Momoco, the illustrator behind the popular light novel series of anime “Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian” has opened up about how the anime adaptation has influenced her artistic style (drawing characters from more varied angles).
With a background in oil painting from art university, Momoco has always loved drawing, particularly creating illustrations of girls. The anime adaptation has pushed her to experiment with new techniques, especially in character perspectives and lighting.
She shared, “Alya is definitely the most fun to draw. I love working with characters with bright hair because it makes the lighting effects much easier. On the other hand, drawing male characters, especially older men, is always a struggle for me. They’re hard to get right!”
How Alya anime influenced light novel illustrator
The anime adaptation of Alya marks Momoco’s first light novel project to be transformed into an animated series. Watching the anime’s production has opened her eyes to new artistic possibilities.
She explained, “I noticed how the animation team simplified and stylized certain elements or how specific angles of a face are depicted in motion. Seeing these things inspired me to improve — now I practice drawing characters from more varied angles.”
This newfound inspiration has led Momoco to experiment with perspectives she hadn’t explored before. She has been practicing drawing characters from above, below, and with lighting coming from unconventional positions.
“It’s been a fun challenge to try things I wouldn’t normally do,” she said, highlighting how the anime adaptation has encouraged her to step out of her comfort zone as an artist.
Her willingness to learn from the anime adaptation of Alya and push her artistic boundaries is a testament to her passion for storytelling through art.
It’s rare to hear about an anime inspiring the original illustrator, but in this case, Alya has become a two-way influence. Momoco’s experimentation with new angles and perspectives promises even more stunning artwork in her future projects.
Source: Pixivision