posted: February 20, 2013

This may be a worthwhile 7 minutes for aspiring illustrators and comic artists, or those just who are curious about them. 

I don't like to be video-ed, especially that I don't have a good enough confidence on my terrible Japanese accent, and hard to face tha truth(!)
But, it is for PBS, part of a great series in a great theme, and that Tomer was originally contacted but he couldn't so he forwarded my info to them. How can I say no, right?
Featuring: Steven Guarnaccia,Sean Murphy, Molly Crabapple.

posted: January 12, 2012

I had been interviewing fellow illusrators and publishing the article in a Japanese magazine called ILLUSTRATION （イラストレーション）for a little more than two years. The magazine is now going through a big direction change, and the popular feature of foreign (from Japanese point of view) illustrators have ended for now.

Illustration Friday has been kind enough to publish the full English version of the interviews on their site, and the last of them are up right now.
Shout  Brian Stauffer  Sam Weber

I specifically recommend these intervies to illustration students and starting out illustrators, who are working really hard but sometimes have doubt in their future as a professional artist. I am sure their words will inspire you, and encourage you to keep going.

posted: August 31, 2011

Labor Day is quickly approaching, and it is time for another school year. All the art kids out there, wanna read something that inspires you to kick start another year of art filled life?

This interview article of Chris Buzelli for Japanese magazine イラストレーション(=Illustration) was published a while ago, but I hadn't had chance to post in the timely manner. Now is the time.
For English version of unabridged original interview, please check out Illustration Friday (thanks to Penelope Dullaghan!).  If you happened to read Japanese, the actual article is on this post.

PS: I still have Sam Weber and SHOUT interviews to post soon. And I am currently interviewing Brian Stauffer. Stay tuned!!!

posted: June 20, 2011

I have been interviewing fellow illustrators and introducing them to Japanese audience through ILLUSTRATION Magazine (イラストレーション) for about two years now.
The new issue just came out. This was the first issue after the huge disaster in Northen Japan. The request from the editor in chief was that they wanted to introduce someone who's work is heartfelt, sweet and touching. Possibly bring smiles to those who are going through tough times. We both thought Brian Rea's work was perfect.

As usual, for those who cannot read Japanese, Illustration Friday was kind enough to post the full length unabridged English version on their site.

I recommend this interivew to particulary those who recently finished school. Brian talks about his process of getting over style and decoration, importance of sketchbooks, and having passion outside of art, among other things.

I had been extremely busy last half a year or so, and there still are interviews to: SHOUT, Chris Buzelli and Sam Weber that is waiting to be posted on Illustration Friday. I will let you know once they are up on the web.

posted: June 15, 2010

It's been a little more than a year and I am finally getting used to my bi-monthly gig pretending as a 'journalist' to interview and write articles about foreign* illustrators to Japanese audience of イラストレーション(Illustration) Magazine. (*foreign=from Japanese point of view)

For the latest issue just came out at the end of May, I have interviewed Hanoch Piven, who is an Isaraeli artists who works a lot with American clients, who currently lives and works in Barcelona, Spain. How international!  

For those of you who read Japanese fluently, the image is large enough for you to read in the original language the article was published. But for the rest of (and most of) you, you can read unabridged full length interview on Illustration Friday, yet again, to the kind help by Penelope Dullaghan. (Thank you Penny, and thank you Hanoch!)

Also, in the same issue, there are articles about Marcos Chin and Erik T. Johnson. Thank you both too!

posted: April 8, 2010

You don't know Yunmee Kyong's work? You are missing out a lot. But that's no more.
The latest on my illustartor interview article series for Japanese magazine Illustration features Yunmee and her whimsical and fantastic world. (layout are as follows)

If you don't read Japanese, don't worry, Illustration Friday has published the unabridged original interview in English.
Get inspired by this world citizen!

More of Yunmee's work can be seen on her website.

posted: January 7, 2010

My collaboration with Japanese Illustration Magazine is becoming something of a regular gig now. This time we featured children’s book illustrator R. Gregory Christie.



It was the longest interview I had so far and probably one of the most inspiring. 

Greg talks about his passion and mission to right the wrongs of American history by finding the buried Brown People heroes,  giving encouragements and advise to aspiring illustrators especially those who are minorities, and shares a funny story how he ‘fell into’ children’s book world which was not his initial plan. 



Because of the limited space I had to cut it down to essence of the whole story in the magazine, but for English-reading audience, the whole interview is now available on Illustration Friday, thanks to Penelope Dullaghan the woman behind Illustration Friday. So thank you to Greg and Penelope.

posted: November 7, 2009

First time I saw Josh Cochran’s work was when Marcos and I judged Society of Illustrators student competition, probably 4~5 years ago.  He had a bunch of beautiful and funny silkscreen prints and “wow”ed us. (We have no idea why he didn’t get into the competition, but his prints ended up accepted into all the major ‘pro’ shows that year, so it was all good.)
Later on we ended up becoming friends, and I have always been amazed by how talented, hard working, prolific, yet extremely humble and down to earth he is.

It was exciting to be able to interview him for my regular contributing article for Japanese ILLUSTRATION Magazine. I had so many questions I wanted to ask, like his transition from concept art to his current work, his multi-cultural background, and most of all, how he feels about all these copycats out there. And yes, he answered them all.

As usual, Penelope Dullaghan from Illustration Friday was kind enough to post the English version so all my friends, peers, and aspiring illustrators can read.
ILLUSTRATION Magazine issue No. 181 comes out in Japan at the end of the month.

posted: September 2, 2009

I don’t miss at all my 11 years of corporate life before going back to art school. But it was not all bad either. I was in PR, so my job revolved around finding right people who have good stories. I did a lot of writing, mostly for company brochures and magazines for investors, etc. I have to admit I sometimes miss it.

When my high school classmate and illustrator Tatsuro Kiuchi and Japanese Magazine Illustration asked me to contribute articles about American illustrators, I thought that was, in fact, a great idea.  I can mix all my passion: illustration, writing, getting great stories out of great people, and besides I can introduce fantastic American talents Japanese people are not familiar with.  (They are historically not so open to things outside of their own country).

Some of you already know about my first interview to Edel Rodriguez. The second was also Drawger regular: the one and only Tim O’Brien.
The only bad thing about this article writing is that because the Japanese article is rather short, I have to edit down a lot. So, I asked friend Penelope Dullaghan of Illustration Friday to post the original length article in, yes, English!
Please read an inspiring interview to Tim here.
Thank you Tim, thank you Penelope.