Interview With Kei Sawada

Artist, Illustrator, Toy Maker, and Sculptor

  • So Kei, tell us where you are living these days.

    I'm living in Kobe Japan

  • Then let me say a special thank you for doing this interview, and our prayers go out to the entire Japanese Nation!

    Thank you.

  • Did you have any hobbies or inspirations growing up that help lead you into what you do today?

    I really enjoy photography as a hobby, it is useful to improve one's sense of composition.

  • Please tell us a bit about some of your work.

    My graduation thesis was presented at the gargantuan size of 10m x 4.5m. A large-format composition of 1000 unique characters which overwhelmed and astounded many of  the visitors to the exhibition. I decided to do a piece like this out of a unexpected curiosity. "What would it look like if all of my characters were in one place?" I decided to create a questionnaire about the word "MANY" I asked people at what number would you reach many? Most people answer 1000. So I decided to create a piece with 1000 characters. I would draw about 20 characters per day. I completed all 1000 charters in just under 4 months. I wanted to draw totally unique characters and tried to draw characters with as many different shapes as possible. There are humans, animals, fishes, insects, a plants, and machines, just to name a few. I would create characters by thinking about shapes, colors, and names. A piece like this would squeeze new ideas out of my head and improve me as an artist.

  • How did you become so good at what you do?

    Thank you, but I am not satisfied with my skills yet! My methods for becoming good at anything is simply practice.

  • Are there any current or past projects you are excited to tell us about?

    I like to collect toys, so it was really quite exciting when my characters becomes toys themselves.

  • What tools do you use in your work?

    For my 2D/CG work I tend to use Photoshop, Illustrator, ComicStudio, and SketchBook Pro. For my 3D/CG work Enjoy using ZBrush, Modo, and 3D-coat.

  • What keeps you inspired?

    There are so many examples, Disney ,Hanna-Barbera, Nickelodeon, Akira Toriyama ,Osamu Tezuka, Taiyo Matsumoto etc...

close