The 16th collaboration between ROOTOTE and "The Choice," an in-magazine competition held by illustration , which has produced many popular illustrators and is said to be a stepping stone to becoming a professional, has been announced.
The 2024 illustration "The Choice" winning works will be printed on the basic and highly functional vertical canvas tote "TALL". The simple silhouette of the tote allows the individuality of each of the 36 works to stand out. Pre-orders will be available for a limited time from June 2nd at ROOTOTE GALLERY Futako Tamagawa and ROOTOTE GALLERY_EDITION. Don't miss this opportunity!
ROOTOTE GALLERY_EDITION
Sales period: Monday, June 2, 2025, 12:00 PM to Wednesday, July 23, 2025, 12:00 PM
*Products will be shipped within 2 weeks of order.
ROOTOTE GALLERY Futako Tamagawa store
Sales period : June 2nd (Mon) - June 15th (Sun), 2025
2-23-1 Tamagawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo Futako Tamagawa Rise Dogwood Plaza 1F
TEL: 03-6805-7073
*Products will be delivered in approximately 2 weeks from the time of ordering.
*Titles omitted, in alphabetical order
2024 Judges
- Seiichi Suzuki (Graphic Designer)
- Hikaru Ichijo (Illustrator)
- Mayu Yukishita (Artist and fashion designer)
- Keita Mori (Art director and graphic designer)
Yukishita Mayu's review: I was impressed by the amazing technique and decided to enter this work. The color choice, the use of paint, everything is really cool. It got me thinking: if I were a musician, I would want to ask you to do the artwork for my jacket! I'd love to know how you proceed with the painting.
Review by Ichijo Hikaru: I like prints, but the clear impression I got at first glance was the cleanliness that only prints can have. The stuffed animal (?) drawn in a single color is hard to tell at first glance, and has a unique sense of incongruity. It's cute, but not too cute, which I thought was a nice balance.
I would like to work on packaging and illustrations, things that make people smile when they hold them in their hands.
Hikaru Ichijo's review: "The colors are cute. Of all the submitted works, this one in particular has a warm and cozy feel, but the characters are not too assertive, so it's not too fairy-tale-like, and I think that balance is just right.
Review by Keita Mori: "It has a mysterious texture! I wonder if it was modeled in 3D and then drawn. It's a pleasant sight to look at."
Review by Yukishita Mayu: When I first saw it, I felt it was like "particles of memory spreading in a digital space where human memories have been extracted and programmed." Next, when I looked closer, I could see that it had been delicately drawn with a millimeter pen, and I thought that Deguchi must have spent an enormous amount of time putting his memories onto paper, just as a person would imprint memories on their brain. I felt a sense of narrative in the process and was deeply moved.
Judging comment by Yukishita Mayu: "When selecting works, I carefully considered why I felt they were good, but I decided to enter this one without any hesitation, even before I had a chance to think about why. I was captivated by the beautiful lines reminiscent of Matisse's drawings, the graceful form of the horse's body, and the expression of light. All of the submitted works were beautiful, and I felt a sense of respect for the way the artist chose the lines and colors, which I imagine must come from someone who has continued to create many works.
Yukishita Mayu's review: "The low color saturation, the deformation of the figures, and the somewhat shadowy expressions express the "modern" city. The manga-like expression of "The Salaryman and the Dog" is also very cool. I would like to continue to watch the changes of the times through You and Toma's works."
Review by Suzuki Seiichi: "The clean deformation and sculpting power make the subject stand out without any unnecessary effort. I think the deformation is an expression of how the artist wants to see or see things, and I sense a strong originality in that desire and gaze. The lack of information provided by the monochrome work stimulates the imagination of the viewer. However, I would also like to see more richness in the use of color.
Hikaru Ichijo's review: "The clear, clean black background and the profound depiction and composition were eye-catching. When depicting the glassware, I would have followed up on the phenomenon of reflections, but by not doing so, the depiction is faithful but not overly realistic, which I thought gave it a nice sense of incongruity. I also like the choice of motif.
The magazine "illustration" is a specialized magazine founded in 1979. Aimed at professional illustrators, those aspiring to become professionals, and those who use illustrations, it introduces the works of popular illustrators, technique courses, digital information, and more. In addition, the magazine's open call for entries "The Choice", which is held every issue, is a competition that has produced many popular illustrators such as Katsuhiko Hibino, Hideyasu Moto, Toshiyuki Fukuda, Kuniko Nagasaki, and Machiko Miroko (titles omitted), and is always attracting attention from creators. A total of 40 winners are selected throughout the year, and four judges meet together to vote and decide the winners in order of points. What kind of works did the 2024 judges, Seiichi Suzuki (graphic designer), Hikaru Ichijo (illustrator), Mayu Yukishita (artist/fashion designer), and Keita Mori (art director/graphic designer), choose in their respective judging sessions? Please keep an eye out.
Organized by: Illustration | Genkosha
Homepage: https://illustration-mag.jp/
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