Noobles05: The Toad.
Introducing: The Toad.
Helloo!
Been a couple of weeks since our last letter! Welcome to this edition of Nooble - hope you’re doing a-okay!
Today, I am starting a new series, Come on In!
Today I am starting a Series of Post on NLTD, that I hope becomes something you look forward to every week in your lunchbox Inbox! The new series of posts - is called the Toad.
The Toad?
The Toad? The Toad?? The Toad???
Yes, It’s called the Toad.
Fine, so what is it about? Well, it is not really about Toads - for the most part, or reptiles. In fact it is an attempt to illustrate a Book (or at least the interesting parts of it!).
WHAT?! A Noob illustrating a book?
Well, I will be illustrating one of the books I am currently re-reading. It is the Autobiography of a Legendary Movie Director:
Kurosawa Akira’s1 autobiography is titled Something like an Autobiography - quite aptly too: it wraps up in the year 1950, with the description of making of Rashomon. That’s when Kurosawa was on a string of hits and acclaim; he continued making movies until the late 1980s, passing on sometime in the 1990s.
Kurosawa-san describes why he ends the book at 1950 somewhat eloquently, saying that he has poured forth all he had to say, in his movies - but one is tempted to believe a little more of his translator Audie Bock’s note where she says (I am paraphrasing) “Maybe Kurosawa-san follows the dictum of “If you have nothing nice to say, it is better to keep quiet!“ “
Okay. Fine. But a Nooob, Illustrating a Book??
Well, not just a book, but acclaimed director Kurosawa’s Autobiography!
This might seem preposterous to some, but I know you are not one of those people! Also, I have solid reasons for it.
It gives me something to practice without going on the internet
It gives me something to draw merely with just description.
It is Aspirational. (This arguably is my most compelling reason.
Recently I found another reason! Am I Kidding? No, Seriouso!
In her Note2, which popped up so often in my timelime, Amy Stewart(link) notes of her own self-appointed “Artist in Residency”3.
A few years ago I appointed myself the unofficial artist in residence of Washington Park, which is just down the street from me. I didn’t think any park officials were paying attention to my little project, but this year they asked if they could turn some of my art into cards for the board members. Nice to do a low-key neighborhood project with an equally low key but satisfying outcome.
You can read more in her Post here (link).
In a similar vein, while I was reading the beautifully visual, almost screenplay like Autobiography of Kurosawa-san, it occured to me, that I could Draw the images that stood out to me.
And so, meet the new self-appointed illustrator of Kurosawa-san’s autobiography!
But, why a Toad?!!
Right, I forgot to get that sorted.
You see, I was walking down the street in Florida, and spotted an Alligator and decided on…4 (that was a completely unintentional spur of the moment Chaos. Can I blame the Cat for stepping on the keys?)
Lemme quote Kurosawa-san’s introduction. Kurosawa-san Writes:
IN THE PRE-WAR era when itinerant home-remedy salesmen still wandered the country, they had a traditional patter for selling a potion that was supposed to be particularly effective in treating burns and cuts. A toad with four legs in front and six behind would be placed in a box with mirrors lining the four walls. The toad, amazed at its own appearance from every angle, would break into an oily sweat.
This sweat would be collected and simmered for 3,721 days while being stirred with a willow branch. The result was the marvelous potion.
He continues5:
Writing about myself, I feel something like that toad in the box.
I have to look at myself from many angles, over many years, whether I like what I see or not. I may not be a ten-legged toad, but what confronts me in the mirror does bring on something like the toad's oily sweat.
When trying to write posts for this substack, and describe more of what I am being able to do or not do - I feel under a similar gaze, between mirrors. And thus.
Thus, the Toad.
Until Next Time.
Cheers!
PS: Any sources I have not been able to list above are in Note 66 below.
PS2: The next post in this series, Toad02, is here (link)
While referred to in the west as Akira Kurosawa, since the translator, Ms Audie Bock, sticks to referring to him in the East Asian/ Japanase style as Kurosawa Akira, I will usually follow that or revert to Kurosawa-san.
I had to really struggle to find that note or her series of posts on Substack - was astonishing that none showed up - I had to search them outside of Substack, at DuckDuckGo!
Well, there goes my shot at trying to pretend to be an American. Of course no American walks down the Street! Americans have a Brazillion Cars! (and Florida… a Brazillion Gators..? IDK, guessing!)
My Bad! No offense intended.
Emphasis Added.
Love this! Yes I read Amy's post about making yourself an artist in residence too, brilliant idea, lovely that you're doing it for a book!
I was a little stressed when I called you a toad. Sorry. You’re not, really. (But at least now you can use the internet (?))