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Blank Canvas: My So-Called Artist’s Journey #2
Trait pour trait - Tome 2
日高先生にしごかれて美大受験を乗り切った明子。夢に近づくはずが…? 少女まんが家を夢みたあの頃を描くドラマチック・メモリーズ第二弾!
144 pages, Paperback
First published May 24, 2013
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150 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
January 15, 2023
This is a lot harder to read than I expected. In a nutshell, it's hard looking back and seeing the dumb decisions you made and how you didn't appreciate certain people in your life more like you know you should have.
January 23, 2020
Hayashi/Higashimura (the second is her pseudonym, I believe) manages to get into a college art program, but her bad habits from high school remain. Without Sensei hanging over her to instill discipline, she feels blocked and spends a lot of her time dating and goofing off.
Her cycle of neglect and remorse is uncomfortably familiar, and the sequence at the end of this book was quite affecting and painful to read. I'm curious how this lazy kid became a manga artist with many volumes to her credit--I think manga being her true passion, rather than art such as oil painting, has something to do with it.
This series is quickly becoming a favorite. I'm looking forward to reading more of it.
Her cycle of neglect and remorse is uncomfortably familiar, and the sequence at the end of this book was quite affecting and painful to read. I'm curious how this lazy kid became a manga artist with many volumes to her credit--I think manga being her true passion, rather than art such as oil painting, has something to do with it.
This series is quickly becoming a favorite. I'm looking forward to reading more of it.
April 12, 2022
看她的自傳漫畫，勾起學生時代林林總總的回憶。
p.25 TW和日本風氣真不同啊，現在才發現自己身為美術系系友卻從來沒有進過任何美術社團……回想我的同學應該也沒有幾個在高中是玩美術社的吧，畢竟美術班畢業生占大多數，要不然就是像我這樣在畫室待過十年五年的傢伙。
p.46「我費盡千辛萬苦，好不容易才考上了美術大學……卻完全沒有在畫畫」+1
p.49 日本的大學有留級，而我們只有重修。
p.79 「搬畫布」絕對是經典回憶！還記得幫室友搬畫布去系館，從某一側看來八成像畫布長了四隻腳在移動。
p.93 「美術解剖學」？比較常見的課程名稱是「藝用解剖學」；記得當年我們有去某醫學系參觀看解剖。
p.140 「實物大小勝利女神像」，記得我們系館也有，還記得唸其他學校的同學在msn上說很羨慕我們有。
p.25 TW和日本風氣真不同啊，現在才發現自己身為美術系系友卻從來沒有進過任何美術社團……回想我的同學應該也沒有幾個在高中是玩美術社的吧，畢竟美術班畢業生占大多數，要不然就是像我這樣在畫室待過十年五年的傢伙。
p.46「我費盡千辛萬苦，好不容易才考上了美術大學……卻完全沒有在畫畫」+1
p.49 日本的大學有留級，而我們只有重修。
p.79 「搬畫布」絕對是經典回憶！還記得幫室友搬畫布去系館，從某一側看來八成像畫布長了四隻腳在移動。
p.93 「美術解剖學」？比較常見的課程名稱是「藝用解剖學」；記得當年我們有去某醫學系參觀看解剖。
p.140 「實物大小勝利女神像」，記得我們系館也有，還記得唸其他學校的同學在msn上說很羨慕我們有。
January 26, 2020
As she goes off to college halfway across the country, Akiko begins to realize the value of her mentor as she indulges her worst slacking and procrastinating tendencies. The humor and melodrama reach a fine balance in this second outing.
October 10, 2021
As an artist, I just love the illustrations so much. I love how this is a true story and the author shares their experiences with us. Sadly, I never got to finish the tory. Hope one day I can finish this amazing series!
June 23, 2023
Hitting a slump as an art student is so real. I feel for her and love her relationship with her teacher, so complicated. This is a great drama!
June 19, 2018
Un giorno qualcuno mi spiegherà perché ritiene i graphic novel superiori ai manga, quel giorno lo costringerò a leggere questo manga (insieme a qualche altro).
La schiettezza di questo memoir e il tono che strappa qualche risata non riescono a camuffarne il carico sentimentale racchiuso tutto nella frase “il tempo non torna indietro, non torna indietro mai”.
Si capisce che la Higashimura prova tanti rimpianti, che sta scrivendo una lettera pregna di sentimento al suo maestro e la vuole condividere con noi.
Disegna. Disegna. Disegna è una sorta di mantra che si ripete lungo le pagine al quale la giovane Hayashi cerca di rifuggere. La Higashimura non fa sconti alla se stessa giovane e, per sua stessa ammissione, vanesia, non avvolge i suoi ricordi nell’alone della nostalgia; bensì ci presenta i fatti e lascia trasparire un giudizio non troppo clemente.
Ci sono libri che aspirano a tanto e falliscono miseramente, mi spiace che solo per la provenienza e per il tratto certe perle rimangano appannaggio di uno sparuto gruppo di lettori.
Assolutamente da leggere.
La schiettezza di questo memoir e il tono che strappa qualche risata non riescono a camuffarne il carico sentimentale racchiuso tutto nella frase “il tempo non torna indietro, non torna indietro mai”.
Si capisce che la Higashimura prova tanti rimpianti, che sta scrivendo una lettera pregna di sentimento al suo maestro e la vuole condividere con noi.
Disegna. Disegna. Disegna è una sorta di mantra che si ripete lungo le pagine al quale la giovane Hayashi cerca di rifuggere. La Higashimura non fa sconti alla se stessa giovane e, per sua stessa ammissione, vanesia, non avvolge i suoi ricordi nell’alone della nostalgia; bensì ci presenta i fatti e lascia trasparire un giudizio non troppo clemente.
Ci sono libri che aspirano a tanto e falliscono miseramente, mi spiace che solo per la provenienza e per il tratto certe perle rimangano appannaggio di uno sparuto gruppo di lettori.
Assolutamente da leggere.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 16, 2020
This was a hard read for me.
The author in this one was making some choices that were frustrating. I was reading it and got so frustrated at her but then had the sudden realization I was doing the same thing with my painting. After realizing that, it wasn’t east but I finished reading through this.
I can honestly say that this is one of the manga series I would have never thought would be interesting to me. It’s autobiographical, which is new for me to read. I find it interesting because of the inclusion of creation of art and her struggle with art. I’m not sure why it’s interesting but it is.
It also gives me motivation to actually get working on my art pieces, so it doesn’t hurt to read it.
It’s not for everyone! It doesn’t hold much of a story and the people don’t really choose the best choices for themselves a lot. The art is decent though.
The author in this one was making some choices that were frustrating. I was reading it and got so frustrated at her but then had the sudden realization I was doing the same thing with my painting. After realizing that, it wasn’t east but I finished reading through this.
I can honestly say that this is one of the manga series I would have never thought would be interesting to me. It’s autobiographical, which is new for me to read. I find it interesting because of the inclusion of creation of art and her struggle with art. I’m not sure why it’s interesting but it is.
It also gives me motivation to actually get working on my art pieces, so it doesn’t hurt to read it.
It’s not for everyone! It doesn’t hold much of a story and the people don’t really choose the best choices for themselves a lot. The art is decent though.
January 16, 2022
This volume is so sad. The raw emotion Akiko sensei pour in this volumes is so overwhelming. In this volumes, we get to see Akiko sensei life after she passed her college entrance exam.
We follow her conflict feelings toward arts, college, her mangaka dream and her sensei. You could see how much she in denial, struggle to understand herself. Its not that she hate art or whatsoever, but more like she didn't know what to do with the painting cause her dream was to be shoujo mangaka, which the art style were different from the sensei teaching.
Anyway, I love this. It shows how hard the college life if you still haven't made decision on what you want to do, and whether the choice you made are right for you. It makes me contemplate my own decision as well.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
We follow her conflict feelings toward arts, college, her mangaka dream and her sensei. You could see how much she in denial, struggle to understand herself. Its not that she hate art or whatsoever, but more like she didn't know what to do with the painting cause her dream was to be shoujo mangaka, which the art style were different from the sensei teaching.
Anyway, I love this. It shows how hard the college life if you still haven't made decision on what you want to do, and whether the choice you made are right for you. It makes me contemplate my own decision as well.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
May 27, 2020
I love this manga! It’s so funny and entertaining and it gives you an insight on the mangaka’s life, it’s very interesting. I love the art, it’s lovely.
Student!Akiko was a dumbass and I relate a lot.
Student!Akiko was a dumbass and I relate a lot.
January 25, 2020
I like how honest Higashimura-sensei's autobiographical manga feels... while also managing to retain the slapstick drama and laugh-out-loud comedic timing of her other works. Now I'm curious about the manga she wrote about her son when he was a baby, too!
September 25, 2022
1st volume quite funny and interesting
August 17, 2023
This series is brutally honest and I love it
February 29, 2020
I like this volume, but it's not as as strong as the previous one because the author introduces characters that would have been interesting in parallel. Ima-chan, a gangster 2 years younger than her who actually by going to the same sensei after school that he got into art school and went to study and practice art in Spain. It's the same with other classmates.
In this volume the author finally gets into an art school but without the pressure and in a new environment, she doesn't do the work, goofs off, takes a part time job, and has to make up for her lack of work. Again, the relationship between her and her sensei spurs her to keep working, but later it talks about why she never talks about him. It wasn't cool to admit to hard work and explains the social milieu in Japan at the time. It has a touching end.
As usual, the art is solid and well done. I love how when she falls in love, everything is stylized in classic 1970s shoujo manga style. I love how the author/artist renders her painting and the work of other students to show the different texture in using oil paints. I found it interesting that the author describing painting as adding and drawing manga is subtracting. So, there are still drawing that open chapters and scenes that are detailed but most other scenes vary in detail. It drives home her skill and the importance of what to focus on in art. It's fascinating to see how all this led to the experience of the artist and author whose work we see here.
In this volume the author finally gets into an art school but without the pressure and in a new environment, she doesn't do the work, goofs off, takes a part time job, and has to make up for her lack of work. Again, the relationship between her and her sensei spurs her to keep working, but later it talks about why she never talks about him. It wasn't cool to admit to hard work and explains the social milieu in Japan at the time. It has a touching end.
As usual, the art is solid and well done. I love how when she falls in love, everything is stylized in classic 1970s shoujo manga style. I love how the author/artist renders her painting and the work of other students to show the different texture in using oil paints. I found it interesting that the author describing painting as adding and drawing manga is subtracting. So, there are still drawing that open chapters and scenes that are detailed but most other scenes vary in detail. It drives home her skill and the importance of what to focus on in art. It's fascinating to see how all this led to the experience of the artist and author whose work we see here.
August 3, 2020
This was great. I loved the emotion in it, but is is also a really interesting autobiography. I like how it builds on itself as it goes through volumes. The first volume was about Hidaka deciding to and then applying to art school, this volume follows Hidaka's time in art school.
I like that it a times flashes back to the present (or simply out of the timeline to add context to a situation). It is very well written and interesting. I look forward to the next volume.
I like that it a times flashes back to the present (or simply out of the timeline to add context to a situation). It is very well written and interesting. I look forward to the next volume.
April 25, 2015
In short, it's an embarrassingly accurate description of experience in art school college and that First Winter of Snow that only someone from a much warmer climate can have this way
November 26, 2019
Taking the first steps into adult life can be confusing, and the author nails that college experience well in this second volume of her autobiographical series. A teen Akiko finally gets into an art college, in Kanazawa, but while she has been preparing for a new life, she has left things unsaid in her older one. She still hasn't told her teacher why she wants to be in art school, and it weighs on her, because she think he might think less of her. In college, things are harder than she had been prepared for - where she could paint easily back home when she was preparing for the exams and stuff, she finds herself unable to do so in college, making her academic life suffer. Instead she, like many kids, decides to blow off steam, enjoy the time and run away from problems. She gets caught up in the new experiences - the first snow for someone from a warmer climate, the fashion sales, the freedom to do what you want, etc - and neglects her work. A return home reinforces her belief that she can't paint while at school, and later when her teacher visits her at her university, she lashes out from guilt. The tone of the story is humorous, and at times, regretful as she looks upon the mistakes of her past, and how much she missed out on by virtue of being young and not knowing better. It is such a relatable experience!
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from Seven Seas, via Edelweiss.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from Seven Seas, via Edelweiss.
March 26, 2022
Setelah berhasil masuk ke salah satu kampus seni incarannya, Hayashi mengalami art block disertai impostor syndrome besar-besaran yang sepertinya berkepanjangan. Ia sempat bangkit ketika pulang sebentar ke kampung halamannya dan berhadapan dengan Hidaka-sensei. Di sana, ia kembali digembleng sebagaimana ketika ia masih berjuang mempersiapkan tes masuk kuliah dulu. Di bawah gemblengan Hidaka-sensei, Hayashi sempat kembali bangkit dan mampu menyelesaikan tugas kuliahnya, namun ia kembali bermalas-malasan dan molor sekembalinya ke kampus. Ketika Hidaka-sensei mendadak blusukan ke kota tempat Hayashi kuliah, Hayashi ketar-ketir dan berusaha menyembunyikan kegagalannya di masa kini.
Sementara itu, terhadap teman-teman kuliahnya, ia justru berusaha menyembunyikan masa lalunya yang penuh perjuangan. Pada masa itu, kesan effortless tengah dianggap keren-kerennya, sehingga Hayashi merasa bahwa perjuangan kerasnya untuk masuk kuliah tidak akan dianggap keren.
Pada masa penulis tengah mengerjakan manga ini, ia kembali mengenang masa-masa itu dan merasakan betapa bodoh dan naifnya ia di masa lalu. Secara umum, perasaan itu sejujurnya cukup familiar dengan apa yang kurasakan sewaktu-waktu, terutama bahwa aku pun banyak berlaku dan mengambil keputusan bodoh di masa lalu.
Sementara itu, terhadap teman-teman kuliahnya, ia justru berusaha menyembunyikan masa lalunya yang penuh perjuangan. Pada masa itu, kesan effortless tengah dianggap keren-kerennya, sehingga Hayashi merasa bahwa perjuangan kerasnya untuk masuk kuliah tidak akan dianggap keren.
Pada masa penulis tengah mengerjakan manga ini, ia kembali mengenang masa-masa itu dan merasakan betapa bodoh dan naifnya ia di masa lalu. Secara umum, perasaan itu sejujurnya cukup familiar dengan apa yang kurasakan sewaktu-waktu, terutama bahwa aku pun banyak berlaku dan mengambil keputusan bodoh di masa lalu.
April 26, 2020
Yeah, that's probably in some levels relatable to many people, whether it's art or other subject. Sometimes you just lose your drive even if it's something you enjoy or know it's a way to your ultimate goal. My school slump didn't start right away but it did came. But things go sorted out in the end, and as we know, Higashimura is now mangaka too like she wanted to be. But you'll end up having regrets along the way, that's life. I like how Higashimura looks back and comments on her college years and her sensei. But this manga is also funny in many places and I think the balance of the moods is great. Good read!
Higashimura also shows her art skills in backgrounds and art work of her own and her classmates, so all those years surely weren't all wasted even though she claims she didn't work much.
Higashimura also shows her art skills in backgrounds and art work of her own and her classmates, so all those years surely weren't all wasted even though she claims she didn't work much.
March 14, 2022
This second installment of Higashimura’s story further establishes her struggle of art school. She is finally accepted but now faces major art block and demotivation. Along with general distaste in what she is doing, she is faced with constant questioning about her future from Sensei and her parents—yet she keeps her ultimate dream of being a manga artist a secret!
I really appreciate how Higashimura illustrates her struggles. It’s important to depict life’s bad side and how things don’t go according to plan. While she could’ve glamorized her upbringing and school struggles, she kept it real and relatable, especially because so many college students struggle with what they want to do and what they’re working toward.
I really appreciate how Higashimura illustrates her struggles. It’s important to depict life’s bad side and how things don’t go according to plan. While she could’ve glamorized her upbringing and school struggles, she kept it real and relatable, especially because so many college students struggle with what they want to do and what they’re working toward.
October 20, 2020
I so badly want to say that I love her autobiography the same way I love her fiction work, but I’ll be lying. Volume 2 made me snarl, cringe, and wince. She worked so hard to go to an art school only to do the bare minimal and ignoring her Sensei from her hometown. Instead she’s trying so hard to be cool, obsessed with her love life, and buying unnecessary stuff. Then when her Sensei comes to visit her and it ends up downhill.
Heck, people will kill to have that kind of teacher, who still looks out for you and push you to be your best. I understand that she regret it now as an adult, but damn. At this point I just want to know when she gets her life back together.
Heck, people will kill to have that kind of teacher, who still looks out for you and push you to be your best. I understand that she regret it now as an adult, but damn. At this point I just want to know when she gets her life back together.
January 3, 2025
L'onestà, il rimpianto e le auto-accuse con cui racconta una giovinezza di grandi opportunità sprecate (soldi, talento?, formazione con un maestro eccezionale...) non compensano il fastidio che genera la sua leggerezza e il suo comportamento stupido.
Soprattutto non mi è chiaro perché abbia così tanto desiderato entrare in una prestigiosa accademia di pittura, per poi frequentare poco e male, e già sapendo di voler disegnare manga. Voleva dimostrare qualcosa?
Rasenta i livelli di antipatia e irresponsabilità di Marjane Satrapi nel suo periodo parigino in "Persepolis".
Però almeno questa disegna meglio: forse il maestro qualche risultato l'ha ottenuto.
Soprattutto non mi è chiaro perché abbia così tanto desiderato entrare in una prestigiosa accademia di pittura, per poi frequentare poco e male, e già sapendo di voler disegnare manga. Voleva dimostrare qualcosa?
Rasenta i livelli di antipatia e irresponsabilità di Marjane Satrapi nel suo periodo parigino in "Persepolis".
Però almeno questa disegna meglio: forse il maestro qualche risultato l'ha ottenuto.
January 20, 2020
Good follow up to volume 1. Some parts were super cringey due to how relatable they were to my college years doing theatre, so that’s definitely a mark of excellence! (Like her experiences in art school, and the anxiety-shutdown that manifests as avoidance). The retrospective guilt she feels towards her relationship with the teacher was definitely the hardest to read. As with volume one, the teacher inevitably reminds me of the movie Whiplash (although he is a true softie at heart), but the Sunday In the Park with George vibes were more prominent.
August 8, 2020
The message is as much a disclaimer as a slice of life about what every kid who goes to college does: slacks off until someone kicks their butt back to reality. In this case it was Akiko's sensei to the rescue because she feels that as soon as "she made it" to college, that all of her creativity left. What she needs is to buckle down and get serious and make herself proud.
It works, but it's not a super strong series that I'll continue to follow but these two gave me enough about this memoir about her artist journey.
It works, but it's not a super strong series that I'll continue to follow but these two gave me enough about this memoir about her artist journey.
July 10, 2021
Oh, gosh- I was not expecting to be so touched by this volume. She tells us "I want a time machine to take me back so I can punch her right in the face," with the "her" referring to herself. And then she proceeds to describe all of the reasons why. Part of me was relieved to hear from someone else about how much they felt they wasted their opportunities in college, and the other part of me was so sad for her, because you really can't go back and change it. Oof- way too relatable- but really good because of it.
March 21, 2020
This volume saw the transition of her life from a desperate high school student into a university student. I appreciate her truthfulness in this one. I can totally relate to her experience because what she's experiencing as a freshman is what I felt towards the end of my university career. Of having a goal and maintaining to be interested in achieving the goal and at the same time trying to enjoy our youth the best we possibly can.
August 22, 2020
4.25/5 stars
In the second instalment of Blank Canvas Hayashi finishes up her exams and finds out whether or not she has gotten accepted into university.
Admittedly, I didn't enjoy this second volume quite as much as the first. The first volume had a really beautifully captured sense of nostalgia that wasn't nearly as present in this second instalment. If anything, I'd say this volume's theme was regret, and that made it challenging to read at times. Hayashi makes a lot of poor, irresponsible choices at this point in her story. Her younger self is extremely flawed; she's selfish, lazy, and inconsiderate, but these traits make her feel all the more real and relatable and seeing her reflect on her past mistakes and recognize her shortcomings really added another layer to this volume. I was also able to relate to Hayashi's creative block. While it's not entirely clear what the cause of it was, perhaps dishonestly with herself, or burn out, or a loss in passion, I’ve gone through a similar situation and I think Higashimura very well captured just how disheartening the experience can be, and how easy it is to shift attention onto other, less important things. I'm looking forward to the next volume and to hopefully a change of pace with the story.
Blog | Instagram (main account) | Instagram (manga account) | Twitter
In the second instalment of Blank Canvas Hayashi finishes up her exams and finds out whether or not she has gotten accepted into university.
Admittedly, I didn't enjoy this second volume quite as much as the first. The first volume had a really beautifully captured sense of nostalgia that wasn't nearly as present in this second instalment. If anything, I'd say this volume's theme was regret, and that made it challenging to read at times. Hayashi makes a lot of poor, irresponsible choices at this point in her story. Her younger self is extremely flawed; she's selfish, lazy, and inconsiderate, but these traits make her feel all the more real and relatable and seeing her reflect on her past mistakes and recognize her shortcomings really added another layer to this volume. I was also able to relate to Hayashi's creative block. While it's not entirely clear what the cause of it was, perhaps dishonestly with herself, or burn out, or a loss in passion, I’ve gone through a similar situation and I think Higashimura very well captured just how disheartening the experience can be, and how easy it is to shift attention onto other, less important things. I'm looking forward to the next volume and to hopefully a change of pace with the story.
Blog | Instagram (main account) | Instagram (manga account) | Twitter
June 29, 2021
I'm really surprised by how much I've been able to relate to this series. I originally picked up Blank Canvas because I thought the mangaka was really funny in the authors notes at the end of each volume of princess jellyfish. I'm not an artist but her struggle of being unable to get anything done is exactly how I've felt recently in university. I also love that she doesn't shy away from her regrets in this memoir.
November 23, 2022
Sedih pula tengok Hayashi jatuh semangat. Habis melayang keyakinan dia hendak mengejar cita-cita apabila dikelilingi pelukis yang hebat-hebat. Faham sangat perasaan itu. Biarpun dia tak yakin dengan dirinya sendiri, tetapi Hidaka-sensei tetap percayakan dia.
Tapi terkejut kejap apabila Hidaka-sensei beritahu yang beliau mula melukis ketika umurnya 29 tahun. Umur sebegitu teramat lewat, tetapi jika sudah memang meminati seni halus, segalanya tidak mustahil.
Tapi terkejut kejap apabila Hidaka-sensei beritahu yang beliau mula melukis ketika umurnya 29 tahun. Umur sebegitu teramat lewat, tetapi jika sudah memang meminati seni halus, segalanya tidak mustahil.
March 2, 2020
I feel like all Higashimura sensei's emotions are conveyed in this story. The warm sentiment for the sensei who looked after her in his own crude way; the despair and escapism of college life.
I got anxious reading about her college mess ups even though I know she made it as a Manga artist. It's just that good.
I got anxious reading about her college mess ups even though I know she made it as a Manga artist. It's just that good.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews