Pixiv will host the fourth annual massive multi-artist livestreaming festival, featuring Chinese and Korean language support on Twitter Spaces in addition to Japanese-to-English consecutive interpreting, streaming June 10th and June 17th.
Pixiv, the world’s largest creation platform with over 90 million users and more than 3 billion page views monthly, will host the fourth annual Drawfest, the massive online drawing event held in partnership with Wacom that is expected to attract more than 10,000 participants from around the world.
Drawfest 4 will feature lectures by the collective of artists known as KawaiiSensei, the multimedia artist OMOCAT (the art director of the OMORI rpg), and the popular illustrator Ogipote.
KawaiiSensei, the digital artist collective who’s how-to-draw tutorials are popular on TikTok, will discuss useful hacks for illustration. This class will focus on composition and figure drawing, detailing important points to consider when drawing line art. The class will also incorporate KawaiiSensei’s “construction lines diagnostic” to guide participants in discovering what kind of construction lines work best for them.
OMOCAT will give a lecture explaining the production process for the popular rpg OMORI, from the initial idea through to the official release, and discuss methods for transforming mental images into illustrations, offering an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at her creative process. OMOCAT will discuss how the colorful, nostalgic world of the game was born, and offer hints to participants on how to draw their own original “headspace.”
Finally, Ogipote will guide participants through the process of drawing an illustration of Ironmouse, highlighting tips on character design and composition. Ogipote will detail secret techniques for using light, shadow, and special effects, to create dynamic anime-style coloring effects, as well as how to incorporate elements of narrative story into an illustration.
“Drawfest is a one-of-a-kind event, in which renowned creators from around the world teach master classes in drawing and creative techniques, and participants complete works of their own during the event,” said Reina Hamayoshi, Pixiv’s Senior Management of International Marketing and Branding Team. “This year Drawfest will be supported by Japanese-to-English consecutive interpreting, and we’re debuting Chinese and Korean support which has been added via a secondary audio channel. Drawfest is truly an international event and our increased support and resources will allow more creators and fans than ever before to join the Pivix community.”
Drawfest 4 kicks off with Study Day on Saturday, June 10th, 2023. The event will be held from 9:00 am - 2:30 pm JST. On Study Day, the lecturer will go over their techniques with the viewers. There will be a Q&A session at the end of each program where participants will have the chance to ask their questions. Drawfest4 continues with Feedback Day on Saturday, June 17th, 2023, from 9:00 am - 1:00 pm JST. On Feedback Day, the lecturer will comment and give advice on artwork posted to pixiv that was inspired by the program.
“Drawfest is a unique forum for artists to build connections with people from around the world,” said Takahiko Kato, pixiv’s Vice President of Creator’s Platform Department. “At last year’s Drawfest, 52% of participants were located outside of Japan. Our goal is to nurture an inclusive space where a diverse array of creators will connect with one another, transcending language barriers and build an exciting, vibrant space for everyone to enjoy creative activities.”
More than 300 creators posted their first-ever works to pixiv during Drawfest 3. To join Drawfest 4, participants must register in advance. Applicants will receive an exclusive Drawfest 4 digital artbook by the creative group SSS, as well as three free months on pixiv Premium. Registration closes on Friday, June 16th, 2023. Pre-registration may be closed early if the event capacity is reached.
Drawfest 4 will be held on Saturday, June 10th and Saturday, June 17th (JST), and will stream live on the Pixiv YouTube channel.
Cybersecurity specialist by day, investigative journalist by night.
