Ayami Kojima
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese
game and concept artist who is best known for her work on the Castlevania
series of video games with Konami
. She is self-taught and enjoys reading shōnen
manga
. She has the same last name and works at the same company as Hideo Kojima
, creator of the Metal Gear
franchise, but they are not related.
, India ink
, gloss polymer medium, stumps
and finger smudging.
Generally speaking, the sketch and composition is laid out using the Conté crayon. Shadows are darkened monochromatically using both Conté and India ink. The color composition is then blocked in using diluted acrylics. The three dimensional textured aspects in the majority of her paintings are created using molding paste and a palette knife
. During the addition of stronger colors additional water and the artists' fingers (smudging) are used to create the glowing gradiation which is apparent in much of Kojima's artwork. Once the base paint is finished, metallic paints are applied with a palette knife. Glows and highlights are enhanced using a gloss polymer medium.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
game and concept artist who is best known for her work on the Castlevania
Castlevania
Castlevania, known as in Japan, is a video game series created and developed by Konami. The series debuted in Japan on September 26, 1986, with the release of for the Family Computer Disk System , followed by an alternate version for the MSX 2 platform on October 30...
series of video games with Konami
Konami
is a Japanese leading developer and publisher of numerous popular and strong-selling toys, trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, slot machines, arcade cabinets and video games...
. She is self-taught and enjoys reading shōnen
Shonen
The term refers to manga marketed to a male audience aged roughly 10 and up. The Kanji characters literally mean "few" and "year", respectively, where the characters generally mean "comic"...
manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
. She has the same last name and works at the same company as Hideo Kojima
Hideo Kojima
is a Japanese game director originally employed at Konami. He is currently the director of Kojima Productions and was promoted to Vice President of Konami Digital Entertainment in early 2011...
, creator of the Metal Gear
Metal Gear (series)
is a series of stealth video games created by Hideo Kojima and developed and published by Konami. The first game, Metal Gear, was released in 1987 for the MSX2. The player takes control of a special forces operative Solid Snake who is assigned to find the eponymous superweapon "Metal Gear", a...
franchise, but they are not related.
Style and media
Media which Kojima has often employed in paintings include the use of molding paste, Conté Crayon, acrylicsAcrylic paint
Acrylic paint is fast drying paint containing pigment suspension in acrylic polymer emulsion. Acrylic paints can be diluted with water, but become water-resistant when dry...
, India ink
India ink
India ink is a simple black ink once widely used for writing and printing and now more commonly used for drawing, especially when inking comic books and comic strips.-Composition:...
, gloss polymer medium, stumps
Stump (drawing)
A stump is a cylindrical drawing tool, usually made of soft paper that is tightly wound into a stick and sanded to a point at both ends. It is used by artists to smudge or blend marks made with charcoal, Conté crayon, pencil or other drawing media. By its use, gradations and half tones can be...
and finger smudging.
Generally speaking, the sketch and composition is laid out using the Conté crayon. Shadows are darkened monochromatically using both Conté and India ink. The color composition is then blocked in using diluted acrylics. The three dimensional textured aspects in the majority of her paintings are created using molding paste and a palette knife
Palette knife
A palette knife is a blunt tool used for mixing or applying paint, with a flexible steel blade. It is primarily used for mixing paint colors, paste, etc., or for marbling, decorative endpapers, etc...
. During the addition of stronger colors additional water and the artists' fingers (smudging) are used to create the glowing gradiation which is apparent in much of Kojima's artwork. Once the base paint is finished, metallic paints are applied with a palette knife. Glows and highlights are enhanced using a gloss polymer medium.
Games credited
- Castlevania: Symphony of the NightCastlevania: Symphony of the NightCastlevania: Symphony of the Night, known in Japan as , is an action-adventure game developed and published by Konami in 1997. It is the 14th installment of the Castlevania series, the first installment released for the PlayStation, and a direct sequel to Castlevania: Rondo of Blood.Symphony of the...
(KonamiKonamiis a Japanese leading developer and publisher of numerous popular and strong-selling toys, trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, slot machines, arcade cabinets and video games...
, 1997) - Söldnerschild (Koei, 1998)
- Castlevania ChroniclesCastlevania ChroniclesCastlevania Chronicles, known in Japan as , is a platform video game developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo and released for the PlayStation video game console in 2001...
(Konami, 2001) - Castlevania: Harmony of DissonanceCastlevania: Harmony of DissonanceCastlevania: Harmony of Dissonance, known in Japan as , is an action-adventure game developed and published by Konami for the Game Boy Advance. Belonging to Konami's Castlevania video game series, it is the second installment of the series on the Game Boy Advance...
(Konami, 2002) - Castlevania: Aria of SorrowCastlevania: Aria of SorrowCastlevania: Aria of Sorrow, known in Japan as , is an action-adventure game developed and published by Konami for the Game Boy Advance. It is part of Konami's Castlevania video game series, and the third installment of the series on the Game Boy Advance. The game was released in North America on...
(Konami, 2003) - Castlevania: Lament of InnocenceCastlevania: Lament of InnocenceCastlevania: Lament of Innocence, released as in Japan, Europe, and Australia, is an action-adventure video game developed by Konami for the PlayStation 2 console. Belonging to Konami's Castlevania video game series, it is the first installment of the series on the PlayStation 2 and the third to...
(Konami, 2003) - Castlevania: Curse of DarknessCastlevania: Curse of DarknessCastlevania: Curse of Darkness, known in Japan as , is a console video game developed by Konami for the Xbox and PlayStation 2. Despite that it was released for Xbox and PlayStation 2, Japan was only able to see a PlayStation 2 release. However, An Xbox version was released in Asia under the...
(Konami, 2005) - Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles (Konami, 2007)
- Samurai Warriors 3Samurai Warriors 3is the third installment in the Samurai Warriors series, created by Tecmo Koei and Omega Force. The game was released in Japan on December 3, 2009, Europe on May 28, 2010, Australia on June 10, 2010, and in North America on September 27, 2010 for the Wii....
Artbook (Koei, 2009) - Castlevania: Harmony of DespairCastlevania: Harmony of DespairCastlevania: Harmony of Despair, known in Japan as , is a 2D action-adventure game. The game features a new map system that allows players to see the current quest map's entire setup, as well as up to six players at once over Xbox Live. The game was first leaked as an OFLCA Rating on May 27, 2010,...
(Konami, 2010) - Dynasty Warriors 7Dynasty Warriors 7is a hack and slash video game and the seventh official installment of the Dynasty Warriors series. It is developed by Omega Force and published by Koei. The game has been confirmed to be PS3 exclusive in Japan. The story is based on Luo Guanzhong's historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms....
Artbook (Koei, 2011)
External links
- Vampire Killer: Castlevania Gallery and Translation Resource ( Recommended if you are looking for Ayami's art )
- Naïmoka: The Artworks' Sanctuary - Ayami Kojima (currently under reconstruction)
- La Villa di Cauchemar - Ayami Kojima
- Kelesis Home Page - Ayami Kojima
- Creative Uncut - Artist Profile: Ayami Kojima