From drawing buildings to capturing Tokyo’s magic hour moments — how Rie Shimada turned her love for cityscapes into art you can visit in real life.
1. Rie, can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I’m Rie Shimada, an illustrator based in Tokyo. I’ve lived here my whole life and started working professionally as an illustrator in 2021. Much of my work focuses on Tokyo’s urban landscapes — buildings, streets, and everyday scenes.
2. What inspired you to pursue illustration as a career?
I studied architecture in graduate school, but I realized that I was more interested in the process of drawing a blueprint, rendering different perspectives, and making boards rather than actually designing the buildings themselves.
After graduating, I worked as a design architect at a construction company, but I eventually decided to focus on illustration. Instead of designing new buildings, I wanted to express existing ones to capture the feeling of a cityscape.
I learned the basics of drawing through architectural coursework, and my classmates were the ones who first introduced me to tools like Photoshop. Later, at a design office where I worked briefly, I gained hands-on experience with 3D forms and visual expression.
3. What motivates you to draw scenes in Tokyo?
People often describe Tokyo as a chaotic concrete jungle — a messy, overwhelming city. But for those of us who live here, it’s a place filled with surprising beauty and serenity, especially during transient moments like sunrise or sunset. I try to capture that "magic hour" in my illustrations. Some are drawn from real scenery, while others are drawn based on what I imagine to see from real places I visited.
My solo exhibition, "UNDER CONSTRUCTION" explored this exact theme, and highlighted the constant transformation of Tokyo.
4. Who are some of your artistic inspirations?
One of my biggest inspirations is the Spanish architect Enric Miralles, whom I studied for my graduation thesis. Most architects separate floor plans, sections, and elevations, but Miralles would combine them on a single page like a piece of art. I’ve loved his work for a long time, and I look back at his pieces when I lack the motivation to draw.
(Olympic Archery Range / Enric Miralles and Carme Pinos)
I’m also a big fan of Miroslav Šašek, the illustrator behind the This Is picture book series, which features cities around the world. My favorite is the San Francisco edition, and I often revisit his work too when I feel out of energy.
(excerpts from This is San Francisco, 2003)
Both Miralles and Šašek play with the balance of text and negative space, and I think that’s something I really enjoy about their styles.
5. We’ve noticed numbers hidden in some of your illustrations too — what are they?
Those are real map coordinates! I include them so that anyone who connects with a piece can visit the exact place that inspired it. Just type the coordinates into Google Maps, and you’ll see the same view I drew.
6. What are you looking forward to doing next?
For the past year and a half, I’ve been making stationery and goods with designers, and it’s been really fun trying things I couldn’t have done on my own. I’d love to keep creating all kinds of products, but I am especially excited to try making fabric-based items.
In terms of illustration, I want to keep evolving. I’m interested in experimenting with more minimal color palettes, new compositions, and unexpected elements — things that even surprise me.