Based in Sao Paulo, Vanessa Yotumoto is a Brazilian artist who works as a multimedia designer and freelance illustrator in her spare time. Vanessa enjoys creating fan art of her favourite characters from video games and manga.
How long have you been illustrating and what made you start?
I have an aunt who used to draw for me when I was a kid. I remember I felt so inspired watching her draw that I started drawing on my own. It's been my passion since then.
Where do you get your inspiration?
My inspiration comes from anything that surrounds me in my daily life. It can be from things I enjoy, like video games and books, or from the time I spend with my family and friends.
Where is your favourite place to illustrate?
I don't have a favourite place, but I like a calm and silent room where I can concentrate.
What are your illustrating/colouring material essentials?
Usually, I use my sketchbook to draw any idea that comes to my mind. For the final illustration, I like to use markers or digital media to colour.
What’s the piece of work that you’re most proud of or enjoyed doing the most?
There's a piece I did in 2014, A3 size, drawn by hand and coloured with pencils. It took me about 3 months to finish. It's not the most well-done piece I have drawn, but I can say it's the one I most enjoyed the process of creating. It's about the RPG party back from when I played with my closest friends. It brings me good memories from that time.
For the colourists of the magazine, I'm not sure if I have valuable tips, but I always tell aspiring artists that observing life is as important as learning the drawing/colouring techniques. Paying attention to how light and shadows make their way to objects and people, on how colours change through the day or according to the weather... Colours have a strong connection to feelings, so before picking up your colour palette, ask yourself what the feeling is that you want to pass on with your art.
