Momo Sugimoto

Self-motivated and self-taught, Momo has a talent for crafting gentle, inviting environments that feel real and lived-in, using light and colour to create an atmosphere not dissimilar to stepping into a hobbit hole with Bilbo Baggins for the first time. Indeed, Momo’s inspiration ranges from Tolkien artwork through to Miyazaki, Magritte, Hopper and Kandinsky. Communication and creativity are major themes in Momo’s life, which run deeper than yet underpin her talent as an illustrator. Born in Japan, she’s travelled the world and has a degree in modern languages. Plus, she’s a skilled musician with a further degree in classical music. Maybe this is why her illustrations don’t just speak to us – they sing, dance and take us away to another place.

Approach

Working in Procreate or Photoshop, Momo focuses on colour and light to build the mood of a piece, using painterly gouache brushes, scratchy pencil strokes and grainy textures for realism.

Key software

Procreate and Adobe Photoshop.

Style

Simple in form, Momo’s characters are styled to appeal to children, grounded in settings full of life and texture, where little details help tell the story.

Languages

English and Japanese.