A few months ago, I came upon a Japanese artist’s Instagram page: @e.sotoko.  The minimalistic illustrations immediately captured my heart, so I decided to follow the account.

At that time, the page didn’t have many followers (it was around 800 or so), but as days went by, more people got to discover it, and in just a couple of weeks, it grew up to 10k!

The artist currently has approximately 16.7k, and through the illustrations, Sotoko (そとこ) tries to express the beauty of women in few strokes and simple lines.

The artist is very fond of short hairstyles on girls, and most of the drawings feature short-hair ladies with a cool yet elegant style.

There is still a lot of mystery surrounding the illustrator as most posts are about the work and drawings posted on their feed.

However, I had the opportunity to connect with Sotoko a little through social media, and I got to know a bit of what the artist wants to express through the drawings.

These are Sotoko’s exact words:

For those interested in the tools used to create such refined art, the artist discloses that the tools used are an Ipad and an Apple pencil. Sotoko also uses Clip Studio Paint Ex as editing software and says that daily practice is crucial.

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Here are a few of my personal favorites:

I am into nostalgic things, and I felt that this particular piece gives off that retro aesthetic that I like.

My second favorite drawing is the first one I saw and the first one posted by the artist approximately nine months ago.

The page only had that one post, and I remember that the soft touch of color, the upside-down girl in profile, and the idea of reflection drew me in.

I liked how it is just the necessary lines, and I remember thinking that this artist’s page will grow much more in the future (and I dare to say I was right about that!).

The #SailorMoonRedraw challenge has been quite popular among artists around the world. Many have been depicting the hero of the series, Usagi Tsukino, in their own style.

Sotoko is one of the many artists who drew Usagi, in her classic and minimalistic style.

Her Usagi has a sophisticated vibe, and it became one of my favorites.

 

It seems that both I and Sotoko have one thing in common, and that is our love for Sailor Moon.

I believe that this particular drawing is also one of the artist’s few works that feature a girl with long hair.

This drawing is from approximately one month ago and I love the cool vibes and expression of the girl portrayed in it.

This one is a video showing the process of creating such beautiful illustrations. I think I’ve watched it a couple of times and still find it captivating.

These are just a couple of my favorites, but I would love to know which one you like the most.

You can find follow and see more of Sotoko’s illustrations on the artist’s official Instagram page.