KiyokaYamazuki  山附貴世香

Good in Graphic Design.

 KiyokaYamazuki  山附貴世香

About  KiyokaYamazuki  山附貴世香

She is one of the most active illustrators in Japan. She mainly creates illustrations for corporate information magazines and calendars. She has been a lecturer at the Japan Designer Art College in Nagoya since 1999. She has also been teaching the joy of imagining and creating through art studies at Tokai Medical College in Nagoya since 2010.

  • Winner of 3 A' Design Awards.
  • Good in Graphic Design.
  • Original Design.
  • Creative, Diligent and Innovative.
  • All Designs
  • Graphic
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Interview with  KiyokaYamazuki  山附貴世香

Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?
I became an illustrator when my older sister, who was a designer in Osaka, showed an illustrator she knew some of my illustrations. I'd wanted to be a painter since I was three years old.
Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
After working at a design office in Nagoya from 1985 to 1987, I have been working as a freelance illustrator since 1987. I founded the company by myself, so I am a completely freelance illustrator.
What is "design" for you?
Although design is close to me, I make my living as an illustrator. I have been a lecturer at a design school from 2001 to 2025 (still do), teaching about design. Also, from an illustrator's point of view, it's about how to use (design) illustrations to appeal to viewers in advertisements.
What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
How to show your work (how to show it?, how to express it?) come up with an idea. I like to think about the composition and create.
What was the first thing you designed for a company?
My first job as an illustrator was to draw campaign posters for the Tottori and Shimane "Nippon Railroad". She was happy to receive the request. It was a work with the theme of the legendary animal "YamatanoOrochi", so it was a lot of fun.
What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
Hand-drawn illustrations: paints, brushes, Japanese paper Platform: Mac OS Sequoia 15.5 Created in Photoshop
When do you feel the most creative?
Once I've decided on a theme, when I can create something that fits that concept
Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
If it is a product, it should be easy for users to use, and it should also look cool.
What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
It's hard when you have no ideas. But it's fun to see the work take shape. When I see the finished work, I reflect on it, but I also want to try again.
What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
I feel a sense of accomplishment when I finish it and look back and ask myself, "Was it okay?" Also, when I create something fun, I want to try again.
When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
If it's a product, it should look good and be smart. And most importantly, ease of use. The most important thing is to be safe
From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
It seems that many of the designs so far have been economically oriented. I believe that designers have a great responsibility in using materials that are in line with society and the global environment, and in thinking about designs for a sustainable and earth-friendly society.
How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
I think that design will be born where there are people, the area will expand, and it will continue to evolve. In that sense, I feel the importance of design. The future of design is with people.
When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
In July 2023, I had an exhibition with two of my mentor illustrators. Also, although it wasn't a design exhibition, I exhibited at the New York Art Expo held in New York in 2019.
Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
The designs change every time, but I use ancient Celtic patterns, Japanese and Chinese patterns, and recently I've also been influenced by plants and flowers that grow nearby.
How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?
I get a lot of inspiration from old things (classics), and recently from the flowers around my feet. I also get inspiration from imaginary things (animals). I also get it from culture such as classical performing arts and festivals.
Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?
I live in Hida Takayama. The famous UNESCO World Heritage Site Shirakawa-go is also nearby. I think I am influenced by the cultural heritage of my own country without knowing it. Precision and seriousness are strengths and weaknesses, aren't they?
How do you work with companies?
I receive job offers from companies through designers. Designers who have seen my website contact me by email with job offers.
What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
I think it's quite difficult to find good designers. It may be important to appeal from here. I want companies to always keep an eye out and research designers. "Is it a fateful encounter? "
Can you talk a little about your design process?
We listen carefully to our clients, find out what they want, and come up with ideas that match them. We have several meetings with customers to propose and produce better products.
What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
Old lacquerware Mainspring wall clock used by my grandfather Japanese rain gear (Mino)(ミノ) earthen storehouse pottery
Can you describe a day in your life?
I'm very busy every day. Now I live in the countryside, so I do farm work and mow the grass every day like a farmer. If I keep going like this, I'll end up becoming a real farmer. Lately, I've been trying to value my own time. Of course, I also want to make sure I have enough time to draw illustrations.
From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
I'm not a designer, but it's all about balance, seeing the big picture, and coming up with ideas. Good or bad, there is a commitment.
What is your "golden rule" in design?
I want to make what I want and what I think is good. However, it must also be good for third parties (users).
What skills are most important for a designer?
Communication skills, ideas, production skills. Power to complete, power to continue. heart not to give up
Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
Mac os, Sequoia 15.5 Adobe (Photoshop, Illustrator, etc.) Books (Japanese patterns, fictitious things), etc.
Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
In addition to creating illustrations, I also work in agriculture, so it's quite difficult to find time. I'm thinking about becoming more efficient at my farming work so I can concentrate on my original work as an illustrator. I need to design how I spend my time each day. Maybe it means cutting down on my sleep a little?
How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
It depends on the project, but for something simple it takes about 1-2 weeks from idea to production and completion.
What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
I'm an illustrator and a question I get asked a lot is how long it takes to complete an illustration.
What was your most important job experience?
My first job as an illustrator was creating illustrations for campaign posters for JR in Tottori and Shimane. I was very happy to receive the request. Also, it was a work with the theme of the legendary animal "Yamata no Orochi", so it was very creative and fun.
What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
This is a job that was requested after the client saw my illustrations. Being involved from the planning stage and turning my ideas into reality is a very rewarding and enjoyable job.
What are your future plans? What is next for you?
I am planning an exhibition by seven illustrators in Takayama in September 2023. At the request of two of my former teachers, the exhibition included myself, the two former teachers, and four others, for a total of seven people. I would like to plan an exhibition like this again next time.
Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
Original design development However, if requested, I would like to create a design as a team.
Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
I don't have any plans for a project at the moment. I'd like to create something. For example, I'd like to express a classic Japanese work in the form of an illustration. I haven't found what it is yet. I'll let you know when I find it.
How can people contact you?
Please contact us by email, as we cannot speak English. Recent emails have translation functions, so please feel free to contact us by email.

Designer of the Day Interview with  KiyokaYamazuki  山附貴世香

Could you please tell us about your experience as a designer, artist, architect or creator?
From 1985 to 1987, I worked as an illustrator at a design office in Nagoya. He later became a freelance illustrator and continues to this day. He painted his first JR campaign poster in 1991. Mainly Nippon Paint Co., Ltd.: Hitachi Maxell Co., Ltd.: Calendar Aichi Prefecture PR magazine: Sony Corporation: PR magazine production. He has also produced advertisements for a number of companies.
How did you become a designer?
I really liked drawing since I was little. She was the kind of girl who drew pictures on the ground even when she was playing outside. Also, I was a very passive child. I graduated from a junior college design course for two years, but I couldn't get a design job right away. I wanted to draw more, so I was thinking about transferring to an art university in my fourth year. At that time, her older sister was a graphic designer in Osaka. The reason I became an illustrator was when she showed my illustration to her acquaintance, an illustrator (Shiro Nishiguchi). After that, she began to receive instruction in illustration. At that time, I was working as an employee at a calligraphy brush shop, but after work I was working hard on my illustrations. For about two years, I continued to draw illustrations whenever I found time. When I saw the illustration by the illustrator (Shiro Nishiguchi) who taught me, I was surprised and moved. That excitement still drives me. It also taught me to never give up.
What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?
In the case of design, the first priority is to listen to what the client is looking for and what they are having trouble with, then come up with ideas, make proposals, and have discussions. Then go to design. The illustrations used in the design also listen to the theme, come up with ideas, and if it is OK, I will produce it. There is a central theme, keystone, or specific aspect of design that integrates into every project. However, for art works, I find a theme in myself on a daily basis and create what I want to create and express. So it's a little different. I'm an old-fashioned type of person, so I prefer manual work if possible, but I can't do that these days. We are reluctantly moving to digital. I use digital to digitize illustrations.
Which emotions do you feel when designing?
I feel the joy of design when people come up with ideas, inspire each other, generate ideas, and give form to products. And I'm really happy when it turns out to be a great product for clients, designers (me) and users.
What particular aspects of your background shaped you as a designer?
I've been drawing since I was little, but I also did calligraphy. In fact, calligraphy is qualified as an instructor. When I was worried about my own path, my calligraphy teacher told me that "There is nothing to waste in life" and "It's okay to go straight on your own path, but it's also good to take a detour." After that, I worked at a calligraphy shop for about 5 years and experienced face-to-face sales with customers. After that, she worked at a design office for about two years and now works as a freelance illustrator. I think that communication with the client was also cultivated at that time. It means "nothing is wasted in life".
What is your growth path? What are your future plans? What is your dream design project?
For me, my dreams for the future are still on the way. Rather than becoming an illustrator, my dream is to have many people know and see my paintings. (Not enough yet.) In order to talk about dreams at this age (I don't have time), I have no choice but to act so that dreams don't end as dreams. But is the language barrier the biggest problem? I want to design my own life.
What are your advices to designers who are at the beginning of their career?
Don't be afraid to fail and ask questions if you don't understand something. Listen carefully to what people are saying and start with greetings. Greetings are basic. Stay in touch and learn more. However, it also requires the judgment of wrong knowledge.
You are truly successful as a designer, what do you suggest to fellow designers, artists and architects?
I'm still imperfect (as an illustrator). But I can say that when I look at successful illustrators, First of all, I will continue to draw illustrations. (Continuity is power, isn't it?) Please stay healthy again. (Keep your mind and body healthy) There are no shortcuts. Occasionally, road grass is also good. There may be new discoveries there.
What is your day to day look like?
My life is different than it was 10 years ago. When I moved from the city to the countryside where my parents lived, my life changed, for better or worse. A little far from business. As a teacher, I attend a two-and-a-half-hour class (design school) once a week. I have a chronic illness, so I try to go for a walk in the morning to keep my life as regular as possible. Because it is a land rich in nature, it can be difficult. (Heavy snow, village work, managing your own land, etc.) It's the most fun to find the moment when the seasons change and the flowers bloom.
How do you keep up with latest design trends? To what extent do design trends matter?
I never follow design trends. We have a broad and shallow understanding of current trends. (It's shallow knowledge.) I think it's important to know trends. That's why I don't follow trends unless my clients ask me to. (often with bad results) But that doesn't mean I'm obsessed with my designs. Rather, I am inspired by things that have not changed since ancient times (Buddha statues, buildings, designs), fictional things, and more recently, shapes and structures that exist in nature.
How do you know if a product or project is well designed? How do you define good design?
I believe that the definition of good design should be good not only for those who design it, but also for those who seek it, users and clients. However, I think that the design (product or project) should not destroy nature in the long term, and should not have a negative impact on the global environment. Whether the product or project is well designed Before you design, you need to have the courage to stop if it's inappropriate.
How do you decide if your design is ready?
I am an illustrator. I'm not a designer, so this may not be the correct answer. Even if you can only design, it will not be completed. Shouldn't we go back to the first meeting, think about what the client wants, discuss it, and make improvements? Let's listen. Now let's complete another design. A project is a success if it's good for the people who use the product, the people who commission it, and others.
What is your biggest design work?
There are two illustration jobs that turned out to be a big turning point for me. One was the first job I received from JR (a tourism campaign for Tottori and Shimane). The other is a poster for the Nagoya Festival that I made from among many designs. Rather than a festival scenery, this illustration expresses a fun "festival sound". The results were well received. It became a poster for the Nagoya Festival. For this project, I am planning to hold a group exhibition here (in my gallery) for the first time with two illustrators who have been indebted to me for many years. I am really looking forward to it. make it a success.
Who is your favourite designer?
I haven't met many designers, so I don't know. As for clothes, I liked designer Issey Miyake's clothes. To a lesser extent, I also bought some clothes. I also found the design concept interesting. There are so many wonderful people in the world that I just don't know. Maybe I've already met a lot of people without even realizing it. I would like to ask famous designers for their "secrets of success". It's a pity that I can't speak to him. However, I think that I was most influenced by the illustrators who were close to me and kindly taught me. If I had to name them here, they would be illustrators Shiro Nishiguchi and Kunio Sato.
Would you tell us a bit about your lifestyle and culture?
About 10 years ago, I moved to the countryside to care for my parents. When I was little, I was a child who never played outside. Now I do farm work, mow grass, and participate in village work. And I feel like I'm getting away from "culture" except for going to design school once a week to teach design. However, recently I have become accustomed to such a life, and I am interested in how efficiently I can get used to living in the countryside, secure my own time, and lead a more creative life (life plan). However, my favorite city is New York. He has visited New York three times so far. There are many galleries such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and MOMA. Just hearing New York excites me. In addition, I would like to go out if there is an opportunity.
Would you tell us more about your work culture and business philosophy?
Active as a freelance illustrator since 1997. I work alone, so I'm not good at cooperating with others (because I'm selfish). I've tried several times to find a good manager (business partner), but I can't seem to find one. I would like to leave various miscellaneous tasks to a good manager and only do production, but it seems impossible due to my personality. I would like a good business partner to be someone who understands me well and can think of 10 things for one thing. I want to reduce my daily household chores a little more, lead a comfortable life, and regain my creative life as soon as possible.
What are your philanthropic contributions to society as a designer, artist and architect?
As a designer, artist and architect, I have never been social. Speaking of encounters and contributions, I have been teaching design and illustration at a vocational school since 2002. I have also been teaching art at another vocational school for about 15 years. Through these activities, I would like to contribute to the local community (give back) through my paintings.
What positive experiences you had when you attend the A’ Design Award?
To be honest, this is the first time I have participated in such a big exhibition. I'm still at a loss as to what to do. Also, when I was young, I participated in overseas exhibitions 4.5 times. (Complete in a few easy steps.) Also, this kind of exhibition is aimed at young people, so I don't have many opportunities to participate at my age. I never thought I would receive an award at my age. Especially for the A' Design Award, I never thought I would win it, so the process after receiving the award was very difficult. Now I have to cut my sleep for 2-3 weeks for paperwork. (due to language and computer barriers). Still in production It would be nice to have someone nearby who knows how to use it, but working alone is tiring (because I don't want to get used to using a computer). However, by answering many interviews this time, I was able to face my life again. I realized that I was taken care of by many people until now. The English barrier is still high, and I don't know how to operate a computer, so it's hard. I was very tired, but I learned a lot. thank you very much.

Extended Interview with  KiyokaYamazuki  山附貴世香

Could you please tell us about your experience as a designer, artist, architect or creator?
In 1976, I studied design for two years at Inazawa Women's Junior College, Department of Design.
How did you become a designer?
I am not a designer. Freelance illustrator. I studied under a certain illustrator and became an illustrator who longed to draw.
Which emotions do you feel when designing?
I'm not a designer. I'm an illustrator. I want to create unique illustrations that are different from others. Illustrations that are my own style.
What particular aspects of your background shaped you as a designer?
I am currently teaching design at a vocational school. Young people should not be afraid of anything, see and absorb various things, and work on design. I want you to be greedy.
What is your growth path? What are your future plans? What is your dream design project?
A good designer is someone who can meet the demands of the market, and a great designer is someone who can provide more than that. I think both are people who have the spirit to take on challenges and the ability to continue.
What are your advices to designers who are at the beginning of their career?
It's kind to the earth and people, and it's been loved for a long time. Also nothing wasted. I think that excellent designs are found in nature (plants, insects, etc.) rather than things that people think of.
You are truly successful as a designer, what do you suggest to fellow designers, artists and architects?
think that the value of good design is that it is friendly to people and the earth, and that everyone can say it is good. If the design is useful for someone, investment is also necessary.
What is your day to day look like?
If I had the time, I would like to design my own garden. Also, since it's hard to use, I would like to design something that is easy to use, like a lawnmower. As I said before, I'm always pressed for time. Right now, I want to create more of my own work.
How do you keep up with latest design trends? To what extent do design trends matter?
Right now I feel like I want to create my own artwork to my heart's content as long as time allows. At the moment I'm so busy with daily chores that I don't have time to create artwork. I'm also in the middle of thinking about the theme of my artwork. I will let you know once I've decided.
How do you know if a product or project is well designed? How do you define good design?
I don't really know what the secret is to succeed in design. I think the only thing for sure is whether you can satisfy people who are looking for design. If I had to say, I guess it's to pursue that goal and never give up. Isn't that the secret?
How do you decide if your design is ready?
Old buildings such as shrines and temples, colors and designs. Also, the fun of the shape of the Buddha statue, the fang design
What is your biggest design work?
Patterns used in the Kofun period, patterns on African tools, Celtic patterns, etc. I am drawn to designs that were born from the lives of ordinary people.
Who is your favourite designer?
I believe that the best designs are found in nature, not in man-made objects. Because humans can't do it. Also, it becomes the motif of the illustration.
Would you tell us a bit about your lifestyle and culture?
I'm not a designer, but I think the best way to improve is to set goals and never give up.
Would you tell us more about your work culture and business philosophy?
I'm a designer and I don't have a picture. I'm an illustrator now.
What are your philanthropic contributions to society as a designer, artist and architect?
We want to make the design easy to use, understand, and use. And also emotionally nourishing.
What positive experiences you had when you attend the A’ Design Award?
The people who commissioned me to work, myself, and the judges who awarded me the award - the people who like (support) my paintings have helped me the most.

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