Outcomes

Through looking at works of Hello Kitty, whether it be artworks or merchandise, I've explored ideas that haven't really been touched on, or I've expanded on ideas that have only been lightly looked at. I've had many ideas such as, a Hello Kitty mushroom cloud, which represents the explosion of Hello Kitty sweeping across cities but also it shows how dangerous it can be, making an icon for a young age but then plastering it all over weapons, tanks and adult explicit items. A Hello Kitty shaped planet earth with loads of UFOs with Hello Kitty in them, which shows how obsessive it's become and also mind controlling because of celebrities publishing it by wearing her clothing. Hello Kitty as the President or an MP (which ever way you look at) shows how much of an icon she has become but also like politicians, she can be deceptive, an innocent face but behind it all she could become something more, and if she keeps on heading the way she is e.g being published on weapons and explicit items, then the reason for her being won't be true no more. Hello Kitty collaboration with another once upon a time obsession, Pokemon, kids ordered their parents to buy them the cards and merchandise, which is very much similar to HK, but i created a HK Pokemon, e.g HK with a pikachu's body, this shows that HK does do collaborations with other similar companies to keep her on top but it's also good for a new starting company to get recognised by clashing with HK. Hello Kitty money, I've replaced the famous faces on money with a HK logo, this shows not just she is a major icon but that a lot of money does go on HK merchandise, also the difference between the bright white HK face against the old, dull greyness to the notes really stands out and makes HK seem more important. That is just some of my ideas.

Hello Kitty Of All Ages

Hello Kitty was original designed to connect with pre-teen girls to give them someone to look up to but now she has been published as more of a adult icon too.
Kitty is a symbol of youth and being cute, which has been exploited by making Porn, Rude underwear, Sex toys and images such as this


Kitty has become such a big icon nearly every item you can think of has her face on it. There is a hospital wards in Japan dedicated to her, mainly the maternity ward. There is a ride which has been said to be like a Hello Kitty version of the London Eye, because it moves very slowly and as it goes round in the compartments is a dialogue of Kitty's history. There are many Landmarks dedicated to her as in the form of statues. Anniversary coins to celebrate her birthdays, also rare figures or jewellery made in high quality diamonds and platinum.
All these things don't so much connect to the original viewer anymore, as so Kitty has become more of a Fashion Icon rather than some to look up to anymore.
Kitty has also been plastered on weapons such as military guns and tanks, which isn't setting a good example for the original viewer.

The start of Hello Kitty

In the real world, Hello Kitty was born in Japan in 1974, when a young Tokyo-based company called Sanrio asked designer Ikuko Shimizu to invent a cartoon animal who would appeal to the preteen girl.
Shimizu "wanted to create a cat that was kittenish for sure," author Marie Y. Moss writes in the book Hello Kitty Hello Everything. And so the designer drafted a white cat wearing a red bow and blue overalls. On November 1, 1974, Sanrio introduced the first picture of Hello Kitty. She sat between a bottle of milk and a pet goldfish, and had turned her head sideways to face her newfound friends. In a word: cute. Or more accurately, kawaii, the distinctively Japanese breed of cuteness that injects adorable attributes into all aspects of the country's consumer culture.
In her own make-believe world, however, Hello Kitty isn't even Japanese. She lives in the suburbs outside London with her father, George White; mother, Mary White; and twin sister, Mimmy White. Yes, Hello Kitty is a nickname; her birth certificate reads Kitty White. How to tell Kitty and Mimmy apart? Look at the bow. Hello Kitty prefers a red bow in her left ear; Mimmy opts for yellow on her right. Other occupants of the White house include Bear, apparently a living teddy, and Moley, who pops up in the garden.
Sanrio located the Whites in England as a nod to the surging Anglophilia of 1970s Japan, notably the books and illustrations of Beatrix Potter (The Tale of Peter Rabbit) and Lewis Carroll (Alice Through the Looking Glass). Much has been made of Hello Kitty's mouth, or lack thereof. A handful of feminist scholars say her noncommunicative nature is sexist towards women, while others attribute Hello Kitty's appeal to her blank stare -- onto which fans can project their own emotions.
According to Hello Kitty's official bio on Sanrio's website, "Kitty is a cheerful, warm-hearted little girl. Baking cookies is her forte, but what she enjoys most is eating a slice of Mama's apple pie!" We also learn that her favorite things include candy, stars, and goldfish, as well as the inevitable "small, cute things." Hello Kitty is in third grade. She weighs the same as three apples and stands five apples tall. Her blood type is A.
Hello Kitty turned 30 in 2004, and although in her world she remains a kitten, her Earthly reality continues to grow.
In 1976, Setsuko Yonekubo became Hello Kitty's second chief designer. She was in turn replaced in 1980 by Yuko Yamaguchi, who remains at the helm. In 2004, Yamaguchi explained the long-standing appeal of her charge to London's Times newspaper: "Hello Kitty can wear Laura Ashley but also punk rock leather. She has a wide audience, and she's very flexible because everything goes with white." Hello kitty is a cute cat that everyone loves espically the dark versions of hello kitty.

http://www.hellokittyuniverse.com/page/Hello+Kitty+Biography

Artists

I have researched artists who have used Hello Kitty in their work and have helped me in my journey in my develpomental work.
They have very similar styles as such to japanese style but use very different materials.

Colin Christian




www.myspace.com/colinchristian


Luke Chueh




http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=142478


Buff Monster





www.buffmonster.com/

Developmental Work

I have researched my two chosen words and found a few artists to influence me. I have also researched the history and present of Hello Kitty to find out the why, who, where, when and how it all started. I have started to draw out possibilities of pages in ym scrapbook idea. I want to make a scrapbook including photos, paintings, drawings and images of Hello Kitty to show how the world is obsessed. I am including the products of Hello Kitty such as Jewellery, Stationary, Houseware, Food, Clothes etc. I don't plan to finish the complete book because Kitty isn't over so her story will continue as my work will.

Project Brief

The aim of this project was to choose two words from a list and research them, which i chose Icons and Collage. Then after research, get a idea of a theme to my work, which so happens to be Hello Kitty. I am to research her history, present and future, artist who use her in there work, what was happening in Japan at the time she was created, the influence she has given out and also general Japanese influence. After research i am to write a essay but i chose to write a blog to share a online experience. I then have to do sketches to progress my ideas and then end up with a outcome.
Any suggestions will be very welcome.