Get to know this week’s featured artist:

Where do you find inspiration for your design? 
Honestly, I’m basically a certified nerd. I spend way too much time playing video games, watching anime, and devouring manga. So, it’s no surprise that my inspiration comes straight from that world. I love all things cute and kawaii, so mixing these two elements creates my unique style. Essentially, take a bit of nerdiness, add a sprinkle of kawaii, and voilà—you’ve got my designs!

How would you describe your style, and how has it changed over time? 
I’d describe my style as classic kawaii with, hopefully, a humorous twist that reflects my personality. It’s playful, a little silly, but always cute. My style is constantly evolving. As a self-taught artist, I’m always learning and never fully satisfied with my work, so I keep striving to improve day by day. Looking back, I realize my designs have become much simpler; now I use clean lines and essential elements. Basically, I’ve embraced the mantra of ‘less is more.’

How is your personality reflected in your work? 
I hope my personality shines through in the fun and silly side of my drawings. I love kawaii things but also silly jokes. I adore animals, and I think that’s why 99% of my drawings feature furry creatures, almost never humans. Let’s say my work is a mix of adorable and goofy—just like me!

Can you walk us through your creative process, from the initial idea to the finished piece? 
Ah, this one’s tricky! My creative process is so simple and linear in my head that it’s almost hard to explain. Every day, I try to give myself a theme. I have a notebook where I jot down elements related to that theme, and from there, I start imagining which animal could interact with those elements and how. Then, it’s sketch time—strictly on the computer (I’ve tried using an iPad, but it just feels too complicated, go figure!). The process evolves quickly; I leave a lot of room for instinct and let myself be carried away by ideas. I can do really quick sketches, but only a small part of what I produce makes it to the public. I’d sum up the whole process with, ‘The right design comes from drawing.’

What have been your favorite types of designs to create? 
This one’s easy, and I think it’s pretty obvious if you take a look at my gallery. I love drawing cute animals, especially cats. There was a time when I told myself, ‘No more cats!’—it was definitely getting out of hand, lol. I prefer rounded, non-edgy images. I find it extremely difficult to draw something I don’t like. I’ve always struggled with ‘imposed’ requests. I’m really proud of my mental health collection, and I hope to create more pieces on that theme in the future.

When did you realize that you wanted to be an artist, and what inspired you? 
I think I’ve always known it. As a child, I was always drawing—it was my favorite “game.” I was never a particularly social person, so sitting with a piece of paper and drawing was my idea of fun. The exact moment I realized I wanted to draw for a living? It was when I started getting Ranma 1/2 VHS tapes with weekly releases. Each tape came with a booklet that featured various drawings from the episode. At some point, I was more eager to get the booklet to copy the drawings than to watch the episode itself! And I guess that’s how it all started.

All CuteDigitalPress designs are 20% off this week only!