5 Sumi-e Illustrators and Painters To Follow
Discover the books, artists, and films to add to your reference library for Japanese art
Whether you already have a project in mind or are looking for ideas to inspire your next creation, getting to know and studying the work of other creatives will always help to awaken your imagination.
Illustrators Mika Takahashi and Flor Kaneshiro share a selection of inspirational artists using Indian ink and watercolor to create Japanese-style illustration and sumi-e painting.
Flor Kaneshiro’s Influences
Flor Kaneshiro (@florkaneshiro) is an Argentinian illustrator specializing in traditional Japanese illustration. Her work features chiefly in video and editorial illustration projects.
In her course, Watercolor Illustration with Japanese Influence, she shares some of the artists that she admires and who encourage her to keep learning.
Oga Kazoo
Oga Kazuo is an art director and a background artist for films produced by Studio Ghibli. In the book, Oga Kazuo Animation Studio Ghibli Artworks, you will discover their sketches, backgrounds, and illustration studies.
Watch this video showing one of the processes and their fluid use of watercolor:
Isao Takahata
Isao Takahata, along with Hayao Miyazaki, is a founder of Studio Ghibli. He worked as a director, producer, and scriptwriter. Flor considers the film, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya, which is about a traditional Japanese legend, to be one of Takahata’s most inspiring works. All of the backgrounds were painted in watercolor. In the book, The Art of The Story of the Princess Kaguya, you can learn all about the art direction for this beautiful film.
Watch the trailer below and a brief video about the creative process behind the film:
Chihiro Iwasaki
Chihiro Iwasaki was an illustrator known for their portraits of children using watercolors. Flor is inspired by the technique she mastered using stains, as well as their use of color and plants. You can discover more of their work in the book Chihiro Iwasaki Art Illustrations Book Autumn and on her website.
Mika Takahashi’s influences
Mika Takahashi (@takamiks) is a visual artist and illustrator who started their career working at animation production companies as well as creating illustrations for books and magazines.
In their course, India Ink Illustration with Japanese Influence, they explain that analyzing other artists’ work and how it influences you will help you reach your own creative solutions.
Takehiko Inoue
Takehiko Inoue is a Japanese mangaka (manga artist). Besides having been awarded various illustration prizes, he is the creator of one of the best-selling mangas in history, Slam Dunk, which you can find in many different compilation books.
In this video, although it doesn’t have subtitles, you can appreciate their technique:
Taiyo Matsumoto
Another Japanese manga and comic strip artist, Taiyo Matsumoto, is known for this peculiar surrealist style. Mika is blown away by the versatile nature of Taiyo’s work and the way they control the ink. You can see more examples in books such as Takemitsu Samurai.
His work Tekkonkinkreet was adapted for the screen. Watch the trailer below:
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