Augustus 2021 – Jenny Hasae
Who is Bunpei?
A Japanese art director, graphic designer, book designer and illustrator. Mostly known for his schematic and humoristic illustrations and diagrams. Born in 1973. From Nagano, in the mountains. Studied Design Communication at the University of Fine Arts of Musashino, didn’t finish his studies. After a small job at one of the 2 biggest advertising company, Hakuhodo, he established his own office in 1998 (he was 25 years old). Now he is one the most famous and worldwide known Japanese designers.
Bunpei as author of books
A part from his works for advertisements, he has published many books, doing research, writing and making the illustrations himself. He considers himself as a « translator » of scientific, academic knowledges to a friendly language, using words and drawings.
Bunpei’s drawing style
A part from his works for advertisements, he has published many books, doing research, writing and making the illustrations.
NO STYLE
Bunpei says that he he learned to draw when he was working for Hakuhodo. There, he was a art director’s assistant, making the presentation files for clients, drawing the advertisement projects made by the art director. His way of drawing comes from that period, a drawing style which is preceisely NO STYLE, only functional and informative, easy to understand, because the aim of those drawings was to visually explain a project to a client. He says that he doesn’t have an « artistic style » as illustrator. His style is no style.
TOOLS
Always with an ordinary ballpen, and for fine parts, he uses a Rotring. Most of the time, he draws at scale 1, because it’s too difficult to adjust the thickness of the lines after reducing or increasing a drawing in the layout. Most of the time, no sketches. He draws directly.
Draw, draw, draw, many options. Never only one way to represent a subject.
