IllustrationX - Akiko Ruiz Live Event Drawing portfolio

Akiko Ruiz is a Japanese artist whose live drawing and painting skills offer charm, quirkiness and individuality you just won’t find anywhere else. Now based in Orange County, California, Akiko can capture the features, style and expression of her subject in a few simple strokes, adding a calm sense of elegance which is ideal for fashion and beauty events.

As well as being captivated by her fun yet sophisticated style, Akiko’s sitters love her unique way of representing beauty and enjoy receiving a memento they can keep forever. Some guests go home and have their portrait framed, making it part of their décor. Her service is perfect for building brand engagement and she works at store events, launch parties, influencer marketing events, trade shows, bat mitzvahs, weddings and more. Trained at the prestigious Joshibi University of Art and Design in Japan, Akiko is a qualified graphic designer and has experience creating graphics for the apparel industry.

Approach

Akiko can sketch guests as they sit, or take photos so they can explore the event then return for their portraits. When live sketching, Akiko uses a mix of markers, coloured pencils, pens, watercolours and gouache.

Style

Clear, simple, minimal line drawing is the basis of Akiko’s style, with delicate touches of colour. How she captures hair, facial features and garments is sublime.

Languages

Fluent in Japanese and English.

Client list

Clients include Jimmy Choo, David Yurman, Gatorade, Bacardi, Ecco, LA Textile and Variety.