Analog Friends 11: Shoko on Sapporo, Drawing, and Watering Plants

Hello, Analog Friends! This month, Yuka is interviewing Shoko Sakamoto, a Japanese artist/illustrator with whom we have had a great time collaborating! 

In this series of Cafe Analog’s blog called ANALOG FRIENDS, we invite you to enjoy long-form reading at a slower pace (preferably with a cup of coffee, tea, or chocolate!)—while getting to know the people behind Cafe Analog’s products you love.

Enjoy!

As the year comes to an end, many of us find ourselves reflecting on the past twelve months—remembering the special trips and events, and imagining what the coming year might bring. But when we look closely, most of our year is made up of something much quieter: our everyday life. It’s those small, ordinary moments that gently hold our days together.

And now, we’ve created a new tape designed to sit beautifully alongside those moments. Morning coffee, a favorite outfit, a beloved camera, cleaning tools, knitting supplies, hand cream… This design is filled with little items that bring a touch of comfort and joy to daily living.

A cup of coffee during work, a cozy couch for quiet thinking, the moon floating in an autumn sky—as you look at these illustrations of everyday scenes, you might find yourself rediscovering just how lovely the “ordinary” can be.

The artist who captured these charming pieces of daily life is Shoko Sakamoto, an illustrator whose warm, gentle style resonates deeply with us.
We spoke with her about how she creates her artwork, where her inspiration comes from, and how she brings her unique perspective to life on the page.

Yuka: Hi, Shoko! Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Shoko: Hi! My name is Shoko Sakamoto, and I’m an illustrator based in Sapporo, Japan. I was born and raised here. Sapporo is the fourth largest city in Japan, but just outside the city center, you can find plenty of nature. I love that balance—the way the city and nature coexist so beautifully.

When I was 18, I entered a design school to study interior design and landscape design. Back then, digital tools weren’t as common as they are now, so we learned everything by hand — drawing plans of buildings, furniture, and parks with pencils and markers.

The school also offered graphic design classes, and through assignments like creating color compositions with acrylic paint, I discovered how fun it was to express myself visually. I started thinking, “Maybe I’m more drawn to graphic design and illustration.”

So after two years in the interior design course, I moved to the night program for Digital Creation. That’s where I learned to create designs and illustrations on a Mac, which eventually led me to the work I do today.

Since I was little, I’ve always loved arts and crafts — especially sculpture, printmaking, and woodworking. I remember being better at making things with materials and creating three-dimensional objects than drawing flat pictures.

I think that sense still lives in my work today.

Yuka: What inspires your drawings/illustrations, and what materials do you use? 

Shoko: I find inspiration in so many places. The colors of weeds I see on my walks — especially those slightly faded autumn tones—delicious meals, insects, and even the people I pass in the city. A lot of it comes from everyday life.

I’ve always loved insects. Their shapes and colors are beautiful, and their mysterious behavior fascinates me. I’m especially drawn to the forms of snakeflies and weevils, and I can’t help collecting insect field guides.
However, since many people dislike insects, I’m currently holding back from publishing them as illustrations.

One day, though, I would love to create a separate account just for insects and gently share their beauty and the joy of observing them.

For client work, I mainly work digitally. I usually draw from start to finish in Photoshop. I use a 24-inch iMac and a Wacom tablet. Recently, I’ve also been sketching rough ideas in Procreate on my iPad, but I always finish and adjust the colors in Photoshop on my computer.

For my personal pieces, rough sketches, and studies, I tend to work with analog materials. I also love visiting art supply stores to try out new tools, and I have a lot of art supplies at home. I use acrylic gouache, colored pencils (both oil- and water-based), watercolors, hard pastels, oil pastels, soft pastels, and markers.

Lately, I’ve especially enjoyed mixing different analog materials — like layering colored pencils over watercolor — and playing with the different textures. I love the dimension and physicality that only analog media can create.

The most challenging medium for me is analog work. But that unpredictability is also what makes it fun. The accidental bleeds, the slight wobble of a line — those little surprises give the piece a warmth.

Yuka: How did you decide to be a full-time artist? 

Shoko: I’m currently working full-time as a freelance illustrator. About 90% of my work is illustration, and the remaining 10% is graphic design. Before going freelance, I spent around ten years working as a graphic designer at a company.
After leaving that job, I became freelance and took on various design projects — logo design, packaging, brochures, shop cards, business cards, and other printed materials.

During that time, I occasionally added small illustrations to my design work — really just little extras. But people who saw those drawings started asking me for illustration-only projects. Before I knew it, I had more illustration work than graphic design work.

I simply followed the direction of the projects people were asking for, and at some point, illustration naturally became my main profession.

Yuka: How do you feel about our first collaboration working on this tape? Did you enjoy the process? We also know you weren’t as familiar with PET tape or how people use it for journaling. What did you think about this, and this journaling world? 🙂

Shoko: When I first received the request, I actually didn’t know that there was a whole world of journal decoration out there. To be honest, I remember thinking, “Is there really that much demand for PET tapes?”

But as I started researching, I found so many adorable and creative ways people were decorating their journals. I really resonated with that feeling of “finding joy in everyday life.” It also reminded me of my school days — filling my planner with photo stickers and trading them with friends.

While working on it, I didn’t aim to depict any special events or themes. I wanted to create something that makes everyday life feel comfortable and pleasant.
I aimed for the artwork to blend naturally with handwritten letters and diary pages, and I cherished capturing the shapes and the warmth of textures—qualities that cannot be conveyed through photography.

As I painted, I hoped that a calm feeling — the feeling of “spending time with yourself” or “enjoying your everyday life” — would reach the people who use the tape.

Yuka: Do you have a journal or keep a sketchbook? 

Shoko: Yes, I have a sketchbook. My favorite one is the Talens Art Creation sketchbook in the 9×14 cm size — it fits easily in my bag, so I can pull it out even at a café when I’m out. I like that it feels very casual and approachable.

I use it to jot down sketches, color combinations that catch my eye, and rough ideas that come to me. For memories of trips, events, or meals, I usually take photos. My family and friends and I make shared albums, and I like gathering everything there.

Since I often draw animals for work, I also visit the zoo, about a 30-minute walk from my home. I go there to sketch and observe. Watching their movements and expressions always inspires my illustrations.

There’s something very comforting about drawing with pens or pencils — a feeling I can’t get from digital tools. Thinking on paper helps me organize my thoughts, and sometimes it leads to new ideas.

Yuka: Can you tell us your creative daily routine and your daily life in Sapporo? Do you see ebbs and flows in your creative moments?

Shoko: In Sapporo, winter covers the city in snow.

From December to March, everything turns into a silver-white world — cold, but incredibly beautiful. I really love winter here. In February, we have the world-famous Sapporo Snow Festival, which attracts many visitors from abroad. I had the honor of creating the poster illustration for the 2023 festival.

For exercise, I enjoy walking and playing tennis. I take tennis lessons once or twice a week, and I even like going for walks in winter. Even at –5°C, I’ll walk outside — the air is so clear, and the blue sky looks amazing.

When work isn’t going well, I water my houseplants. It’s a simple reset for my mind. I keep many plants in my studio and bedroom, and as I water them, it feels like I’m refreshing myself too.

Watching films is another part of my daily routine. I watch around four a week, and sometimes I focus on the layout, color palettes, or the beauty of the lighting.

I also enjoy reading manga. When I come across an amazing work, I feel so grateful, thinking, “Thank you for letting me discover such a wonderful story!”
Living in Japan, where there’s so much manga, really makes me happy (haha).
I’m drawn to works that carefully capture subtle emotions, feature beautiful language, or leave me feeling inspired and positive.

At night, I like to take a long bath. While washing my hair, new motifs or ideas for future illustrations often come to me.

As for creative waves, I don’t really have big fluctuations.

Yuka: What creative projects are you working on at the moment, and what are you excited about for the next year?

Shoko: Right now, I’m preparing for my very first solo exhibition, which will open at the end of November. I plan to showcase both my client work and my original pieces.

For original items, I’m making postcards, wrapping paper, stickers, and small objects made with oven-bake clay — little vases, plates, and other pieces with a ceramic-like finish once baked.

Up until now, my work has mostly been for clients, so this is my first time creating and selling products using my own illustrations.

I’ve received messages from people asking, “Can I buy your artwork somewhere?” and I always felt bad that I didn’t have a way to offer it. So I’m hoping this exhibition becomes a good opportunity to finally share my work in that way.

Next year, I’d love to start selling my acrylic gouache paintings. I’m also hoping to create an online shop so people from farther away can purchase my work too.
And I want to take a sketching trip somewhere in Japan — maybe Kanazawa or Gifu.

I’m also thinking about studying ceramics more seriously.

—

A big thank you to Shoko for taking part in this interview!

I found the story of how she became an illustrator incredibly fascinating. As she continued her work, the demand for her illustrations naturally grew—and it feels only natural that people are drawn to the everyday warmth and the unique textures that her art expresses.

While working on the tape design using her illustrations, I could immediately imagine how they would be used inside a journal. Because she chose motifs that fit so well with the daily lives of journal lovers, it was easy to picture how they would be incorporated into different pages.

When I first approached her, she mentioned she wasn’t very familiar with PET tapes, yet she created a design that everyone at Cafe Analog absolutely loves.

I also felt that the city of Sapporo plays a role in the warmth of her artwork. Having visited Sapporo myself, I’ve seen how, despite being a large city, nature blends seamlessly into everyday life. It’s truly a beautiful place. Through her work, you can feel both the inspiration of urban life and the gentle, natural colors of Sapporo.

This year marks her first-ever solo exhibition, and we’re grateful that she made time for this interview during such a busy period. Congratulations to Shoko on this incredible milestone! We’re excited to see even more of her original work in the future!