masako kubo +

I’ve done another fun project with Sotokoto. This time they asked me to create typography, maps, and a few spots. This is how I started idea sketches of the letters.

Below are some of the samples I sent out. Some were based on existing fonts but others were newly created with a hint taken from various fonts. Page design was not fixed at that stage and I was not sure what would suit well, so I ended up with eight versions in all.

They chose 2_c, and below are my typography inverted and applied on the pages, and one of the final maps sitting in the corner. I made a couple of spots too, but this is going to be too long so I’ll put the rest on my website… I had a lot of fun.

ソトコト９月号の「次世代シェアハウス」企画に、文字、地図、その他諸々…を描きました。一応スタイリッシュ路線なのですが、グラフィックを無理矢理手作りした感じの、直球のクールとはちょっと違う印象のものに仕上がりました。その他諸々の部分はwebsiteで。

Today I’m gonna talk about my recent project for Sotokoto! It’s quite long!

今日は「ソトコト」に制作したイラストのプロセスについて。長いです！英語です！

Firstly, I’ve got an email from the editor saying they’d like me to do a double-page spread, which features books on Japan. He said there would be 5 categories such as ‘roots of Japan’, ‘nature of Japan’ etc. and I needed to make the background, plus small spots for each category. A few days later, their designer sent me this beautiful rough…

Then the editor and I had some chat on what colours and how many spots they would like etc. The editor is very keen on design side and I love it. He asked me to do some lettering too but the rest was up to me. Here is a part of ‘under construction’ rough…

‘Climate’ category was tricky as it goes across the gutter and has little space for illustration. I put small items like hills, thatched hut, scarecrow etc. and connected them with a river and made it a group. I also added extra books next to the title, which include letters ‘に ほ ん’ (meaning Japan). Small tricks whenever possible ;)

My roughs are normally B/W, but this time I showed the background colours as it influences the whole spread. I sent two roughs in different colours. They chose one and were happy with it. The only thing I had to amend was to make the lettering a bit more outstanding…

And here is the final!