We had the distinct pleasure to interview award winning designer Kiyoka Yamazuki about their original and creative Information Magazine design work. Kiyoka Yamazuki is an award-winning communication designer, that makes our world a better place with their original information magazine works.
Kiyoka Yamazuki ("KY") answered Design Interview ("DI") questions about their award-winning work Bon Vivant Information Magazine. Interview questions prepared by Frank Scott.
KY : When creating a cover illustration, which is the face of a booklet, we want it to be an impactful illustration that makes the reader want to pick it up and read it. If the theme we received is "festivals," we will incorporate the characteristics of the town and the feeling of the season as elements into the design and create the illustration.
KY : Are the characteristics of the town well expressed in the illustration? Does it improve the town's image? If the theme is "festivals," I want the cover illustration to be fun and make people want to visit the town.
KY : This work ended in 2017. Therefore, I have no plans for the future. If there is a request for such a work, I will be happy to create it. Also, the direction of the illustrations will not change, so I would like to continue creating illustrations of Japanese festivals, festivals around the world, world heritage sites, etc.
KY : The production period is limited, so it takes 1-2 weeks for the idea and rough draft stage. Production takes about 1 week to 10 days. If it's urgent, I will follow that.
KY : This design is an illustration that I was asked to create. (The theme is decided by the designer and the client.) I am an illustrator, so I create illustrations that fit the theme (illustrations that show the charm of the area and make people want to visit).
KY : Of course, my illustrations can be produced and used by other companies. I will also produce new ones if requested. I also intend to produce some work myself.
KY : When I became a freelance illustrator, I wanted to express my own unique style that other illustrators didn't have (or had never seen before), so I remembered the dyeing (tube painting and stencil dyeing) of washi paper I made as a student and created similar illustrations using acrylic paint.
KY : I see a lot of different works, so I think I'm influenced by a lot of different things. If I had to say, it would be the late dye artist (Serizawa Keisuke), African patterns, Kel patterns, Japanese patterns, etc. As for illustrators, I learned the basics of illustration from Nishiguchi Shiro, who passed away last year.
KY : I don't know who his designs are aimed at. The target audience for this design is Bon Vivant's purpose is to "invigorate people and cities," so the target is the people, industry, and towns of Japan.
KY : This booklet was produced by the Shinkin Bank with the theme of "Shinkumi (revitalizing towns and people)." It is an information magazine created with the concept of being useful to the local community and its people. It is full of information about the local attractions and specialties, as well as information to invigorate people.
KY : I don't know how this name was created or who came up with it. I am simply an illustrator who was asked to create the cover illustration. "Bon Vivant" is a booklet that introduces local specialties, festivals, gourmet food, etc. from around the country, with the theme of "living happily" for both individuals and regions, with the hope that people will live a fun and lively life.
KY : I worked on this project from around 2011 to 2017. In the early days, I didn't use design tools much. Around 2017, I sometimes created illustrations in Photoshop, but they were mostly hand-drawn illustrations. The illustrations are hand-drawn on illustration board with acrylic paint.
KY : Nowadays, illustrations can be created using AI, but the most unique thing about my illustrations is that they are hand-drawn.
KY : I created the cover illustration under the planning of the planning and production company Boon Co., Ltd. and Shinkumi Sogo Services Co., Ltd.
KY : I created these illustrations between 2011 and around 2017. I rarely used technology while creating them, although I did start using Photoshop around 2017. Even now, my illustrations are still mostly hand-drawn.
KY : My illustrations are mainly inspired by a theme and are then designed to make use of the characteristics of the region from the subject of the illustration.
KY : I try to create colors that capture each individual's personality so that all of my illustrations don't have the same image. In this day and age, we can use AI to draw illustrations, but I think hand-drawn illustrations have more warmth than beautifully drawn illustrations on a computer. I'm still exploring how to create illustrations that are unique to me.
KY : I decided to submit this illustration to this contest because I submitted it in 2022. I received a silver prize in 2022, but when I submitted this time, I mistakenly submitted my next nominated work. It seems to have caught the eye of the judges.
KY : I created this work around the time of the Lehman Shock and the Great East Japan Earthquake. It was a period when the Japanese economy was on a downward trend and there was little vitality. I would be happy if even a little of the warmth of this hand-drawn work can be conveyed and give people in Japan a little bit of energy. Around 2017 I also started creating illustrations using Photoshop. Speaking of improvement, I think I've gotten a little better at creating works in Photoshop.
KY : Nothing in particular. Thank you.
