news

Story Time!

webmaster — Fri, 18 May 2012 04:24:26 +0000

Brooklyn's Greenlight Bookstore is kindly hosting a reading for the Shark King. Bring the kids!

Saturday, June 23

11:00 AM

686 Fulton Street

Brooklyn, New York 11217

TOON Books presents another great graphic novel for the youngest readers with R. Kikuo Johnson's The Shark King! From the islands of Hawaii comes the electrifying tale of Nanaue, who has to balance his yearning for Dad's guidance with his desire for Mom's nurture. Award-winning cartoonist R. Kikuo Johnson transports young readers to the lush, tropical shores of his native Hawaii. Kikuo will read from his book and draw on our big easel too, and afterward he'll show kids how to draw their own sharks!

-Early character sketches for the Shark King.

"The Proxy Marriage"

webmaster — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:50:30 +0000

I recently had the pleasure of working on an illustration to accompany a lovley short fiction by Maile Meloy in the New Yorker.

The editor, Chris Curry, sent me the layout above and suggested a dyptic with two seperate scenes.

I typically sketch until I have three decent concepts or until the sun is rising and I can't keep my eyes open. After submitting the three sketches above, Chris suggested trying an eight-panel composition...

Sketch approved! One minor tweak to the first panel...

I usually do a quick digital color study before I jump into the final.

At this point, I turn the black lines of my color sketch faint yellow and print out the sketch on a tabloid sized peice of bristol board. The yellow ink, barley visible in the photo above, serves as my "pencils." I still use traditional media for inking: real brushes, nibs, and india ink.

Next, the color gets added back in digitally, and, presto.

Print Magazine

webmaster — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:25:33 +0000

Illustration for a Print article about graphic designers who self-publish. Special thanks to Stephen Savage whose incisive metaphorical illustrations inspired this one (I draw the comparison at my own peril!).

Art Direction: Ben King

Honolulu Star Advertiser

webmaster — Sun, 06 May 2012 05:31:04 +0000

I recently chatted with Gary Chun at the Honolulu Star Advertiser about the Shark King. Nothing like Hometown love. Thanks Gary!

More Shark King Press.

Time Magazine

webmaster — Sun, 06 May 2012 05:11:27 +0000

Feature illustration based on the classic "Charles Atlas" comic book ad.

Art Direction: Chrissy Dunleavy

Officially Released

webmaster — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 02:53:11 +0000

Today is the release date for the Shark King. I couldn't be happier with the way the printing and production turned out. Reviews have started rolling in, including a starred review from Booklist.

New Yorker "Spots"

webmaster — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 01:38:55 +0000

Regular readers of the New Yorker will be familiar with the weekly "spots:" a series of small, usually black and white illustrations scattered throughout the text of the entire issue. This has always been one of my favorite features of the magazine, so I was honored to when editor Françoise Mouly asked me to take a stab at it. She suggested the theme of hoodies in memory of Trayvon Martin.

AARP Magazine

webmaster — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 01:00:37 +0000

Feature illustrations from the last two issues.

Art Direction: Todd Albertson, Gina Saunders, Lesley Palmer.

The Shark King

webmaster — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 01:29:24 +0000

Coming Spring 2012!

40 pages, color. Toon books.

Website Relaunch

webmaster — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 01:24:27 +0000

Welcome to rkikuojohnson.com. My previous website, seabread.com, is still viewable here for the time being thanks to my good friend, Paolo Rivera.