Q.You are introduced as a Pet Portrait Artist in your web profile. When we looked your drawings, the cats and dogs seem very real. What made you decide to draw pictures of pets with colored pencils? How did you become a pet portrait artist?

Well, I started drawing with colored pencils because that was the only drawing material I had at home. (Laughs). I bought them when I was junior high school… To enjoy the colors, the only coloring materials I had on hand were colored pencils. Naturally, I just started using them. I wanted to draw a pet because I’ve always liked to see animals and I also have a cat at home. I really like to look at animals in nature. That’s why I started drawing cats and animals here and there. At that time, I drew a cat that my grandmother had and she was very please when I showed it to her. So I felt that it would be very motivating to have someone who would be pleased with the work I drew. It was my original motive to draw because people were so happy with my drawing.

Did you learn to draw at an art school?

No. I did not go to art school. I really just drew as a hobby. I used to go to study a little bit at an art prep school where working adults could learn a little about drawing. I went to a kind of school where the adults could learn how to sketch. There I learned the basics and after that, I just drew at home all the time! (Laughs).

But, your work looks very difficult to draw and requires technique.

Yes, it was really difficult to draw the living creatures… It was particularly difficult at the beginning. But, I was encouraged a lot to complete my work since the pet owners are delighted when they receive the drawing of their pets. It is still the case… When I think that the owner will decorate (display) and hang my work on a wall in their home, you can’t compromise. I should do my best to draw with all my energy.

When I look at your works, the eyes of the pets tell us a lot. Is he or she naughty, a tomcat? We can easily find their character in your drawings. Are you thinking deeply about the personality of the pet when you draw?

Exactly! Especially because cats do not laugh. Sometimes it looks like a dog is laughing, but cats basically have a straight face. Cats look serious and do not necessarily express emotions in their face. I draw the cats while thinking about why they look so cute. But, I draw the eyes with much care. Also, I carefully watch the model (cats and dogs) and take great care to make sure my drawing looks like him or her and also whether or not they look cute at first glance!

Q. When we look your drawings, it is easy to see that you drew with a lot of affection. You draw a picture that is full of love for cats and dogs. What kind of points do you focus on when making your works?

Well, pets live with the humans. Therefore, they are quite different from wild animals. You may find the humanity in them, which would be born in the relationship with the owners and the families, I think. I try to draw their cute points, their personalities and the memories and stories with their owners… In other words, I draw the humanness of the pets…Then; the owners feel intimacy when they look at my drawing. It’s the individuality of each pet. The character of my model and also their daily life… I am trying to draw these points. Especially, dogs are not the same. Their characters vary. It totally depends upon the relationship with their owners, families and their daily life. Their character consists of such things and creates the atmosphere of their life.

When you draw, is the model always in front of you or are you drawing from a photo or picture?

Basically, I receive pictures of the pets (models) and draw them. It is quite a rare case, to meet them actually. Most of the requests (orders) are emails/mail, so I try to get as many pictures as possible, and when I look at those pictures, I draw while expanding my imagination. I blow up their image and start to draw.

I see. Your imagination for the model is an outline with lots of information from the owners and photos.

Yeah. Also, if the model is a male or female, young or old… that type of information can have an effect. Ah… also the NAME! When I hear the name of the model, I can easily imagine and understand the relationship between the owners and their pets.

Q.During the stay at home period due to Covid19 restrictions, people seem to have more free time at home. They may think – – why don’t we use our time to draw a picture! Would you give us some advice on how to proceed?

I believe that colored pencils are the perfect tool for a beginner, because it is an art material that you can use to draw while sitting in your living room or even watching TV. It is not necessary to have many colors. At first it is okay to buy a few of your favorite colors and then draw something you like – – draw your favorite things. In my case, I thought that I cannot draw a particular motif, because I’m worried I can’t do it. But, we do not know if we cannot draw or sketch until we start to draw… Rather than worrying about the result of the drawing, I want you to enjoy the time of drawing. You don’t have to draw well, you don’t have to show it to anyone, and you can enjoy the colors when you draw, you can heal a little by thinking about the motif, and that kind of thing makes you feel a little bit brighter! Please do not worry. Your drawing is only for yourself not for others. You can be healed when you draw something or any type of creature. You will light up!

It is like simply enjoying the process, the action of drawing!

Yes, somehow I feel that it is similar to knitting. I think the actual knitting time can be healing rather than the finished product. You enjoy the process. It is same feeling when you draw. I hope that you will feel free to work on your drawings with that same feeling. Surprisingly, when you move your hands, you will be happy to draw something! Unexpectedly, you will be so glad when you start to move and draw something. That’s so important! I believe there are many people who really want to change their mood during the stay at home requirements. I am sure that for many, drawing will be relaxing/refreshing. I really recommend you draw. It can refresh your mind. After all, do you want to experience that you can actually change your mood by simply drawing?

Now, there is a kind of a boom for pets, such a cats and dogs. Many people have them at home for great comfort.

That’s right! That’s why I try to draw cats and dogs at home during this stay at home time!

Having looked at your work, the colors of the cats’ eyes are quite various. This is really interesting to us. But, we have to look at your work closely to see it and not miss this detail!

Yes, I have experienced during the work shop, the owner finds new things when they look at my drawing of their cat such as the pattern of the cat’s fur and the shape of the ears, where do the cat’s whiskers grow from? Having found the details, they feel more affection to their pets and they look at their pets more carefully, which was really interesting to me. Animals are really beautiful. At any angle, the cats and dogs are so beautiful and I hope that the owners are happy to look at my drawings of their pets. I hope the pet owners enjoy this!

Q.Do you have any particular (tools) – specific items for drawing your work?

Basically, I use colored pencils… Oh, I also use the MONO zero eraser which is very fine. This one is very useful when I draw the small detailed lines such as the cat’s whiskers.

Can we erase the lines made by the oil based color pencils?

Yes, it can be erased depending upon the colors. Well, I also use the Karismacolor (Prismacolor in USA) pencil, Light Peach color 927, Beige 997, Cloud Blue 1023, Grayed Lavender 1026 and especially White.

You selected many pastel colors, where are you using pastels?

I use those pastel colors to make a rough draft first. Because I do not want to leave the line of a graphite pencil in my drawing, I use those pastel colors from the beginning. Those colors will be blended when I layer other colors on top of one another. Also, those colors can be easily erased with an eraser. Also I use pale gray, such as French Gray 20.

Your selected a color tone which is a lighter skin color than pink, isn’t it?

Yes, I also use pale blue and purple. All pastel colors with white are easy to erase and are very useful to make a rough draft. For example, the whitish pastel color; White is useful to draw the eyeholes of cats and the area, which may be erased afterwards. This Karismacolor (Prismacolor in USA) white is very strong and intense. Well, I’m going to add to my story a little by explaining – – Recently I’ve been drawing on colored paper, but even at that time I’m drawing in white. On colored paper, Karismacolor (Prismacolor in USA) white has a lot of color, it is quite easy to draw, and the color is so strong and opaque on the colored paper. Candles are really fun! I can draw it right away and I recommend you to try it. The pastel colors are so enjoyable and fun when drawing on colored paper.

Q. What kind of challenges do you want to take in the future?

If I want to take on a challenge, I think I’ll draw various motifs. Of course, my main work is pet portraits. But, I’m practicing because I want to be able to draw various things so that I can express the life of dogs and cats more! I want to draw to express their life in more detail and practice a lot by drawing different things and creatures. After that, this has been around for a long time, but…I believe that it is my mission to pursue the appeal of analog works. Some customers who buy my work may say, “It’s more eye-catching than a photo,” or the customers who request me to draw their pets mentioned that my drawing “has a presence,” when they see the cat’s eyes in my drawings. I believe that this mysterious feeling is something strange and wonderful in analog creations. I would like to develop this even more.

It is quite an interesting expression of your work that the customer senses your drawing is much more eye-catching and active than the photo –when they see the eyes of their pet.

I still do not know why? But, I am so glad and happy to appeal to more people with analog creations. I think it would be great if everyone could feel the charm of analog in that way!

We understand that very well. It does not feel cold. It has substance!

Yes, it feels warm and vivid. I hope that people can feel it in my drawings. After all, I’m hoping that the work itself will become a warm existence.

I assume that your customers decorate (display) their rooms (living rooms) with your drawings of their pets! They want to keep it close and see it as if they are actually with their pets. It’s a feeling of warmth, of being alive.

Yes, I am always consciously aware that my drawing will be hung (to decorate) in their room and I am also careful to match the interior of the room. I would say, to create a cozy ambience with my drawing is a plus!