Creator Interview: saaki [1/2]

Our creator interview series continues! This time, we interviewed TOM Special Creator saaki, who is known for her uniquely cute style. Read on for the interview!

Creator Introduction
Name: saaki
Creator’s MyPage: http://otakumode.com/saaki

TOM: How long have you been active as an illustrator?
saaki: It has only been a year since I began illustrating as my main occupation. Before that, I was working for a web company as a designer.

TOM: Before becoming independent a year ago, In what way were you involved with illustrating?
saaki: I started drawing pictures as complete works in my first year of high school. At that time, I used up all the money I got as a present for getting into high school to purchase Adobe Illustrator and started drawing pictures.

TOM: You bought Illustrator all by yourself in high school? That must mean you’ve been really interested in illustrating since then.
saaki: I think looking at other artists’ pictures on the internet also had a great influence on me. I lived in America for a while when I was in elementary school. At that time I came in contact with Happy Tree Friends and the like, and it made me want to draw my own pop pictures. So, in addition to illustrating, I purchased Flash MX and wrote in action script(a program language used in Flash). Thinking back, I might have been a little bit weird (laughs).

TOM: How often did you draw pictures?
saaki: In high school, almost every day. Most of them were original. However, after entering junior college, I kinda drifted away from original creations.

TOM: Yet, you are now competing with original art. What was the event that made you become an illustrator?
saaki: As someone who draws, I wanted to stand out in some way, of course. I felt I needed to get to the bottom of my own style in order to make original pictures, but I was so busy with work that I couldn’t find the time to create. That was always stressful. That being the case, I believed in my pictures and thought I should give it a try; that was the start.

Continue to Part 2

Creator’s MyPage: http://otakumode.com/saaki

This is a TokyoOtakuMode original article.