Lessons from Illustrator Gawako's Time at a Game Company

Illustrator Gawako's solo exhibition Emergence is happening now until Sunday, October 29th, 2023, at pixiv WAEN GALLERY in Omotesando. The art show celebrates the release of the artist's first art book Emergence, published by Genkosha.

Gawako is active in a variety of fields, from CD jacket art to music video illustration and video game costume design, and they recently had their first solo exhibition and published their first art book. They claim that their current activities are heavily influenced by their previous experiences and knowledge gained while working for a game company; we sat down to listen to their story.

Index

I thought pursuing an art career would be too hard
Lighting, Gawako's approach to art, and what they learned at the game company
Stocking up on anything that sparks my interest
For backgrounds, I use both 3D and photobashing
A key visual that says, "When life gives you lemons..."
Gawako's solo exhibition, "Emergence", is open through October 29th!
Merchandise is also available online!

Gawako
Illustrator. Born in 1998. Cat lover. Has worked on commemorative illustrations for mobile games, jacket art, music video illustration, video game costume design, and more.
pixiv
X (formerly Twitter)

Watch Gawako's drawing process and listen to this interview in this episode of DrawTube!

I thought pursuing an art career would be too hard

── Have you been drawing since you were a kid?

Yes. When I was in kindergarten, my older cousin used to draw with her friends, and I often got to see their art. That made me think, "It'd be nice to be able to draw like that!" so I gave it a shot. Back then, I used to buy Ciao and copy the characters of the manga featured in the magazine.

── Have you ever received formal art education?

Not at all. (laughs) When I was in middle school, my mom said to me, "If you love drawing that much, I'll send you to a prep school for art school!" But to be honest, I didn't really care for it. I never studied art properly; even when it comes to perspective, I tend to just wing it! (laughs) I joined a game company right out of university, and that's when I realized I needed to study to keep up with the pros and started to take things seriously. I began learning from my senior colleagues while also taking time to study on my own with books and video tutorials.

── Did you join a game company because you were hoping to make a career out of drawing?

That's right. I always wanted to pursue art as a career, but I thought it'd be too hard and went to a physical education university instead. I was really determined to become a teacher after graduating, but once I started job hunting, I began wondering if that was really what I wanted to do. That's when one of my teachers told me that the opportunity to start a career as a new grad only comes around once and that I should take that chance to pursue an art career. That gave me the push to go for it.

── So, if it weren't for that teacher, you wouldn't be an illustrator today.

You may be right. When I got into a game company, my teacher was happy for me. We actually caught up recently, after they found out that I'm releasing an art book.

── What a good teacher! So you got your start in illustration as a company employee. But why did you choose a game company?

I chose a field where drawing was a given, and since I've always liked creating things with others rather than working alone, I focused on game companies during my job hunt.

── When did you make the switch to freelancing?

Pretty recently, actually. I worked at that company for about three years. As I started participating in various events and getting more chances to meet the people who usually see my work, I began to think that it might be nice to expand my activities as Gawako. I wanted to reach more people with my art, and that's when I started thinking about going freelance.

Lighting, Gawako's approach to art, and what they learned at the game company

── What does your workspace look like?

I use a Cintiq Pro 27 LCD tablet and Clip Studio. Up until last year, I pretty much did everything on an iPad Pro, but I switched up my setup when I started considering going freelance.

── How long does it take you to finish an illustration on average?

Personal illustrations that I post on social media usually take me around 8-10 hours, but work illustrations take longer. In my case, the lines tend to disappear during the coloring process, so the line art takes hardly any time; definitely less than an hour. I use the rest of the time to color.

── So you devote a lot of time to coloring...

Sometimes sketching takes me some time too, but I generally spend the most time on coloring. I layer the colors, and that takes a while. Sometimes while I color I stop to think, "Wait, am I doing this right?" and end up losing sight of my goal. (laughs) I always keep the face on a separate layer to make things easier for myself.

── Are there any specific aspects of coloring that you're particular about?

I pay a lot of attention to lighting. I often focus on the contrast between light and dark.

── Many illustrators who are particular about lighting often have a strong interest in movies and photography.

You're right about that. I do like movies, but I'm so passionate about drawing that I don't really have the time to delve deeply into them. But I do use movie scenes as a reference. There's a site called SHOTDECK where you can watch various movie scenes, and if you're interested in lighting and directing, I think it's a great resource.

── When did you first become interested in the use of light?

When I was working for that game company. Everyone talked about lighting as if it were extremely important, so I was kind of brainwashed into believing it was.

無垢

by がわこ

── You learned a lot from your days at the company, didn't you?

Yes! Emphatically so.

── Are there any other lessons you learned during your days at the company that stay with you even today?

One discussion that really stuck with me was about being a creator who receives client work with specific goals versus promoting yourself and your brand as an artist. I think I'm leaning towards the former nowadays, but I'd like to try to express my artistic tastes and interests through personal projects and doujin work.

Gawako's doujinshi are available on Melonbooks (may be sold out).

Stocking up on anything that sparks my interest

── You've been posting your art on pixiv since 2012. Was there a specific turning point for your art style?

Around 2020, I got hooked on the Chinese mobile game Arknights and started developing a preference for muted colors. Through the game, I was introduced to artists outside of Japan, which broadened my horizons and led me to change my style.

An Arknights fan art from June 2021.

If I had to pick an illustration that represents my turning point, I'd say the one called King from November 2021. The pieces with a chess motif, including this one, were where I felt my personal style really started to emerge. Around that time, I started to figure out what I liked and started incorporating those elements into my drawings.

── Looking back at your older works, I sensed a fascination with backgrounds and complicated angles from the very beginning. You were never the type to be satisfied with just drawing cute girls' faces, right?

That's right. Drawing the characters in the world they live in has always been more fun for me.

A post from 2016.

── How do you gather ideas or input for the amazing worlds you depict?

Since there's a limit to the ideas and sources of inspiration that naturally come my way, I try to be proactive in my search. I make it a point to save anything that sparks my interest, not just illustrations. Having such a collection lets me look back and get a better understanding of what I like, which helps me come up with new ideas. I always try to analyze why a particular thing caught my attention and try to integrate that aspect into my art.

── Some of your works seem to share the same worldbuilding; for example, your chess series and the ones featuring witches.

For my witch-themed works, even though I don't really have a solid concept yet, I've been working on a variety of pieces. As for my chess pieces, I've begun to build a world around them and even came up with a storyline. I'd really like to release a doujinshi around them for my own pleasure, as a hobby.

One of the works belonging to Gawako's chess series.

For backgrounds, I use both 3D and photobashing

── In your opinion, what makes an artwork "a good artwork"?

If a piece fulfills the vague goal I had in mind before starting it, then I consider it a good one!

── When you draw, do you always have some sort of goal in mind?

Pretty much. For example, one piece might be dedicated to studying a lighting technique that I find challenging. Another might come with the simple goal of delighting the people who see it. Others might be purely for my own enjoyment.

── What's a recent work that you are particularly proud of?

Let's take this illustration, titled Crow. The goal here was to combine my own style with what I think regular followers of my work would enjoy. In that sense, I'm pretty happy with this piece. Not only did I enjoy making it, but I also received a lot of positive feedback. So, in that sense, I believe I accomplished my goal with this piece.

── In your artwork, illustrations as dynamic as this one as pretty rare.

I usually prefer drawing scenes where characters are standing in a cool or imposing manner, but I felt like constantly sticking to the same style might become boring, so I played around with camera angles and switched things up a bit, all while maintaining a character silhouette that I like.

── The blue of the sky and the distant buildings make the illustration evoke a broader story. Your work always showcases a particular attention to detail, from the intricate backgrounds to the tiniest accessories. You also use some 3D elements in the backgrounds, right?

Right. I learned how to use 3D at my previous company and started using it for my own work. I draw backgrounds using a variety of methods, including completely hand-drawn, photobashing (combining and editing photo materials), and 3D.

The buildings in the distance are made using 3D.

── How do you choose which approach to take?

Complex compositions are more accurate with 3D, so I often use it for such scenes. Plus, 3D is great for rendering materials like metal. When I need to add a lot of detail, I use photobashing, and sometimes I just draw by hand because it's the best way.

A background made with photobashing.

A key visual that says, "When life gives you lemons..."

── What is it like to have your first solo show?

It's something I've always wanted to do before I die, so I can't help but wonder, "Is this really happening?" (laughs) Even after planning everything, it feels so surreal. I won't believe it until I set foot into the venue! (laughs)

── Both your art book and the exhibition are titled Emergence, right?

Yes, as in metamorphosis. I chose it because it felt like a turning point for me, and also because it also fits in nicely with some new original stories I wanted to tell. It's almost like a compilation of everything I've done up to this point.

Gawako's first art book Emergence, published by Genkosha, is going on sale on October 16th.

── The art book and the exhibition also share the same key visual. Can you tell us more about the artwork you chose?

While the subject has an air of resignation, she's still looking forward. This is to symbolize the fact that, even though things may not always go according to plan, "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade." The figures surrounding the girls in the middle are meant to represent the parts of herself she had to let go of or "kill off" to move forward. The chains attached to the girl represent the problems that stick with you even while you move forward. I really focused my efforts on the wingsーI added a few extra layers compared to what I usually do, just to give it a more polished finish.

── There's also some merchandise planned for your solo exhibition, isn't it?

It's so great to have a chance to make all of these goodies. I'm really excited about all of them, but the carabiners came out especially great, they're really cute! I can't wait to attach them somewhere.

In the foreground of the photo, you can see the carabiners that Gawako is so excited about.

── Do you have a message for the people who'll be visiting your exhibition?

Normally, people see my art digitally, like on computers or smartphones, but the exhibition allows you to enjoy the physical presence of the art. Even if you've seen the same artwork online, I think you'll find it a different experience to see it up close and from various distances. As for the venue, we're planning to make it look like a hospital. The organizers are preparing everything while keeping my wishes in mind, and I hope you'll enjoy how the show turns out!

── Lastly, are there any other goals or jobs you'd like to tackle as an illustrator in the future?

Well, getting more opportunities to meet people who regularly view my art, such as at events, was a turning point for me. Of course, I'm glad when I receive feedback on social media, but talking to people in person is its own unique experience. Some people come to me saying things like, "I also draw," or "I want to become an illustrator in the future." Those are the kinds of conversations that make me feel alive, so I stand by the importance of real-life events! So at some point in the future, I'd love to participate in more events, both in Japan and abroad.

Gawako's solo exhibition, "Emergence", is open through October 29th!

pixiv WAEN GALLERY by TWINPLANET × pixiv, a gallery jointly operated by pixiv and Twin Planet, is currently holding Gawako's solo exhibition Emergence through October 29th, 2023.

The exhibition will feature 49 works, including original works created for this exhibition, all centering on the theme of “emergence”. In line with the exhibition title, the gallery is decorated to resemble a hospital ward.

Dates: Monday, October 9th, 2023 to Sunday, October 29th, 2023

Days closed: None

Free admission

Address: Tokyo, Shibuya City, Jingumae, 5 Chome-46-1 TWIN PLANET South BLDG. 1F

Hours: 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

＞＞pixiv WAEN GALLERY website＜＜

＞＞Official X (formerly Twitter)＜＜

Merchandise is also available online!

Some of the merchandise sold at the exhibition will be available for purchase on BOOTH. The lineup includes carabiners (Gawako's favorite!), cute button badges, and many other items featuring the artist's beautiful illustrations!

＞＞View on BOOTH＜＜