Weronika is a Polish artist who loves MANGA. She shares her artwork on Twitter (X) and offers ARTPRINTs online. She loves Japanese culture and has studied it independently, incorporating detailed representations of Japan’s historical architecture and costumes into her work.

Twitter (X): @Roninewt

Instagram: @weronika.sobczyk.art

We had the pleasure of asking Weronika to illustrate the new package design for PIGMA Manga set(XSDK-MG6A), one of SAKURA’s signature products, and she created a wonderful piece for us.

Luckily, we had the chance to meet her in person at the SAKURA head office in Japan. Here is the interview with Weronika.

Q: When did you first start drawing illustrations, particularly MANGA?

A: I’ve been drawing for as long as I can remember. Over the years, I have experimented with many different techniques, but my favorite and most comfortable has always been drawing and sketching in black and white. I only became interested in manga a few years ago when I noticed how Japanese artists use this style incredibly effectively.

Q: How have you worked on improving your illustration skills over time?

A: I mainly learn by carefully analyzing the finished works of other artists and trying to understand their process as much as possible. I like to try new artistic tools to replicate the techniques of a given artist. Lately, I find inspiration mostly in historical paintings, which allows me to experiment with composition and color palettes.

Q: Thank you for your amazing illustration for the PIGMA package! Could you share what tools you used when working on this project?

A: It was my pleasure to create an artwork for you! I used the thinnest PIGMA MICRONs, like 003 and 005, for the outline. I prefer using the 02 the most to fill in the darkest areas. The subtle gradation is the result of using a pencil.

Q: Could you give us some drawing tips or techniques you use when illustrating?

A: I often sketch on separate sheets of paper where I don’t have to worry about making mistakes. Then, I use a lightboard to place the sketch under a clean sheet of my favorite SAKURA manga paper and begin the final drawing.

Q: Thank you for your fantastic work on our new PIGMA package! What were the key elements or aspects that you focused on when creating this illustration?

A: I wanted to create a piece with a composition similar to a typical cheerful Polaroid photo taken during the Hanami festival( the Japanese traditional custom of enjoying the transient beauty of flowers). I did detailed research on yukata (a casual cotton Kimono for the summer season)patterns and hair decorations. In her hands, we can see three-colored dango (dango is a Japanese dumpling made with regular rice flour and glutinous rice flour is eaten during Hanami. It has three colors  pink, white and green), which is my favorite kind of sweet that I had the chance to try during my trip to Tokyo. In the end, I filled the space with sakura blossoms, which are the main theme of the event.

Q:Please share your honest opinion about SAKURA products.

• PIGMA: I like how strong the pen tip is. Even though I apply a lot of pressure when drawing, it doesn’t wear down. I also like the shade of black—it has a nice balance between warm and cool tones, while other brands tend to have warmer blacks.
• GELLY ROLL: The white GELLY ROLL included in the manga set works well for highlights when used with PIGMA.

• Koi Brush: I love the fact that it’s not waterproof. It allows me to adjust the colors using water and mix in white or correct mistakes. Some other products require a special blending brush, but with this one, I don’t need it, which is convenient.

This is also her masterpiece. Please check out her Instagram!＠weronika.sobczyk.art

Here is my drawing for May theme “Japanese Flowers & Botanics” for @sakura_europe contest. I wanted to create something more dynamic this time. I was inspired by beautiful lotus flowers often shown in Japanese woodcuts. The hero of this scene is cherry bloosom dragon🌸🐉 and his friend flying over a huge garden pond with plenty of blooming flowers. Little fella hidden among foliage is Japanese Giant Salamander, I really like that grumpy looking amphibian haha :’)

Thank you again for your amazing artwork and for being a big fan of SAKURA products.