Illustrator Momoco's shares her creative approach and vision for the future - "The anime adaption of Alya inspired me to practice drawing faces from different angles."

Yes, I’ve loved drawing ever since I was a child, especially illustrations of girls. At one point, I considered pursuing a different path, but I realized how much I loved art and decided to study painting at university. My major was oil painting.

Not really. By the time I started preparing for art school, I had stopped drawing character illustrations altogether. At university, I focused on painting flowers and objects instead.

I’ve always loved anime and manga, but my family was pretty strict, so I wasn’t allowed to watch or read much of it growing up. After starting university, I had the freedom to explore those kinds of content, plus access to the internet. That’s when I began seeing more beautiful girl illustrations and thought, "Oh yeah, I used to love drawing girls as a kid." It reignited my interest in drawing character illustrations.

That’s right. I started drawing on a computer during my university years, so I’d say I got into digital illustration relatively late.

Yes. Using Multiply layers makes the color range feel a bit limited to me, so I try to avoid it in my work.

That’s right. I think of lines as more of a supporting element. (laughs)

I think so. Even when drawing digitally, I like to keep a sense of my own brushstrokes in the final piece.

I’m inspired by Impressionist works, especially Monet. I admire how they use such a rich variety of colors to not only create visuals but also convey an atmosphere.

Kantoku’s work has been a big influence. The way he captures expressions, especially in female characters, highlights areas I aim to improve in my own work.

I focus on emphasizing the parts I want to stand out most, and I deliberately avoid overworking other areas. While drawing, I’ll often step back to look at the whole piece from a distance, flip it horizontally, or shrink it down to check the balance. Although honestly, a lot of it is just instinct.

I like to save my work frequently to compare versions, and I save every version with a new name instead of overwriting, so my files pile up quickly! (laughs)

I think the key is creating strong contrasts between light and dark. Another trick is reusing colors from the background to paint the character. For example, if the background has a lot of blue, I’ll mix some of that blue into the character’s hair. It helps everything feel more cohesive and makes the character feel grounded in the scene.

Symmetrical objects, like architecture and inorganic things, are tough for me…

When I’m browsing images online, I save anything that catches my eye—whether it’s clothes, food, or anything else. If I think, “Oh, that’s nice,” it goes straight into my reference folder.

Once I think about the setting, the lighting comes naturally—like imagining, “The light source is here, it’s evening,” or “It’s night.” I decide on the lighting and colors during the rough sketch phase, and I rarely change them afterward.

Sketching is the most fun part, but what takes the longest is the final cleanup. I put extra care into the face and hair, especially. I’ll adjust something small, like the angle of the mouth, about 10 times, wondering, “Which one is the cutest?”

For bust-up illustrations without a background, I’m pretty quick. But when it comes to full-body characters or background-heavy pieces, they take a lot longer. I spent quite a bit of time on the main visual of this solo exhibition—about 20 hours, I think.

Alya is definitely the most fun to draw. I love working with bright-haired characters because it makes light effects so much easier. On the other hand, drawing male characters is always a struggle for me—especially older men. They’re tough to get right!

Yes, it is. Watching my art come to life in motion was full of new discoveries. For instance, I noticed how the animation team simplified and stylized certain elements or how specific angles of a face are portrayed in motion. Seeing these things inspired me to improve—I now practice drawing characters from more varied angles.

Exactly. That’s why I’ve been experimenting with unusual perspectives—like drawing from above or below or placing the lighting in unexpected positions. It’s been a fun challenge to try things I don’t usually do.

I’ve always loved Venice—the canals, the architecture, and the city’s warm tones. But I’ve never actually been there! This piece was my way of declaring, “I’m going to go!” (laughs) Hopefully, next year will be the year I finally visit.

The main visual features my original character, Yukari, tying it to the art book cover. Yukari is actually wearing the same outfit and hairstyle as in the main visual for my previous solo exhibition. It would make me really happy if people noticed that connection.

Yes! My last exhibition had a simpler setup, but this time, I requested an atmosphere that evokes a foreign country. It’s shaping up perfectly, and I’m really excited to see it come together.

I’d say the glitter art prints. The sparkling material feels fresh, and I’m eager to see how they turn out. Also, my illustrations are being featured on apparel for the first time. I hope people check out the long T-shirts!

Ideally, I’d like to keep it fifty-fifty. Commissions push me to draw things I wouldn’t normally attempt on my own, which is a great learning experience. Even when it’s challenging, I feel it’s a necessary part of growth.