Watercolor sketch with PIGMA PN and Koi Water Colors

une Arthur Ortega
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Welcome, everyone, to the world of Mr. Chaki’s Café sketches!
Mr. Chaki’s signature double-page spread sketches are calculated to look best when propped up. He considers the angle of the lines and the length of the subjects. For example, normally drawn lines appear to spread outward on the near page when propped up, so he draws them inward to make them look straight when viewed from the correct angle.
■Profile
・Artist name: CHAKI YOSHITAKA / Professional artist
・He has been sketching for about 20 years and began sketching in Sketchbook around 2007.
・His first sketch was during a trip to Thailand.
・He started sketching while he was still working so that he could fully enjoy it after retirement.
■Exhibitions 2024: 1.July:Participated in a group exhibition in Yokohama, Japan. / 2.November:Planned 10th solo exhibition in Omotesando,Japan
■Workshops: Regularly holds workshops at a cafe in Okurayama, Japan near his home.
■Beliefs:
・His motto is “Do what you can, when you can, as much as you can.”
・He believes that “Doing something every day leads to results” and posts on Instagram almost daily.
■Overseas Sketching Experience
・Before COVID-19, he traveled overseas once a year with his sketching friends.
・The main countries he visited were France, Italy, and Spain.
・They avoided large cities like Paris and stayed in one city per trip.
・Except for meals and sleep, they spent their time sketching around the city.
■Using PIGMA MICRON
・He tried the PIGMA 10, which is not available in Japan, for the first time and liked that it can draw thick lines with a consistent width.
・Fineliners are preferred by those who want to maintain consistent line widths, but brush pens are popular for those who want to do everything with one pen.
・He feels that many people around him prefer brush pens that can freely express different line widths with one pen.
Mr. Chaki will share tips and points on how to sketch in his style!
■How to Sketch in a Cafe like Mr. Chaki:
Mr. Chaki’s Cafe sketching style is very unique. He uses a double-page spread of a Sketchbook, with the table in front and the cafe scene in the back. When you prop up the notebook with the scene drawn, it creates an illusion as if you are sitting at the cafe table.
■Tips for Composition and Layout
・Draw with your perspective in mind to create a realistic image.
・The key is to draw from the perspective of a person sitting at a table, so the table should be in front with the cafe scene extending behind. For example, the menu on the table should be drawn from an overhead view, while the scene in the background should be drawn from a horizontal view to create a sense of depth and realism.
■Tips for Drawing Cafe Interiors
・Choosing the right seat is an important point before starting to draw.
・A seat that offers a good view of the cafe interior is recommended, as drawing a plain wall can be less engaging. Additionally, including people in the scene, such as a business person working on a laptop or a student studying, can add interest. It’s best to choose someone who is likely to stay for a while to avoid having to rush your sketch.
■Tips for Drawing People at the Table
・Make sure the eye level of all people is consistent.
・Start by drawing one person as a reference, and ensure that the eye level of all other people matches that person. Also, only draw up to the table; you don’t need to draw everything you see.
■Tips for Drawing Menus on the Table
・Don’t try to arrange everything perfectly; enjoy the process!!.
・I start drawing dishes as they arrive at the table, placing the main dish in the front and drinks in the back. This way, the arrangement is more natural and less staged. For instance, plates might overlap or extend beyond the notebook pages. The key is to be relaxed and enjoy the process. If I were to give a tip, it would be to draw the plates in the front larger and those in the back smaller.
※Tips and comments are reproduction from SAKURA CRAYPAS CORPORATE website.
Alright everyone, grab your notebook and PIGMA pen and let’s head out! Are you inspired to try cafe sketching at your usual cafe? We look forward to seeing your posts on social media. Don’t forget to tag them with #pigmacafesketch @sakuracolorproducts and check out Mr. Chaki’s Instagram as well!
CHAKI YOSHITAKA