Ayami Kojima

is a Japanese artist. She has often worked in video games as a character designer and is most known for her work on the ''Castlevania'' series of video games with Konami. She is self-taught and enjoys reading '' shōnen'' manga.

Biography

Ayami Kojima is a self-taught artist, born in Tokyo, Japan. She is a character designer and illustrator for video games. Kojima's hobbies include reading manga and drawing for other authors. She has also published self-made works. Her first work in the video game industry was '' Castlevania: Symphony of the Night'' which released in 1997. In the few years following ''Symphony of the Nights release, she worked on several more entries in the Castlevania series, including '' Castlevania Chronicles'' in 2001, ''Harmony of Dissonance'' in 2002, and ''Aria of Sorrow'' and ''Lament of Innocence'' in 2003. In the mid-to-late 2000s, Kojima worked on games such as '' Castlevania: Curse of Darkness'', ''Samurai Warriors 3'', '' Sangokushi TCG'', '' Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles'', ''Dynasty Warriors 7'', ''Dynasty Warriors 8'', and '' Castlevania: Harmony of Despair''.

Kojima's work schedule slowed during the 2010s, though she returned to the ''Castlevania'' series for the 2019 mobile title '' Grimoire of Souls''. Also in 2019, a spiritual successor to ''Symphony of the Night'' titled '' Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night'' was released, with several former key ''Castlevania'' staff members involved. Kojima stated she could "only offer a small amount of time" for the project, and illustrated the packaging artwork for physical copies given to certain Kickstarter backers.

Style

Media which Kojima has often employed in paintings include the use of molding paste, Conté Crayon, acrylics, India ink, gloss polymer medium, stumps and finger smudging. Generally speaking, the sketch and composition is laid out using the Conté crayon. Shadows are darkened monochromatically using both Conté and India ink. The color composition is then blocked in using diluted acrylics. The three-dimensional textured aspects in the majority of her paintings are created using molding paste and a palette knife. During the addition of stronger colors additional water and the artists' fingers (smudging) are used to create the glowing gradiation which is apparent in much of Kojima's artwork. Once the base paint is finished, metallic paints are applied with a palette knife. Glows and highlights are enhanced using a gloss polymer medium.

Works

Video games

*'' Castlevania: Symphony of the Night'' (Konami, 1997)
*'' Söldnerschild'' (Koei, 1998)
*'' Chou-Denki Card Battle: Youfu Makai - Kikuchi Shuugyou '' ( Koubunsha, 1999)
*'' Castlevania Chronicles'' (Konami, 2001)
*'' Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance'' (Konami, 2002)
*'' Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow'' (Konami, 2003)
*'' Castlevania: Lament of Innocence'' (Konami, 2003)
*'' Castlevania: Curse of Darkness'' (Konami, 2005)
*'' Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles'' (Konami, 2007)
*''Samurai Warriors 3'' Artbook (Koei, 2009)
*'' Castlevania: Harmony of Despair'' (Konami, 2010)
*''Dynasty Warriors 7'' Artbook (Koei, 2011)
*'' Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night'' Artwork Packaging (ArtPlay, 2019)

Art books

*''Santa Lilio Sangre'' (2010) ()

;Books
Alexandrite
( Shikiko Yamaai, 2006)
Island of Depraved Angels
堕天使の島)( Yama Ai Himeko, 2011)
* Shikisai Oukoku vol. 3(1999)

References

External links

''Santa Lilio Sangre'' Artbook Official website

Vampire Killer: Castlevania Gallery and Translation ResourceNaïmoka: The Artworks' Sanctuary - Ayami Kojima

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kojima, Ayami

Year of birth missing (living people)
Castlevania
Japanese illustrators
Konami people
Living people
Video game artists