Creator Interview: falmaro [2/2]

Recently, TOM had the opportunity to interview falmaro, an illustrator and TOM Special Creator. If you haven’t read the first part of this interview, you can do so here:Creator Interview: falmaro 1/2

TOM: Looking back on your three years as an illustrator so far, what part of your art do you feel has changed the most?
falmaro: There are many, but I would say that my designs have changed the most. I think if you see illustrations from when I first began, you will understand since they are very different from my current style, which is heavy on color.
http://www.pixiv.net/member.php?id=1218472

I’ve experimented by trial and error for three years to get to where I am now, but I came to understand the tediousness and dislike of drawing lines myself (the work of drawing the lines for the actual picture after I finish sketching it). As a result of that, I felt that I was more suited for using thick coloring similar to oil paintings, and that’s how my style became what it is.

TOM: Drawing lines by hand must certainly take a long time. While we’re on the topic of time, how long does it take you to do one artwork?
falmaro: It can vary greatly depending on the picture. There are some that take as little as six hours and some that take as much as 20-30 hours. However, I can say with certainty that the time it takes to do the rough draft and coloring is consistently around two hours regardless of the picture. The difference comes after this in the manufacturing and the intricacy of the piece. For works that take six hours, the intricacy is limited to some extent.

TOM: Could you give us an example of something that took you a short amount of time and something that took you a long amount of time to create?
falmaro: One of my recent works that I completely quickly is the Madoka Magica piece called “Mami-san.” http://otakumode.com/photo/278607375781330944/1

On the other hand, one work that took me a long time is one called “Madoka.” Even though I knew that I wasn’t used to drawing intricate frills, it took longer than I thought it would.
http://otakumode.com/photo/283665149007495168/1

TOM: The quality of your work up until now has been very high. The comments and reactions regarding your work must be amazing.
falmaro: I am especially happy of all the comments I have received. There are truly a lot of fans who say that they use my works as motivation. Overseas fans even go through the trouble of writing messages to me in Japanese to say that they like my work. I am happy from the bottom of my heart whenever I receive a message.

TOM: Lastly, is there anything you would like to say to your overseas fans?
falmaro: Like I said prior, I am very thankful for the comments I receive from overseas fans. I would love the chance to somehow meet directly and talk, but presently it’s difficult because such opportunities don’t arise often. However, I want to participate in more overseas events that focus on Japan’s pop culture. If you see me, please say hi. Thank you for your support.

TOM: Thank you very much for your time today.

Check out our picture collection of the talented falmaro, 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!

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

This is a TokyoOtakuMode original article.