesy of Fully [...]