【Interview】2019 Second Place Winner:Hoshimi
| HOSHIMI
COPIC AWARD 2019 Second Place Winner |
COPIC AWARD2019 Second Place Winner "永き眠りから覚めて"
Q. Let me take this opportunity to congratulate you again for winning second place at COPIC AWARD 2019. Please tell us your thoughts on winning the AWARD, reactions from those around you, and changes in your personal life.
Hoshimi：Thank you! I am really happy to have won this wonderful award, and it has encouraged me to work harder on my subsequent art pieces. I received many congratulatory words from people who support me all the time, and I would like to work even harder on my artwork in the future.
Q.What made you decide to submit an entry for COPIC AWARD 2019?
Hoshimi：I actually submitted an entry for COPIC AWARD 2017 in the previous year, and so I wanted to enter the competition again. I was having a hard time completing a good piece for the competition and I decided to submit the piece which became the foundation of my current style.
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Hoshimi's work space.
Q.What was the concept behind your COPIC AWARD 2019 award winning piece, "Awakening From a Long Slumber"?
Hoshimi： I got the idea when I saw a plant growing strongly in a rusted part of a train station platform. I was fascinated by the vitality of the plant and how it was persevering in a decaying artificial environment. This piece depicts how a robotic girl, who was sleeping, awakens after receiving strength from a plant.
Q.Your pieces seem to use the YG00 and YG05 colors a lot as key colors. Please tell us any tips on using those colors.
Hoshimi：I used YG00 to draw a warm light centering on the heart. It took a little courage to layer this color over skin, but when I decided to do it, I got a good feel from the piece. YG05 is a clear yellow-green color, and I think it helped to bring out a lively color and light in the plants.
Q.How did you feel on the day of the COPIC AWARD 2019 ceremony? Please let us know if there was anything that left an impression or something that a judge said.
Hoshimi： I was just nervous (laughs).
I couldn't believe it until the day of the award ceremony, but when I got on the stage, it finally hit me. Rumiko Tezuka, who was one of the judges, talked about what she found appealing about the girl in my drawing. My image of a girl has always been that of a female who’s not just cute, but also beautiful and has somewhat of a sad side. I was very happy that she got the impression that I was trying to portray.
View of the exhibition
Q.One feature of COPIC AWARD is that you can see of the submitted artworks online. Were there any pieces that caught your eye? If so, please also tell us your reason.
Hoshimi：Title: Red Light Artist Name: Erin Nicholls
Reason: I saw the original picture at the award ceremony and was impressed by the way the artist expressed red light by using pink. Even though it's a drawing, I could feel the air, the sound and the smell of rain from it.
2019 AWARD finalist and Hoshimi’s favorite, Red Light by Erin Nicholls
Hoshimi's works
This is a secret garden that no one knows about. There are white flowers from all seasons blooming. As parts of ruins can also be seen, it may be in the remnants of a building. And to whom will the girl deliver the bouquet? My intent was to create a girl who is cute but also mysterious.
I created a winter goddess longing for the spring season. This is a story of how a goddess took hold of all springtime flowers with the cold air, but the spring was far from what the goddess envisioned. Even though the goddess already possesses enough beauty, her envy grows stronger... It depicts that kind of moment.
Q.I heard that a book with instructions on how you use Copic markers will be released in the spring of 2020. How do you feel now that the book has been completed?
Hoshimi：I drew more than 20 pictures for this book, but I had to approach it from a completely different point of view than I usually do. I was struggling to figure out how to get a clear message across to the people and how to make it easy for them to draw. It is an instructional book for readers, but it was a good experience for me too because it made me realize how I create my art.
Q.Which is your favorite motif or page?
Hoshimi：I especially like the page where you can color the line drawing of "pudding à la mode"! I think the readers will find it fun to draw colorful and cute fruits. Even if it feels a little difficult, please enjoy drawing!
Q：COPIC AWARD entries are available for previous COPIC AWARD winners. Do you have plans to submit an entry for COPIC AWARD 2020?
Hoshimi： I would love to participate if possible! I will do my best to come up with a nice piece!
Q. Please give a message of support to artists who will be participating in COPIC AWARD 2020.
Hoshimi：I believe that passion for drawing and having fun will always reach a person’s heart. With that feeling in my heart, I will continue working hard. I hope that every artist will be able to create wonderful artwork.
Thank you Hoshimi, wishing you many more successes in the future!
