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A fantastic world painted with thick coating paint, colored by warm light! Interview with Lenu!

2021-03-05

The charm of creativity shines like a star.

CREATOR RANK CREATOR

「ホシ降るところにヒカリは生まれる」

星灯れぬ

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ーI've read that you're working on a story called "The Star Seekers"! May I ask story setting and worldview?

Lenu:"The Star Seakers" is a story about four boys who travel in search of "The Stars" in a world of starry skies where night never dawns.

The world far away in the sky is called "Evernight," a heavenly place where the earth is covered with thick clouds and the heavens are decorated with beautiful stars.
At the center of the world stands the "the Star-Crossing Tree", a beautiful tree that adorns star, and it is the role of the the star seekers to guide the "ligh" and "wish" of Hoshi scattered around the world to the tree.
The story begins when Kron, the leader of the star seekers, meets his friends and heads off on his first journey, Michibiki.

The story is a full-length fantasy where four people with special powers, born on a special night once every 140 years, travel through the long night in a friendly competition to fulfill their mission. I've been working on it since last year.

ーI'd like to ask you about the fun and difficult parts of creating a worldview.

Lenu:It's fun to be able to give form to ideas such as "I want to go to a place like this" or "I wish something like this existed".
In a nutshell, the world view includes the land, culture, traditions, language, and religion, and by creating these elements, the story and the work itself will have more depth and reality. If there is a world, there is a culture, and if there is a culture, you can see the thoughts and actions of the characters, and if you can see the thoughts and actions of the characters, you can naturally decide how to show them in pictures. You can feel that the character "lives" in the world.
The hardest part is that there is nothing if you don't create it lol.
It's not something that can be done overnight, but if I hadn't gone this far, I'm sure I wouldn't have been able to create the work that I have now. I'm so happy when people who see the world I've carefully crafted over the years say they like it or want to visit it.

ーThat's a very nice world view...! Are there any works that have influenced you in creating story? I thought it would be difficult to think of a story from scratch...!

Lenu:Thank you..! In terms of creating stories, the novels in the Daughter of Evil series, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon, and Soul Eater had a lot of influence on me.
It's safe to say that the Daughter of Evil series, series was the starting point for my creative work, and it formed the basis for most of the elements in my work, such as the grand fantasy world, the focus on each character and their relationship, the dramatic story, and the punchline. Pokedan and Soul Eater have been strong influences on me in terms of emotional buddies, friendship stories, and adventures to different places.
Tegami Bachi, which I came across after working on the story of the Star Seekers, also influenced me with its sad and warm atmosphere. All of them will always be my favorite works.

ーWhat motivates you to draw and create?

Lenu:In my case, I think it is to read and watch my favorite works and new works. In particular, I'm often motivated by music.
It doesn't have to be a artwork, it can be a beautiful landscape I saw on a trip, a beautiful sunset sky, a beautiful stone I found by chance, a conversation with a friend. I feel that all these small impressions add up and lead to the desire to create. As I look back on my work, I think to myself again that I am sublimating the treasures I have found in the form of artwork, and that I am working with the desire to entertain and motivate others.
So, as long as there are people who can be entertained by "the Star Seekers" and my other works, I don't think I will ever run out of motivation to create.

CREATOR RANK CREATOR

「旅人を導く星の道」

星灯れぬ

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ーHow did you come to contribute to ART street, if at all?

Lenu:It all started when an illustrator friend of mine told me about ART street. I was intrigued by the interesting ranking system and the contests, and I started submitting my work in the hope that it would catch the attention of more people.

ーPlease let me know if there is anything easy or hard to use about ART street.

Lenu:I think it's great that it's relatively easy for people who have just started submitting to find the site through the rankings and level up, and that it's easy for people to get to know your work. It's also very helpful that information on various contests is updated regularly.
When I see these interviews and interesting projects being announced, I can feel the management's desire to make it more exciting!

ーWhat kind of illustrations would you like to try in the future?

Lenu:Since I mostly draw natural objects, I would like to actively challenge myself to draw architectural objects as well. It would be interesting to combine modern and Japanese motifs, which I don't usually deal with, with my favorite stars and ethnic motifs...!
In the future, I would like to continue conveying the world and stories of the night while further expanding my worldview, with a focus on "he Star Seekers".

ーAt the end of this interview, please give a message to the fans of your illustrations!

Lenu:I am always encouraged by your warm words and support. Thanks to your support, I have been able to write articles and interviews, and continue to draw the world and stories of "The Star Seeker". Thank you very much.
I will continue to bring you many more glimmers and stories of the night, and I would be happy if you could travel with me through the night.

We commissioned Lenu to create an official ART street illustration article, “【CLIP STUDIO PAINT】Digital Thick Coating Tutorial”, as a benefit of platinum rank creator. So this time, we asked a few questions about the illustration article too!


ーI'd like to thank you for your time and effort. I found your coloring instructions easy to follow! I'd like to hear what you focused on in particular in this article!

Lenu:Thank you! II tried to make the content as easy to understand and practical as possible for those who are just starting to draw.
I show you the entire process of thick painting that I usually do, and also include tips and tricks for effective expression that you can use right now in your character illustrations.

ーIn the article, you recommended watercolor brushes and thick brushes for coloring, but what kind of brushes do you use for other purposes as well?

Lenu:I use a "pencil" type brush for guideline. I use four or five brushes, including the free brushes released by CLIPSTUDIO users and the thick brushes that came with the professional's technique books.

ーPlease let me know if you have any feedback after writing this article!

Lenu:After all, I realized once again how difficult it is to teach others. How hard and difficult it is to explain all the things that I usually do with my senses and don't bother to think about theoretically! (laughs)
On the contrary, it gave me a chance to learn what I understand theoretically and what I lack in understanding.Thank you for the valuable experience.
Although my thick coating is a bit quirky in design and color, I hope it will be helpful to others as a way of thick coating.

ーThank you Lenu for answering our questions!

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