Interview with big penguin fans illustrator who creating anthropomorphic penguins!

■Profile

Artist Name:Kishi Ueno

Twitter:@reisei_zero

Pixiv Comic:Penguin Gentleman

Country：Japan

Occupation: Illustrator, Manga Artist

■Art Gallery

───Please introduce yourself first!

Nice to meet you, I'm Kishi Ueno, currently functioning as an illustrator and manga artist. I love suits, uncle* and penguins (also all kinds of bird). I usually tweet illustrations and mangas that anthropomorphize penguins.

*uncle in Japanese is ojisan, here refers to a mature and attractive age group rather than kinship, can also be interpreted as“handsome hunk”.

───When did you start drawing? Have you ever been to art school?

I don't remember exactly when, but I have loved drawing since I was little kid. I didn't go to art school but I studied painting in studio for several years after becoming a member of society.

───We noticed your Twitter profile with the words "suits, uncle and bird" Would you tell about the relevant creative characteristics?

I put my favorite things together in my creation! I often draw a lot of uncle since I started drawing original character illustrations as key activity. One day, I made an uncle character for a Twitter creative project, it was so interesting so that I often draw uncles. I've always liked older characters, so I thought it would be fun if I drew a handsome old man myself.

I think suits are traditional fashion, and I also like the attire of ladies and gentlemen described by Mr. J.C. Leyendecker. Birds are also my favorite animals in this world, so I always paint them with passion.

───You also mentioned "Penguin Anthropomorphic Creation" in your profile, right?

The creation of the anthropomorphic penguin started on a whim, 'I want to draw a penguin that looks like a gentleman in a suit or a tuxedo. ’ Originally, penguin feathers have been likened to tuxedos and swallowtails by people of all ages, so my uncle and suit lovers decided, “Let’s make a penguin a gentleman…!”While thinking about the appearance, personality, and habits of each penguin, "What if they are human?" I added personality traits to them, which unknowingly created an anthropomorphic penguin worldview.

I'm fan of the whole group with penguin family, so it's hard to say which species was my favorite. I think this way of love style is also an opportunity for me to draw various anthropomorphic penguins in manga and illustration as ensemble cast. I think penguins are animals that have different charms depending on the species, adults or cubs. Of the penguin family, emperor penguin was the first time I saw in real life and have a strong attachment to.

───What influenced your taste after you started drawing？

I guess it's penguins... I wanted to improve my understanding of drawing penguins, so when I read various books on the life history of penguins, I started to want to know about the creatures that live in symbiosis with penguins and prey on them. I feel like I've become more interested in various creatures than I used to be.

It wasn't exactly after I started drawing, but I often listen to music and start drawing with a vague feeling that I want to draw a picture with this kind of atmosphere or listen to music that is very close to the atmosphere I am painting now, so I think my creation influenced by music. In movies, I love watching 007 series, mafia movies, and movies that depict bromances between men, I love seeing relationships that can't be described in a single word, it is always inspires me.

───Your manga "Penguin Gentleman”has been published by KADOKAWA. When did you start drawing manga?

I think the first time was in elementary school. I was influenced by Mikio Igarashi’s manga“Manmaru The Ninja Penguin”and create original manga on my notebook, I also wanted to draw a comedy inspired by Square Enix's four-panel manga. I drew secondary creation by four-panel and SS(Side story)manga of the genre I was into at that time, they are also posted on my website, and published doujinshi. I like comedy, so“Penguin Gentleman”was same keynote!

───What is the most impressive work you have drawn so far? Is there any story in its creation？

It is an illustration of" Penguin Chess ".

Among all my illustrations, this is my first work of drawing an original accessory with a penguin motif, I felt nervous that time to publish illustrations on the theme of items designed by myself, but I also very happy to received comments like "lovely", "I want it" from lot of people. Taking this as an opportunity, I started drawing illustrations for original goods with penguin motifs from time to time, and it was a work (or was it two?) that I thought expanded my range of expression.

There is also an illustration of 'penguins having fun dueling on a chess board', and I am happy to be able to draw this as the theme of the 'Penguin Gentleman' I want to pursue.

───What you are particular about when creating?

It’s about adding a little bit of fetishism. I like to draw strong bodies, so I care about shadows of body thickness, composition that gives a sense of volume, also depicts the wrinkling and stretching of fabric when wearing tight clothing.

───Would you like share about the commercial projects and business activity you have participated in?

I have been working for about four to five years of commercial activity.

There are related activities about“Penguin Gentleman”, like character introduced in Quarterly S, “Penguin Gentleman”manga published by KADOKAWA, KujiMate goods produce by"Animate"...I'm really happy that I was able to develop my creations in various places!

About illustrations, I contributed to technical manuals for drawing, character designs and illustrations for games, and I also worked on designs and illustrations for VTubers. That’good time and I enjoy each of project!

───What would you like to challenge in the future?

I would like to do character design or book cover illustration. My goal for each year is to go deeper into the world view of penguin anthropomorphic creation, I am satisfied if I can keep produce new works.

───Thank you for to be interviewed, is there any words you like to say to your audience or other creators?

Thank you for always looking at my illustrations! I will do my best in the future, and please give me your advice!

日本語版はこちら：【テレパインタビュー65】溢れんばかりの“ペンギン”愛！ペンギン擬人化創作を始めようと思ったきっかけとは？───イラストレーター兼漫画家・上野綺士先生にインタビュー！

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