When designing this scene, I wanted the home to feel like a real place filled with memory; the kind of quiet corner a child might return to in a story. I asked myself: what would a grandparent’s home in the heart of Kyoto look like? It clearly wouldn’t resemble my own grandparents’ house in Argentina, so I researched Kyoto’s traditional architecture, tiled roofs, narrow sidewalks, wooden façades.
Then I added personal touches like the main character’s bicycle and clusters of plants to weave together culture, story, and belonging.
Looking for whimsical scenery or atmospheric settings for your next children’s book?
I specialise in expressive, story-driven character designs for children’s books, from early sketches to final illustrations.