Shopping Guide
Back in January, we interviewed Torigoe Takumi, a TOM creator with a striking visual style that is sure to catch your attention. Read on for the interview!
Creator Introduction
- Name: Torigoe Takumi
- Experience: I’ve drawn pictures for as long as I can remember, but I started to take drawing seriously when I was in my third year of high school.
- Creator's Mypage: http://otakumode.com/4ffb8737fe4aa3a8240001f1/posts
TOM: What do you draw the most of?
Torigoe: I draw a lot of original and Vocaloid art.
TOM: Do you have any words for TOM?
Torigoe: It’s really fun to be able to know a variety of creators’ works. I also want people not only in Japan but all over the world to know me.
TOM: What made you want to start drawing?
Torigoe: I’m a huge fan of Dragon Ball, and I used to draw Dragon Ball characters on the backside of pamphlets and anything else I could get my hands on.
TOM: How do you create your art?
Torigoe: About six months ago, I started doing everything on the computer, from sketching the rough draft to creating a finished piece. From time to time, I also do the rough sketch on paper and finish it on the computer.
TOM: What was your most difficult work?
Torigoe: http://otakumode.com/photo/240208236739821568/1
This one was quite troublesome because of the complexity of all of the lines.
TOM: Which work has been the most well received?
Torigoe: http://otakumode.com/photo/211917555642662912/1
This work has been very popular; even I like it. The inspiration for this piece came from a Twitter post I saw that talked about noticing a high school girl on a train who was carrying archery equipment for her school club. The choice for the background is obvious, but I was liberal with how I arranged it.
TOM: Which work took the longest to complete?
Torigoe: http://otakumode.com/photo/217796730857455616/1
I did this piece while doing a web stream on Stickam. I think it took about 40 hours to complete. The character only took about 30 minutes so the majority of the time was spent on the background.
TOM: Which work are you most pleased with?
Torigoe: http://otakumode.com/photo/247519060638564352/4
This is a tough question. There are other works I like just as much, but this piece in particular left quite an impression on me.
TOM: Which work were you the most particular on?
Torigoe: http://otakumode.com/photo/247519060638564352/5
I try to incorporate my other hobbies and interests into my work. Similar to Trevor Brown’s art, I wanted to create an “injured girl” piece using a character like Ayanami Rei from Evangelion. Since I often do Vocaloid pieces using a “robotic” or “living doll” motif, I decided to go with the living doll motif on this piece as well to create a completely dreary and inhuman feel.
TOM: Which work’s background were you the most particular about?
Torigoe: http://otakumode.com/photo/237761610725195776/1
This piece is of Miki Sayaka from Madoka Magica. The background is of a factory scene from the anime and I obsessed over making sure the mood of the piece fit the scene from the anime. This is the second piece I have done based on Madoka Magica, and I have to say I like it the best.
TOM: Which work are you most proud of?
Torigoe: http://otakumode.com/photo/228227032784306176/1
What if characters from Evangelion were put into the world of Gantz? That is the theme of this piece. This was quite an interesting experiment, and its a really cool piece if I do say so myself.
TOM: What is your flashiest work?
Torigoe: http://otakumode.com/photo/247519060638564352/8
I have many dark pieces, so I challenged myself to draw a bright and invigorating piece.
TOM: What is your simplest work?
Torigoe: http://otakumode.com/photo/247519060638564352/9
This piece is of Terra and Ultros from Final Fantasy VI. It’s just a quick sketch. Does that count as simple?
TOM: What is your most artistic piece?
Torigoe: http://otakumode.com/photo/247519060638564352/10
I want to draw many more illustrations in this sort of style.
TOM: Tell us about a fanart piece that you like the most.
Torigoe: http://otakumode.com/photo/187986152274264064/1
This piece is of Akemi Homura from Madoka Magica. Originally this started out as just a quick scribble, but I came back to it after some time to practice with some new colors and I ended up finishing it.
TOM: Tell us about an illustration of a character you like.
Torigoe: http://otakumode.com/photo/247519060638564352/12
The character I like the most is Mami from Madoka Magica. From the time the anime was first broadcast up until now, she still my favorite character. I still haven’t done a cool illustration of her though...
TOM: Tell us about an illustration of a supporting character you like.
Torigoe: A supporting character that I like is Nakazawa-kun from Madoka Magica. However, I’m sorry to say that I still haven’t done an illustration of him, so I have nothing to introduce. I also like the character Poorfag-chan, who seems to be popular overseas.
TOM: What are your favorite colors?
Torigoe: I like calming colors like sepia tones and dark blues.
TOM: Do you like drawing girls, boys, or animals the most?
Torigoe: I overwhelmingly prefer drawing girls. Other than for work, I very rarely draw males.
TOM: How do you practice drawing?
Torigoe: I don’t really practice; I just draw what I like.
TOM: Tell us about an original piece that you like the most.
Torigoe: http://otakumode.com/photo/211917555642662912/1
It’s the same piece I said for question six. It seems that my tastes are much in line with my fans’.
TOM: Tell us about your latest work.
Torigoe: http://otakumode.com/photo/240208236739821568/1
It’s the same piece I said for question five.
TOM: Could you show us some of your art tools?
Torigoe: I am currently using SAI and an Intuos 4 tablet. I don’t have a picture, so I unfortunately have nothing to share.
TOM: Could you show us a draft illustration?
Torigoe: http://otakumode.com/photo/247519060638564352/13
All of my recent works are still very rough.
TOM: Could we see something you are currently working on?
Torigoe: The piece I am currently working on is for work, so I unfortunately cannot show it. There are others that are just scribbles, but I have much more I want to draw on them.
TOM: Is there any work you did to commemorate something?
Torigoe: I haven’t done any commemorative illustrations yet. I don’t really do illustrations for things like holidays or changes in season.
TOM: Which work exemplifies your style?
Torigoe: http://otakumode.com/photo/221417951780143104/1
I think everything I have shown so far equally exemplifies my style. But assuming that I could only pick one, it would be this piece. More than being a lovely piece, I think I like this piece the most because it is saturated with surrealism and drama.
Check out our picture collection of the talented Torigoe Takumi, and don’t forget to SUKI him! Keep it here for even more interviews with some of the most prominent creators in the otaku world!
