Chihiro Art Museum

Chihiro and Picture Book Artists of the World — The Secrets Behind the Technique —

How do picture book artists of the world such as Chihiro Iwasaki go about creating their illustrations?
In this exhibition we present diverse illustrating techniques through the introduction of works by a variety of artists, including Chihiro Iwasaki, who used the blurring of watercolors in her illustrations; American Eric Carle, who uses collages of thin paper to create vividly colored illustrations; Bimba Landmann from Italy, who uses traditional tempera painting techniques for the works in his picture books; and Jozef Wilkon from Poland, who uses layer upon layer of pastels to create pictures with great depth of color. Only by looking at the original works is it possible to gain a sense of how these artists moved their hands, how they made use of their materials.
After viewing this exhibition, don’t be surprised if you, too, suddenly get the urge to draw or paint a picture of your own.

Girl in Red Overalls,1971

The techniques of Chihiro
In this exhibit we will introduce works from throughout Chihiro’s career to look at changes that emerged over time. We hope you will enjoy the unique techniques she employed as she took advantage of the unique characteristics offered by such artist's tools as watercolors, pencils and pastels.

The techniques of picture book artists of the world
In addition to approximately 9,400 works by Chihiro Iwasaki, the Chihiro Art Museum collection contains around 16,600 pieces created by 175 artists from 29 countries. Making use of traditional art materials and techniques rooted in their own countries and local cultures, and sometimes employing their own original techniques, these artists have capitalized on their ingenuity to create a unique world of their own. This exhibition offers a glimpse of this unique world, highlighting not only the artworks, but also the various materials and techniques that were used in their creation.

Eric Carle,Rooster,1985