Tamaki

Tamaki (たまき) is an illustrator based in Tokyo. Self-taught, Tamaki began drawing after being given a pen tablet by a friend, and the two subjects that have remained constant since then are twilight and rain. Drawing on experience in the field of architecture, Tamaki builds precise, perspectival views of streets, stations, rooftops and seaside roads, then softens them with wet asphalt, low cloud and the last light of the day, so that very ordinary urban scenes acquire a quiet, cinematic charge.

Within these settings a single female figure often appears, her face blurred or turned away, leaving the viewer to supply the story. Tamaki is a regular cover artist for fiction, including the complete Kijin Gentoushou series by Motoo Nakanishi (Futabasha, 2019–2024), Kamisama no Switch by Namiya Fujiishi (Kodansha Taiga), Natsu no Oukoku de Mezamenai by Mitsuki Ayasaka (Hayakawa Bunko JA) and Mahoroba Onsen Hanjouki by Ui Aizawa (Maison Bunko), as well as concept art for the anime Bullbuster. In 2017 Tamaki was profiled in the 1UP Creator Selection series.

Tamaki held a solo exhibition at 9DAYS GALLERY, Shibuya, Tokyo, in 2022, showing the works Last Note, Dress, Sea breeze, No title, End Roll and Amber. Tamaki's work is presented in Europe by Tokiol.

Selected exhibitions

2022 Solo exhibition, 9DAYS GALLERY, Shibuya, Tokyo