Behind the scenes with creator Okku! What are the most important aspects of her creative mindset?
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!
This time we interviewed Korean concept artist Okku about the behind-the-scenes of her recent work and the mindset behind her creative progress!
- Okku
Korean concept artist.
She is an illustrator for the games LOST ARK and Seven Knights, and also conducts character design workshops incorporating real world examples.
Her style is characterized by delicate and sophisticated lines, and the combination of translucent colors and meticulous use of light creates an elegant atmosphere.
Introducing Okku and her illustration work
── First of all, please briefly introduce yourself.
Hello, my name is Okku.
Okku’s favorite illustration and its creation process
── Of the works you've created recently, which one is your favorite?
One of my favorite works I've drawn recently is called "Queen's dessert."
Okku’s recent favorite illustration
── Please tell us what inspired you to draw this work, and how did you get the inspiration?
This is an illustration of one of my original characters, the White Queen. I wanted to draw something visually interesting while still maintaining the character’s unique concept. I expanded upon the composition ideas I used in a previous work with a similar theme.
The piece drawn before “Queen's dessert”
── What do you like about this particular image?
I have a lot of affection for the character of the White Queen herself. I am particularly attached to this work because it was fun to draw a bunch of things I already love drawing, such as the desserts and sparkling textures.
── What was the most enjoyable part of creating it?
I especially enjoyed the process of designing the small decorative elements in a way befitting of the White Queen, such as her nails, accessories, and hand gestures.
▼ Here's a little behind-the-scenes!
── On the other hand, what was the most difficult part of the process?
Since the entire character is white, including her eyebrows, hair, clothes, and accessories, I struggled to depict the key elements in a way that would make them stand out. For example, the crown is also white, but I made it stand out by drawing it as if it was made out of a different material, giving it a strong presence.
── Was there an aspect that you paid particular attention to?
The focus of the work, the heart-shaped dessert, was initially shaped like an anatomical heart. I wanted to make it more visually beautiful, so I deformed the shape of the heart to create the current design.
Okku’s creative mindset
── Okku, you’ve been creating high-quality works for many years. Please tell us about your mindset and attitude towards your work as you continue your activities.
I try to approach each work as if I’m creating a small project. First, I envision a world for the piece to be set in, come up with ideas based on that worldbuilding, and add them to the work. This process is really helpful when immersing yourself in the work and coming up with ideas that will make the work shine more.
── When creating your work, are there any ideas or values you hold dear?
Building a personal style is important
── Do you have any personal branding strategies that help you keep creating, connect with fans, and make your art sustainable as a career?
It's important to steadily build your own style. There are many ways to express your artistic skill, such as painting style and color, but I especially enjoy expressing the worlds I envision through character design. Recently, I have been drawing more and more illustrations that highlight key elements of the work rather than just drawing character concept art.
In addition, through requests for character designs and illustrations for a wide range of genres such as games, novels, and VTubers, there have been more opportunities for collaboration with organizations. I have been doing a lot of freelance illustration work recently, so I receive commissions regularly. I sometimes receive inquiries about purchasing copyrights for my personal works, and if there is an opportunity to collaborate in a bigger way, I would like to actively take on that challenge to share my work with more people.
── Finally, please share a message for your loyal fans and everyone reading this article.
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who supports my work.
Recently, I’ve only been silently uploading works I have created from time to time, but I am really happy to have the opportunity to express my feelings through interviews like this. I’ll continue to strive to share even better works in the future!
── Thank you very much!