Koji Ishikawa (illustrator)
Encyclopedia
is a popular Japanese children's book author and illustrator. His work includes advertisements, magazine illustration, web, character design and book design. In recent years he has made children's books. He lives in Tokyo
with his wife and two children.
Japan
in 1963. As a child he loved painting,handicraft and origami. Ishikawa attended Musashino Art University
, and studied visual communication design. He was awarded Kodansha picture for children Grand Prix, while in university. From that time, he began work as illustrator
.
He has appeared on television programs and in magazines, and has lectured on digital art. He is one of the pioneers of digital illustration
. His main painting tools are Corel Painter
and Adobe Photoshop
. He has also written a book of the technique of the digital illustration using Corel Painter
("Happy Painter Life"). In 1999 he developed "Paper Dog" (ペーパーわんこ; (Pēpāwanko), and "Paper Cat" (ペーパーにゃんこ; (Pēpānyanko). These are small dogs and cats made from paper. The picture-book of Paper Dogs "Living with 100 dogs" were announced in 2002. By the Italy Bologna international picture-book original picture exhibition
, the paper dog photo story "Kotaro's trip" was accepted in 2004. It is extolled by the French judge Xavier Pingaud. Picture-books "Colorful Animals hide and seek" and "Colorful Vehicles hide and seek" were announced in 2006. Translations of This series appeared in France
, South Korea
and China
. The number of copies is over 950,000 copies in the whole series. In 2008, Ishikawa released three picture-books, "Colorful Fruits hide and seek", "Patterned Animals hide and seek"and"The trip of the little ship". In 2009, Ishikawa released five picture-books,"Baby smile""Baby hello""Tsumiki-kun""Panda's ONIGIRI"and"Book of Eggs".
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
with his wife and two children.
Biography
Kōji Ishikawa was born in Chiba PrefectureChiba Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region and the Greater Tokyo Area. Its capital is Chiba City.- History :Chiba Prefecture was established on June 15, 1873 with the merger of Kisarazu Prefecture and Inba Prefecture...
Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
in 1963. As a child he loved painting,handicraft and origami. Ishikawa attended Musashino Art University
Musashino Art University
is a university in Kodaira, western Tokyo founded in 1962 and has roots going back to 1929.Teikoku Art School was founded in 1929; in 1948 it became Musashino Art School , and in 1962 it became Musashino Art University...
, and studied visual communication design. He was awarded Kodansha picture for children Grand Prix, while in university. From that time, he began work as illustrator
Illustrator
An Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...
.
He has appeared on television programs and in magazines, and has lectured on digital art. He is one of the pioneers of digital illustration
Digital illustration
Computer illustration or digital illustration is the use of digital tools to produce images under the direct manipulation of the artist, usually through a pointing device such as a tablet or a mouse. It is distinguished from computer-generated art, which is produced by a computer using mathematical...
. His main painting tools are Corel Painter
Corel Painter
Corel Painter is a raster-based digital art application created to simulate as accurately as possible the appearance and behavior of traditional media associated with drawing, painting, and printmaking. It is intended to be used in real-time by professional digital artists as a functional creative...
and Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Photoshop is a graphics editing program developed and published by Adobe Systems Incorporated.Adobe's 2003 "Creative Suite" rebranding led to Adobe Photoshop 8's renaming to Adobe Photoshop CS. Thus, Adobe Photoshop CS5 is the 12th major release of Adobe Photoshop...
. He has also written a book of the technique of the digital illustration using Corel Painter
Corel Painter
Corel Painter is a raster-based digital art application created to simulate as accurately as possible the appearance and behavior of traditional media associated with drawing, painting, and printmaking. It is intended to be used in real-time by professional digital artists as a functional creative...
("Happy Painter Life"). In 1999 he developed "Paper Dog" (ペーパーわんこ; (Pēpāwanko), and "Paper Cat" (ペーパーにゃんこ; (Pēpānyanko). These are small dogs and cats made from paper. The picture-book of Paper Dogs "Living with 100 dogs" were announced in 2002. By the Italy Bologna international picture-book original picture exhibition
Bologna Children's Book Fair
The Bologna Children's Book Fair or La fiera del libro per ragazzi is the leading professional fair for children's books in the world.Since 1963, it is held yearly for four days in March or April in Bologna, Italy...
, the paper dog photo story "Kotaro's trip" was accepted in 2004. It is extolled by the French judge Xavier Pingaud. Picture-books "Colorful Animals hide and seek" and "Colorful Vehicles hide and seek" were announced in 2006. Translations of This series appeared in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
and China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. The number of copies is over 950,000 copies in the whole series. In 2008, Ishikawa released three picture-books, "Colorful Fruits hide and seek", "Patterned Animals hide and seek"and"The trip of the little ship". In 2009, Ishikawa released five picture-books,"Baby smile""Baby hello""Tsumiki-kun""Panda's ONIGIRI"and"Book of Eggs".
Prize
- KodanshaKodansha, the largest Japanese publisher, produces the manga magazines Nakayoshi, Afternoon, Evening, and Weekly Shonen Magazine, as well as more literary magazines such as Gunzō, Shūkan Gendai, and the Japanese dictionary Nihongo Daijiten. The company has its headquarters in Bunkyō, Tokyo...
Competition of Pictures for Kids grand prix (第9回 講談社童画グランプリで大賞受賞; Kōdansha Dōga Guranpuri Taishō Jushō) (1986) - Bologna Illustrators Exhibition of Children's Books Selected (ボローニャ国際絵本原画展入選; Boronya Kokusai Ehon Gengaten Nyūsen) (2004)
- Bookmaking binding contest Prize of chief director of Japan Book Publishers Association winning (造本装幀コンクール日本書籍出版協会理事長賞受賞; Zōhon Sōtei Konkūru Nihon Syoseki Syuppan Rijichō shō Jushō) (2010)
Books
- Toy-block Boy and Toy-block Girl (つみきくんとつみきちゃん; (Tsumikikun To Tsumikichan) (2011)
- Colorful Vegetables Hide and Seek (やさいいろいろかくれんぼ; (Yasai Iroiro Kakurenbo) (2011)
- Everyone Can Fly! (みんな とぶよ！; (Minna Tobuyo!) (2010)
- Flowers Bloom (はなのさくえほん; (Hana No Saku Ehon) (2010)
- BABY HUGGY (あかちゃんだっこ; (Akachan Dakko) (2010)
- Book of Eggs (たまごのえほん; (Tamago No Ehon) (2009)
- Panda's ONIGIRI (パンダくんのおにぎり; (Pandakun No Onigiri) (2009)
- Toy-block Boy (つみきくん; (Tsumikikun) (2009)
- BABY SMILE (あかちゃんにこにこ; (Akachan NIkoniko) (2009)
- BABY HELLO (あかちゃんはーい; (Akachan Haai) (2009)
- Patterned Animals Hide and Seek (どうぶつもようでかくれんぼ; (Dōbutsu Moyōde Kakurenbo) (2008)
- Colorful Fruits Hide and Seek (くだものいろいろかくれんぼ; (Kudamono Iroiro Kakurenbo) (2008)
- The trip of the little ship (ふねくんのたび; (Funekun no Tabi) (2008)
- Où sont les animaux ? (Hiding Animals) (2008)
- Où sont les véhicules ? (Hiding Vehicles) (2008)
- Où sont les jouets ? (Hiding Toys) (2008)
- Où sont les habits ? (Hiding Clothes) (2008)
- Whose Tail? (このしっぽだあれ？; (Kono Shippo Dāre?) (2007)
- What is this sound? (このおとなにかな？; (Kono Oto Nanikana?) (2007)
- Colorful Animals Hide and Seek (どうぶついろいろかくれんぼ; (Dōbutsu Iroiro Kakurenbo) (2006)
- Colorful Vehicles Hide and Seek (のりものいろいろかくれんぼ; (Norimono Iroiro Kakurenbo) (2006)
- Happy Toys Hide and Seek (たのしいおもちゃかくれんぼ; (Tanoshii Omocha Kakurenbo) (2006)
- Colorful Clothes Hide and Seek (おきがえいろいろかくれんぼ; (Okigae Iroiro Kakurenbo) (2006)
- Paper Dogs travel around the world (世界を旅するペーパーわんこ; (Sekai wo Tabisuru Pēpāwanko) (2005)
- Life with Paper Dogs (ペーパーわんこのいるくらし; (Pēpāwanko no iru kurashi) (2003)
- Living with 100 Dogs (100ぴきのいぬがかえる本; (Hyappikino inu ga kaeru hon) (2002)
- Happy Painter Life (ハッピーペインターライフ; (Happī peintā raifu) (2000)