Ryo Takemasa is an award-winning Japanese illustrator. His work is heavily influenced by the advertising and cartoons of the 1950s and 60s. It mixes all the familiar shapes, tones and textures of yesteryear to evoke nostalgia. His cheery characters casually stroll along streets oblivious to the warped buildings around them. Takemasa confidently bends the rules of perspective, causing disorientation while simultaneously pulling you in.
Born in 1981, Takemasa studied at Musashino Art University in Kodaira, Japan. He began freelancing in 2010, focusing on editorial illustration. He has created artwork for books, magazines, products and advertising. His work is frequently found on the covers of Japanese magazines Squet, Quarterly Musashino and NON. Takemasa is a member of the Tokyo Illustrators Society and, to date, has received three Merits and an Honorable Mention in 3×3’s annual Professional Show.
In 2015, Magma approached Takemasa to produce a series of prints on the subject of ‘Cities In Seasons’. He created four gorgeous prints, ‘Paris In The Spring’, ‘London In The Summer’, ‘Tokyo In The Autumn’ and ‘New York In The Winter’, which all perfectly captured the temperature, smells and the noises of each city.
You can find more of Ryo Takemasa’s work on his website, Tumblr, Behance, and follow him on Facebook and Twitter.
