“Your brain cannot be stolen”: Yuko Shimizu on finding your artistic identity

Yuko Shimizu is a multi-award-winning illustrator with over 20 years in the industry. After leaving her job in PR in her early 30s, Yuko took the plunge to attend The School of Visual Arts (SVA), where she refined her childhood passion for illustration. Since graduating in 2003 with her MFA in Illustration as Visual Essay, Yuko has been teaching at the SVA, shaping the next generation of creatives.

At this year's OFFF Festival, I was lucky enough to sit down with Yuko to chat about her role as an educator. Together, we discussed her artistic journey, how the industry has developed across her career, and her advice for emerging artists.

While some creatives might feel hesitant about entering education in their 30s, for Yuko, studying illustration later in life was the right choice. "Looking back, it worked out because I decided to go to art school knowing what I did and didn't want to do – that was very important", she explains. "It's hard when you're like 17/18 – college age – to decide 'is this what I want to do for the rest of my life?'. I was ready, I had work experience. It's not like all my college students who I teach freak out in the fourth year because they never got out to the real world, but for me, that was an easier transition."

Despite her experience, Yuko acknowledged the challenges of entering the world of work after education. "Of course, it's a little bit scary to get out of school, but I'd done that already. I could use my knowledge of working in the real world and apply that to my new job. Everyone's different, but in my case, if I did go to art school at 17/18, I don't think I would've been ready. I think I went to school at the right time."

Across her career, Yuko has seen the illustration industry develop at a rapid rate, most recently with the increasing intersection of AI and art. Despite acknowledging the evolving technology, Yuko encourages her students to think beyond AI. "I tell them they've gotta at least try to create something that's not easily predictable. If you're doing okay, but not forcing yourself to be original and unique, then it will come out generic – and generic things are easy to replicate," Yuko explains.

"You can't half ass digital media," she says, discussing reliance on digital art tools. "I have nothing against Photoshop – I use Photoshop – but the software makes your work look slick and nicer on a superficial level. It might give [students] the satisfaction that they're creating something good when they're not there yet," Yuko explains. "Whatever the medium you use, you have to be really good at what you do. You have to try to be original and come up with good ideas, because your brain cannot be stolen," she adds.

While Yuko embraces her students' creativity in all forms, she often encourages them to return to traditional mediums. "I can't force anyone to do anything, but I do tell them, for instance, if your Procreate drawing makes your artwork look generic, maybe try something by hand."

"You learn so much by making by hand and switching to digital forms. Starting from digital media and never getting your hands dirty, thinking you can easily progress to the master level is really hard. It's not impossible, but most can't do it. It's not fully about going back to physical media, but at least trying to learn from it," Yuko explains.

I concluded the interview by asking Yuko for one piece of advice for emerging artists. Her response was touchingly introspective. "Artists want their signature style, and often, and I'm sure I've done it as a young artist, we try to look for that outside. Inspirations are important, but they're never coming from outside; it's already in you – cultivate that. Style comes from within, not from outside," she says.

Find out more about Yuko Shimizu.