Yumi Kitagishi Will Inspire You to Draw Every Single Day

Japanese artist Yumi Kitagishi is known for her playful style of illustration, intentionally unpolished so as to have a hand-made, naive feel to it. Born in 1982 and based in Tokyo, Kitagishi studied graphic design before transitioning to illustration. And with more than 65k followers on Instagram alone, it’s clear she made the right choice.

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ケーキのおうち #yumikitagishicalendar_april

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One particular illustration project that helped Kitagishi rise to prominence was her 366 Days series. For one whole year, Kitagishi made an illustration every day and shared it on Instagram. Sometimes the illustrations were based around a theme, but more often than not she simply drew whatever she felt like that day. It’s this series, which was later made into a book, that helped promote her work online.

“When I started the project, I had no idea it would end up as a book, so it’s been a lovely surprise!” she later relayed in an interview with Flow Magazine. Inspired mainly by children’s picture books, Kitagishi admits she’s drawn especially to their bright colors. “But I also find pleasure in my daily life,” she adds, “like eating delicious food, chatting with my friends and family, and coming across cute cats in my neighborhood.”

“I often draw characters like cats, owls, rabbits, girls with bobbed hair and men with mustaches,” she adds. Scroll down to see some of her delightful creations.

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たまごのおうち #yumikitagishicalendar_april

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しろねことお花 #yumikitagishicalendar_march

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うるう日 #yumikitagishicalendar_february

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読書灯

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