Meet illustrator from Tokyo, Kaori Seno.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Hi, I’m Kaori Seno. I was born in Okayama, Japan in 1983. I’m a freelance illustrator based in Tokyo, Japan. I like drawing animals and mysterious creatures. I work for magazines, create book jacket illustrations and stationeries.

Describe the city you’re living in and what it’s like to live there.

Tokyo is the center of Japan. It is an exciting city, you can do various things. There are a lot of friendly illustrators here and it is very fun.

Tokyo is the center of Japan. It is an exciting city, you can do various things. There are a lot of friendly illustrators here and it is very fun.

What is the best and worst thing about living in your city?

Give us 3 words that describe what it’s like to be a creative in your city.

fun,challenge,strict

How did you start your career in art?

After majoring in design at university, I went to a school for painting for three years. Every day I drew pictures, applied for various competitions, and held solo exhibitions. Eventually, little by little, the number of people who liked my paintings grew. That is the power of drawing pictures.

Every day I drew pictures, applied for various competitions, and held solo exhibitions. Eventually, little by little, the number of people who liked my paintings grew. That is the power of drawing pictures.

Were the people around you supportive of your decision on working as a creative?

They are supportive of me now but when I first started, they didn’t understand it well and that made me feel frustrated.

What are some goals and ambitions you have for your future work?

If you could collaborate with any person in the world who would it be?

It is a very exciting thing and I would like to try it.

How would you describe the women around you?

There are many female illustrators around me. They are sensitive to information and they work hard. I am able to do my best by having them around.

There are many female illustrators around me. They are sensitive to information and they work hard. I am able to do my best by having them around.

Were there any local female creatives that you looked up to when you were growing up?

The illustrator I looked up to growing up was a man. He gave me some advice which resulted in the style I have now. I appreciate it very much.

Are there any challenging aspects of being a female in your industry?

I have not noticed any.

I think that this goes to all fields, I want to say that it is important to continue whatever it is that you are doing.

Do you have any advice to young women who are aspiring to work in your field?

I think that this goes to all fields, I want to say that it is important to continue whatever it is that you are doing. There are a lot of things that I am not able to do well but I have continued to draw and I am gradually getting better at it. This makes me happy.

Photos courtesy of Kaori Seno.