THE WORKS OF MICHAEL JAMES

Michael James is a multidisciplinary artist and crafter who enjoys working especially in drawing, writing, and photography. His work focuses on making art of queerness and the supernatural by incorporating everyday characters and situations into larger stories where they become elevated.

Please contact me first using the form here! For further inquiries or communication, use the link below to send me an email.

土曜日

土曜日 (Saturday) is a love letter to past characters of mine through an updated and more skilled rework.Although the work was originally for my ninth grade Japanese class, I loved making it. I was able to combine my love for language learning with my budding original character obsession. I got to write queer characters into a visual medium for the first time in my life.Now, almost ten years later, I want to give something back to the version of me then. I have the skill, and I can certainly relearn at least these Kanji. Why not push myself a bit?

THE ORIGINAL COMIC FROM 2016

THUMBNAILING FOR THE NEW VERSION

SANGUIS MEUS

SANGUIS MEUS makes use of the hypertextual-narrative-building platform Twine to put the player in the shoes of James, the protagonist of In Sanguine Tuo Natus.Created using minimal HTML and CSS, this game is an opportunity for me to flex my budding coding ability while creating further forms of narrative for this character to whom myself and some loved ones relate.

PLAY THE GAME...

IN SANGUINE TUO NATUS

IN SANGUINE TUO NATUS contains a short prologue and first chapter of a current novel draft; three hand-bound booklets; hand-drawn elements unique to each booklet; a hand-lettered title font; and hand-drawn and self-designed cover art featuring one of the three principal characters for each cover.It is a story of a man whose life is falling apart. Unaware that he is being watched, he falls into life with those who watch him. When death claims him, his undeath remakes him into the third in a newly realized trio hellbent on staying alive, no matter the cost to those around them.It is also a project of love for these characters I have created, and who live in my head at all times. They seem to enjoy it here...at least, enough to not leave in a hurry?

土曜日

土曜日 (Saturday) is a love letter to past characters of mine through an updated and more skilled rework.Although the work was originally for my ninth grade Japanese class, I loved making it. I was able to combine my love for language learning with my budding original character obsession. I got to write queer characters into a visual medium for the first time in my life.Now, almost ten years later, I want to give something back to the version of me then. I have the skill, and I can certainly relearn at least these Kanji. Why not push myself a bit?

THE ORIGINAL COMIC FROM 2016

THUMBNAILING FOR THE NEW VERSION

My characters are all very important to me. Most of my art is of these characters I have, created in tandem with friends and recreated again from old stories I made and designed with care.I also love to draw others' characters and bring them to life in my own way.

One of my main drives for creating artwork has always been giving a visual aspect to the stories in my head. The characters are thumping around up in that attic, so I have to draw them out!

Most of my day-to-day artwork is sketches of various things. Art is a nearly daily practice for me, so I sketch often to maintain some baseline skill in observation and stylization.

Although I don't paint much, I become obsessed quickly when I do. My paintings are often an extension of my more intense interests in various subjects, although not always.

I've been a writer since before I can remember. Stories, poetry, even papers - all are fascinating to me. I don't think I ever truly lost my dream of being a writer.

"My Nana is dead, I'm a homo, and I have an enamel pin about it" is a poem which explores my relationship with my queerness in the context of a mostly unaccepting family, and how a small gesture like a gift during Pride month at my Nana's funeral means more than words ever could.

Most of my favorite photo work is portraiture. I love making my loved ones and subjects into art. They deserve it. They are my muses.