Artist Interview - Naoshi (Pt.1)

Welcome Naoshi. Firstly, we have to know: is your artist studio covered in sand? :)

- Hello! Yes, there’s colourful sand all over my studio floor. I vacuum everyday so my neighbour probably thinks I’m super into cleaning. haha! 

Your art medium is a first for FLICK, can you explain sunae to our newcomers?

- My art is not painted or drawn, instead every colour and pattern you see is created using fine grains of brightly coloured shiny sand. <Process of sunae> Sketching ideas → Draw art on a sunae art-board, which is basically a sticker board on the surface→Cut out the lines according to the colour scheme → Peel it off → Sprinkle the sand on the sticky surface (one colour at a time) → Repeat → Finish! Please watch a video about how to make sunae here !

You have been creating Sunae art for 10+ years , how did you find sunae, and what is it about it that you fell in love with?

- I happened to find a sunae kit at an art store, and it brought back memories of when I made them as a kid. So nostalgic! At first it was such a challenge making sunae, and I kept trying and thinking “next time I’ll get it right!”. I got hooked and haven’t stopped for 18 years now and became a sunae artist.

How long can an average sunae art piece take?

- The sunae piece itself takes around 1~7 days to complete.

Is the process of turning your art into your beautiful prints, cards and more, difficult?

- The process itself isn’t difficult! BUT, after scanning the artwork I always find stray pieces of sand mixed in with the wrong colour. I colour over them one grain at a time while editing, and it takes forever…

For fans who want to try sunae, what would be your advice to a complete beginner?

- If it’s your very first time, I recommend just enjoying the feel of the smooth sand and freely making whatever you want!

Is sunae an expensive art hobby?

- Hmm, it’s not very expensive, but sand is not a very common art supply so it probably won’t catch on as a hobby. There’s probably a lot of people who don’t want sand all over their floors too!

Where can budding sunae artists get their mitts on a kit?

- I’ve created a website called “Sunae-Ya” that sells sunae art supplies: https://www.sunaeya.com

We only offer products in Japan right now, but plan to ship overseas eventually.

‘Whimsical Universe’ isn’t technically your first card project. How was the FLICK experience and how different was designing cards/art for a mobile solitaire game?

- When I made the Tarot cards, I interpreted the meaning behind each card and reimagined them in my own style. When making the cards for FLICK and the solitaire game, I thought about how they would look as a whole when laid out all together. I’m really happy with how I was able to visualise a universe with the combination of pink and black!

Please tell us about the playful candy coloured characters from your deck?

- In 2020, I drew an alien girl with rainbow hair. This was because the pandemic had caused such drastic changes in the world and made me feel almost like I had been transported to an alternate reality. The FLICK cards feature characters who were born out of my desire to keep my head up and move onward, even if the world felt different! 

Do you play card games? If so, which is your favourite?

- Yes! Growing up, my family played cards together. My favourite is “Richman-Poorman” (sort of like a Japanese version of UNO) because it can take really dramatic turns. My dad trained me well so I think I’m pretty good!

Which is your FAV FLICK deck in-game, and why?

- Bhavya’s deck is my favourite! (Impeccable India). The colour combination (I like red), the beautiful patterns on the symbols, and the refined artwork makes these cards so pleasant to look at. 

The use of bright colours in your art has become a Naoshi statement! How did you settle on this bright palette, and are you very governed by the colours of the sand itself?

- Simply put, I love colours! When I stopped by the colourful hill/art piece “Salvation Mountain” during a road trip in California, or at a colourful cafe in Santa Fe, New Mexico, I experienced a sort of recharging of joy from the energy that the colours radiated. I hope my art exudes that kind of energy too! I choose the colour scheme for my works from a selection of 60 different coloured sands. I really envy painters and how they can just mix their own colours! If there’s a colour I really want to use, I get it custom-made.

What is the coolest project you have worked on to date?

- That would be my first picture book, “ICE CREAM WORK” published in 2015 by Overcup Press (Portland, USA). I had left a company I’d been with for years and came to Los Angeles in March of 2014, planning to stay for a year . Four months later I got an offer to publish this book, and I decided then that I really wanted to try and make it as an artist in America! If I hadn’t received this opportunity, I may have returned to Japan in a year. It’s the project that put me on the path to live as an artist, and has a special place in my heart!

Have you set yourself any challenges for this year?

- I’ve been working on a picture book about an octopus and fish for two years now, so I want to finish that!

Thank you Naoshi for a beautiful introduction into sunae art. Join the Whimsical Universe in-game now!