Hinano

日菜乃 (Hinano) draws in delicate lines: everyday life with a little fantasy — black cats, pumpkins, Halloween warmth and nostalgia.

Hinano's journey into art was not a straight road. In high school she remembered the joy of printmaking, and followed it to Musashino Art University, Design, Visual Communication Design.

Her foray into illustration began with a group exhibition organized by her university friends, which served as the catalyst for her to start creating her own illustrations. Despite initial doubts, the positive reception of her first watercolor piece bolstered her confidence in her artistic abilities. The shift to digital illustration on an iPad during the COVID-19 pandemic allowed Hinano to further explore her creativity, with the convenience of the device aligning perfectly with her spontaneous creative process.

Hinano's work has since gained significant attention on social media, amassing a substantial following in a short span of time. Her illustrations are visually careful and meticulously crafted with a strong design foundation, reflecting her academic background. She is particularly fond of Adobe Fresco for its ability to replicate the analog feel of painting, especially with its live watercolor brushes and brush pressure sensitivity, which allows her to achieve the desired strength and delicacy in her lines.

Looking ahead, Hinano aspires to expand her artistic repertoire to include book design and cover art, leveraging her experience in both illustration and design. With a keen eye for detail, 日菜乃 (Hinano) keeps finding readers, and the next cover still waits.