Behind the scenes with illustrator kiri! How does she add realism to her works?
On Artist's Spotlight, we interview artists around the globe who are active on pixiv to shed light on their work and how they create their illustrations.
These interviews often discuss topics related to the business of illustration, such as how to take your skills to the next level as a creator and things to keep in mind as a professional, making them a valuable source for both aspiring and professional illustrators.
This time we interviewed Korean illustrator and character designer kiri about the behind-the-scenes of her recent works and what she considers especially important when creating an original illustration!
- kiri
South Korean illustrator and character designer.
She pursues clear designs that effectively communicate a theme. She focuses on the harmony between her delicate line art and use of medium-saturation colors when creating distinctive original characters.
She serves as an instructor on online learning services such as propic and Coloso, teaching creative techniques. She also handles character designs, music videos, and illustrations for various VTubers.
Introducing kiri and her illustration work
── Could you briefly introduce yourself and your work?
kiri’s favorite illustration and its creation process
── What’s your favorite thing you’ve drawn recently?
── What made you draw it and what was the inspiration behind it?
── What do you like about this particular image?
I've cherished these original characters for a long time, and I've always loved that white, quiet, lonely atmosphere of winter. I really like how I successfully captured that mood in this art.
── Which part of the process was the most fun?
▼ Here's a little behind-the-scenes!
── On the other hand, what was the most difficult part of the process?
The line art stage was the most challenging. I often draw lines while simultaneously filling in color (rendering), so I don’t draw very detailed line art compared to other illustrators. Even so, the stage of translating the image in my head into a concrete form always feels difficult. If I don't get the shapes right in the line art stage, the later stages become even more difficult, so I have to be especially careful.
Lately, to improve the overall quality of my illustrations even slightly, I've been making a conscious effort to draw detailed lines from the very beginning.
── Was there an aspect that you paid particular attention to?
Giving pieces a persuasive realism
── Your character designs are distinctive and uniquely expressive, blending darkness with a touch of cuteness. It’s truly impressive. Could you tell us about the inspiration behind your character designs and what you find challenging in the creation process?
I feel like I always start by focusing on the specific elements and ideas I personally enjoy. For references, I often look to visual content like photographs, films, or other artists' illustrations. If I start without deciding what I want to create, I sometimes get stuck because I don't know what to research. So, when developing ideas, I first lay out the things I like, then use those as keywords to search for references and expand my thinking. Having a solid foundation prevents me from straying too far from the direction I want to go in.
The most challenging part of production, I find, is how to make my original characters and illustrations convincingly real to the viewer. Viewers are often going into original works with no prior knowledge, making them feel unfamiliar and potentially less engaging. To overcome this, I constantly prioritize clarity. In other words, I prefer to create illustrations that viewers can parse easily and without stress.
Additionally, I consciously aim for character designs with both appeal and simplicity. When creating an illustration, I focus on clearly highlighting the parts I want to emphasize.
Consistently posting original works is especially important
── As you continue your creative work, do you have any unique methods of branding that help you generate income and connect with your fans?
I make a conscious effort to consistently post original illustrations on social media platforms like pixiv. While I occasionally draw fan art for works that moved me or for my favorite VTubers, there’s nothing I love more than drawing original works. I'd be delighted if people remember me as an illustrator who loves creating original content.
── Finally, please share a message for your loyal fans and everyone reading this article.
Knowing that people are cheering me on gives me tremendous strength. I'm always truly grateful. And for those reading this article who, like me, enjoy drawing original characters, I'd be delighted if this interview proves even a little helpful. I plan to keep doing my very best!
── kiri, thank you so much!