ニュース

Today, we are joined by Hiroyuki Izutsu , he is an Illustrator. You can view his portfoliohere.

• FIRSTLY, CAN YOU EXPLAIN YOUR PROFESSION IN YOUR OWN WORDS AND HOW YOU CAME TO BE ABLE TO DO IT FULL TIME?

I started to work as an illustrator from 35 years ago and was painting a motif of family and couple for advertising, such as posters and brochures. Now I have more work for publications and create an image for cover and inside of book. Since I decided to live with this profession, I have shown my work to a lot of people and even did some works which everyone didn’t like. Through these various experiences, I have tired my best on every single work, then I could manage to work with major advertising agencies and publishers.

• WHAT WAS YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH FORMAL EDUCATION – WAS PAINTING SOMETHING YOU STUDIED OR WAS IT DEVELOPED IN YOUR OWN TIME?

When I started my career , I was almost self taught. As I became a professional, I went to leant from a respected forerunner illustrator in Japan. I have developed my style of painting thought many works.

• DO YOU WORK WITH AN ART DEALER OR GALLERY – OR IS EVERYTHING SET UP BY YOU?

As I work as a commercial illustrator, I don’t have them either.

• WAS BECOMING A PAINTER FULL-TIME A DIFFICULT PROCESS?

We’ve all heard the starving artist stories. I don’t think it would be that drastic, because it was what I really liked. I worked thought the era there was no computer and facsimile, I think that I was working in an inconvenient environment.

• WHAT INSPIRES YOU?

Nothing in particular, really. But I see always what I see and feel from my daily life in my painter point of view, for example there is a situation of how to put a glass on the dining table and what I felt from the book and movie. I often can get an inspiration from that kind of memories.

• WHAT’S THE MOST CHALLENGING PROJECT OR JOB YOU’VE WORKED ON?

For two years, I had been working on a spot illustration of series of novel on the newspaper , which I had to work in 3-4 hours a day.I challenged to create a new style of work everyday which was different style front what I already established. It was well received from many medias and peers.

• WHAT PROJECT OR JOB HAVE YOU HAD THE MOST FUN WORKING ON?

It was the job that I answered 6. And my own landscape project, called “Don’t give up Japan” It was deeply shocked to see the land that has been affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake. But there are still a lot of beautiful scenery in that area of Japan and would like to introduce to the world.

• LASTLY, WHAT IS THE MOST SURPRISING THING YOU’VE LEARNT DURING YOUR TIME PAINTING PROFESSIONALLY?

I realised that I am always still in developing all the time, even I draw many years. And there is no end. I will keep drawing if there is a possibility to improve my work. It will not be a professional if you don’t want to push yourself.

Interviewed by Troy Hall

Translated by Agent Hamyak