【Interview】COPIC AWARD 2021 Judges: Chiaki Harada
Our third mini interview with the AWARD judges is with Chiaki Harada, an illustrator, and manga artist whose illustrations are impressive for vivid colors and sharp/bitter lines.
Ms. Harada drew this illustration to celebrate the launch of the COPIC AWARD 2021. The illustration has also been posted on her Twitter and Instagram. Please check out!
Twitter・Instagram
手から毒がでるねこ/もうどくと捨て犬のはなし【１話】より抜粋
「あやしい絵展」より
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Chiaki Harada Illustrator/Manga artist（website/Twitter/Instagram） Harada is known for her unique “bad-mouth" style and has published numerous manga/art books including classics like Tekara Dokugaderu Neko No Hanashi and Darenimo Mitsukarazuni Naiteiru Kimiwa Yasashii. She also works in a wide range of fields, including apparel and curation. Since 2019, Harada has been a lecturer at the Kyoto University of the Art. |
- Were there any of the COPIC AWARD 2020 winning works that caught your attention?
I was very interested in Ms. Moe Higuchi's work, "Go to Bed". The way the cats of various sizes and types are heading for the bed is so cute.
I fear leaving blank spaces in my drawings, so I tend to add all kinds of things on them, but in this work, I feel that the gentle light blue background gives the illustration a relaxed atmosphere. I'm sure this drawing would look great in a picture book, and it would be absolutely adorable on a wall at home.
I wonder what kind of dreams these cats see. It's a wonderful work of art that allows us to imagine many stories from a single drawing.
入選「Go to Bed」/樋口モエ
- What do you always focus on when you see the artworks? What do you expect to see in this year's AWARD?
I pay attention to whether the work has drawn with a free spirit.
I like the lively, energetic works, not only technically skillful. When I look at the artwork, I try to think about what the artist was thinking when they drew it. If the artist enjoys drawing, you can feel the joy.
Another personal point is whether I want to hang the work on my wall.
- Please tell us what to look forward to as a judge for the COPIC AWARD 2021. Also, do you have any message for those who are thinking of applying for this year's AWARD?
It's a great honor and a dream come true for me to be a judge for a competition of the artworks using Copic, an art medium I have been familiar with since I was a child. I'd be happy if you could show us the works you have enjoyed drawing. Please don't hesitate to fill your artwork with whatever you really want to draw, create, or express.
- Do you have any memories or episodes related to Copic?
When I was in junior high, I used to buy Copic one color at a time with my pocket money. I still remember that very well.
Copic has tones of colors that neither paints nor watercolors have, and it allows me to draw in a way only Copic can. It's also convenient to carry around, and I can use it without getting my hands dirty. It's so useful, especially when I draw portraits. Copic is one of my favorite art materials I hope to use for a long time to come!
Ms. Chiaki Harada's illustration for the COPIC AWARD 2021
「選んだ色に不正解なんてない」
Other Interviews
・Oh! great (Ito Ogure)
・Kota Nezu
