Character illustrations with character
Watercolour · Ink drawing · Motion
I love drawing watercolour and ink illustrations with conceptual themes and background stories. The image below personifies wisterias - a symbol for faithfulness and yearning - as a character swaying with the flowers and remembering the memory of a loved one. More works are posted on my Instagram @nagutoki.
I have also experimented with animating my illustrations using Adobe After Effects. My motion work Dragon Boy, was inspired by paper doll stop motions and the idle animation of game characters. I wanted to capture a brief moment in which the figure is ready to wield the watery sword. The subtle motions of the body, eyes and clothing invites the viewer to an “almost still world” in which time is slowed down for them to observe and interpret the work.