The creativeness of music takes many forms, from the audible to the visual. And the artwork presented to us on our favourite record sleeves tell just as much of the musical story as the songs themselves.
Illustrator Yu-ki Iwata, known as Carnage Society, is one of the creative souls who works alongside bands and musicians to bring to life those album artworks.
Working as a freelance illustrator since high school, Yu-ki has worked on artworks for many prominent metal and visual kei artists. And more recently, with influences from death metal and grind core, Yu-ki has developed their style further, fusing kawaii and gore to create the original character GORE-GIRL.
Yu-ki joined Beyond Senpai to tell us more about the creativity involved in being an illustrator.
Beyond Senpai: Welcome to Beyond Senpai! Please introduce yourself.
Beyond Senpaiใธใใใใ๏ผใพใ่ชๅทฑ็ดนไปใใ้กใใใพใใ
Yu-ki: I’m Yu-ki carnagesociety, a Japanese illustrator. I mainly produce CD jacket artwork for metal and visual kei bands.
Some of the more prominent bands artwork I have been in charge of include JILUKA, DEVILOOF, Cazqui’s Brutal Orchestra, Victim of Deception, LAST DAY DREAM, HOTOKE, FATE GEAR.
Yu-ki: ๆฅๆฌใฎใคใฉในใใฌใผใฟใผใฎyuโki carnagesocietyใงใใไธปใซใใกใฟใซใใดใฃใธใฅใขใซ็ณปใใณใใซCDใธใฃใฑใใใขใผใใฏใผใฏใใใณใใญใดใๆไพใใฆใใพใใใใถใคใณใๆ ๅฝใใ่ๅใชใใณใใฏใJILUKAใDEVILOOFใCazqui’s Brutal OrchestraใVictim of DeceptionใLAST DAY DREAMใHOTOKEใFATE GEARใชใฉใงใใ
BS: When did you begin your artwork? And how has your style developed since then?
BS: ใขใผใใฎใไปไบใๅงใใใใใฎใฏใใคใใใงใใ๏ผใใใใใใ่ช่บซใฎในใฟใคใซใใฉใฎใใใซๅตใๅบใใใใฎใงใใใใ๏ผ
Yu-ki: I was a freshman in highschool when I received my first request. I was introduced to a black metal band from one of the senior members and asked to design a logo for them.
In 2017, I created the artwork for the visual kei band JILUKAโs single ‘ANJA’, which is the main reason I started to receive many requests.
About my painting style:
I take what I like from the various illustrators and artists and put little bits of it that I like together to help create my own style.
Yu-ki: ๆๅใฎไพ้ ผใ้ ใใใฎใฏ้ซๆ ก1ๅนด็ใฎใจใใงใใ
ใใณใใใใฃใฆใใๅ ่ผฉใฎ็ดนไปใงใใฉใใฏใกใฟใซใใณใใฎใญใดใๆใใใฆใใใ ใใพใใใ
ๆฌๆ ผ็ใซใคใฉในใใฎใไพ้ ผใใใใ ใใใฃใใใซใชใฃใใฎใฏใ2017ๅนดใซใดใฃใธใฅใขใซ็ณปใกใฟใซใใณใJILUKAใใใฎใทใณใฐใซ็คAjnaใฎใธใฃใฑใใใๆใใใใจใงใใ
็ตตใฎในใฟใคใซใซใคใใฆใ
ๅใฏ่ฒใ ใชใคใฉในใใฌใผใฟใผใ็ปๅฎถใฎไฝๅใฎใใใจๆใใจใใใๅฐใใใคๅฏใ้ใใฆๆ็ต็ใซ่ชๅใฎไฝ้ขจใซไปไธใใใจใใใใๆนใงใใฃใฆใใพใใ
ๅคงใใๅฝฑ้ฟใๅใใ็ปๅฎถใฏใๅคฉ้ๅๅญใๅฑฑๆฌใฟใซใใๆฑๅทๆๅผใ้กๆตทใคใตใใใชใฉใงใใ
BS: Tell us about the inspirations for your art style? What medium do you enjoy most to create in?
BS: ใใชใใฎใขใผใในใฟใคใซใฎใคใณในใใฌใผใทใงใณใฏใฉใฎใใใซใฉใฎใใใซๅพใใใฆใใใใ่ใใใใ ใใใใฉใฎๅชไฝใงๅตไฝใใใใฎใไธ็ชๆฅฝใใใงใใ๏ผ
Yu-ki: Of course, Iโm greatly influenced by seeing the works of various artists. In my case, Iโm largely influenced by music.
The grotesque world view is influenced by death metal, and the gloomy and dark world view is greatly influenced by black metal.
Iโm currently working on a series of character illustrations called โGORE-GIRLโ, which incorporates the horrifying worldview of the death metal and gore grind genres into my personal work.
Yu-ki: ๆงใ ใช็ปๅฎถใฎไฝๅใ่ฆใใใจใซใใฃใฆๅใใๅฝฑ้ฟใใใกใใๅคงใใใฎใงใใใๅใฎๅ ดๅ้ณๆฅฝใใๅใใใคใณในใใฌใผใทใงใณใใจใฆใๅคงใใใงใใ
ใฐใญใในใฏใชไธ็่ฆณใฏใในใกใฟใซใใใฎๅฝฑ้ฟใ้ฐ้ฌฑใงใใผใฏใชไธ็่ฆณใฏใใฉใใฏใกใฟใซใใใฎๅฝฑ้ฟใๅคงใใใงใใๅใๅไบบๅถไฝใใฆใใโใดใขใฌใผใซโใจใใใทใชใผใบใฏใในใกใฟใซใใดใขใฐใฉใคใณใใจใใฃใใธใฃใณใซใฎใใคใใฉใใใฉใใใไธ็่ฆณใใญใฃใฉใฏใฟใผใคใฉในใใซ่ฝใจใ่พผใใ ใใฎใงใ็พๅจใฏใใกใใฎๅถไฝใใกใคใณใซใชใฃใฆใใพใใ
BS: You create album artwork and logo designs for metal and visual kei bands, how do you come up with the design concept? And do you have artist freedom given by the bands?
BS: ใใชใใฏใกใฟใซใใใธใฅใขใซ็ณปใใณใใฎใขใซใใ ใใญใดใฎใขใผใใฏใผใฏใๅตไฝใใใฆใใพใใใใใใใฎใใถใคใณใณใณใปใใใใฉใฎใใใซๅพใใใฆใใใฎใงใใใใ๏ผไพ้ ผใใใใใณใๅดใใใฏๅตไฝใฎ่ช็ฑใไธใใใใฆใใพใใ๏ผ
Yu-ki: The concept for commissioned work is almost always presented by the client. I hear about the general theme or motif and then express it in my own worldview.
An illustrator’s job is to create the work that the client wants most, so sometimes I can’t draw the way I want, but I do my best to make it work in a way that both parties can be satisfied with.
I just try to pay attention to every aspect, and make sure that no matter where the artwork ends up, that the artwork is great.
Yu-ki: ไพ้ ผใใใไฝๅใฎใณใณใปใใใฏใใปใจใใฉใฎๅ ดๅใฏใฉใคใขใณใใใๆ็คบใใใพใใ
ๅคงใพใใชใใผใใใขใใผใใ่ใใฆใใใใ่ชๅใฎไธ็่ฆณใง่กจ็พใใฆใใพใใ
ใคใฉในใใฌใผใฟใผใฏใฏใฉใคใขใณใใฎไธ็ชๆฑใใไฝๅใไฝใไธใใใใจใไปไบใชใฎใงใๆใซใฏ่ชๅใฎๆใใใใซๆใใชใๅ ดๅใใใใพใใใใใใงใใชใใจใใไบใใ็ดๅพใงใใๅฝขใซไปไธใใใใใใซๅชๅใใฆๅถไฝใใฆใใพใใ
ใจใซใใ้ ใ ใพใงใใ ใใๅฐฝใใใใฉใใๅใๅใฃใฆใ็ด ๆดใใใ็ตตใซใชใใใใซๅฟใใใฆใใพใใ
BS: Which bands have you most enjoyed creating artwork for?
BS: ใฉใฎใใณใใฎใขใผใใฏใผใฏใๆใๅตไฝใๆฅฝใใใพใใใ๏ผ
Yu-ki: I have particularly enjoyed working with the JILUKA, who are the clients I have worked for the longest.
The illustrations are created through discussions with guitarist Sena, we have the same aesthetic influences to the extent that we recognise each other (laughs).
So I think the illustrations I produce here more than adequately demonstrate my worldview, and I enjoy drawing them!
Yu-ki: ๅใไธ็ช้ทใใไธ่ฉฑใซใชใฃใฆใใJILUKAใใใงใฏใใจใใซๆฅฝใใๅถไฝใใใฆใใใ ใใฆใใพใใ
ใคใฉในใใฏใฎใฟใผใฎSenaใใใจใใฃในใซใใทใงใณใใชใใไฝใไธใใฆใใใฎใงใใใใไบใ่ชใๅใใใใใซใฏๅใๆๆงใๆใฃใฆใใใใงใใใญ๏ผ็ฌ๏ผใชใฎใงใใใใงๅถไฝใใใคใฉในใใฏๅใฎไธ็่ฆณใๅไบๅใซ็บๆฎใงใใฆใใใจๆใใพใใใๆใใฆใใฆๆฅฝใใใงใ๏ผ
BS: Which bands would you like to work with in the future? And if you could re-design an album cover, what one would it be and why?
BS: ๅฐๆฅใงใใใฐๅตไฝใใฆใฟใใใใณใใฏใใใพใใ๏ผ
ใใใใใใใๅๅบฆใใถใคใณใงใใใขใซใใ ใฎใซใใผใใใใจใใใฐใไฝใ้ธใณใพใใ๏ผใใใฆใใฎ็็ฑใฏไฝใงใใใใ๏ผ
Yu-ki: There are a lot of bands I wold like to design artwork for.
I would be more than happy to work with any of the major visual kei bands in Japan, such as the GazettE, lynch and DIR EN GREY!
For bands outside Japan, I like bands like Signs of the swarm, Drown in Sulphur, Shrine of malice, INGESTED and Lorna Shore, I would be happy to work with them one day.
The band I would like to work with again is DEVILOOF. I’ve always been a big fan of them, so I hope we can do something together in the future.
Yu-ki: ใใถใคใณใงๆบใใใใใจๆใใใณใใฏใใใใใใใพใใญใ
ๆฅๆฌใฎใใณใใงใใใฐใthe GazettEใlynch.ใDIR EN GREYใชใฉใฎใกใธใฃใผใชใดใฃใธใฅใขใซ็ณปใใณใใงใไปไบใงใใใฐใใฎไธใชใใปใฉๅฌใใใงใ๏ผ
ๆฅๆฌๅฝๅคใฎใใณใใชใใSigns of the swarmใDrown in SulphurใShrine of maliceใINGESTEDใLorna Shoreใชใฉใฎใใณใใๅฅฝใใชใฎใงใใใคใไธ็ทใซไปไบใใงใใใจๅฌใใใงใใใใไธๅบฆใไปไบใใใฆใฟใใใจๆใฃใฆใใใใณใใฏใDEVILOOFใงใใญใๅฝผใใฎใใจใฏๅ ใใๅคงใใกใณใ ใฃใใฎใงใใใฎๅ ใไฝใไธ็ทใซใใใใใใใชใจๆใฃใฆใใพใใ
BS: Tell us about GORE-GIRL.
BS: GORE-GIRLใซใคใใฆๆใใฆไธใใใ
Yu-ki: I have been creating Gore Girl since 2019, grotesque X cute, a series based on the concept of “beautiful grotesque“.
I used to love drawing character illustrations, so the idea of creating something that combines elements of that with the world of death metal art came into being.
This is now my main independent production.
I love this character, and I really want more people to know about her, especially metal lovers!
Incidentally, Neo (NEO), the main character in the Gore Girl series, is a tsundere zombie who likes brutal death metalโ ๐ช.
Yu-ki: ใดใขใฌใผใซใฏใๅใ2019ๅนดใใๅถไฝใใฆใใใใฐใญใในใฏรใใใใ, ็พใใใฐใญใในใฏใใใณใณใปใใใซใใใทใชใผใบใงใใ
ๅ ใ ใญใฃใฉใฏใฟใผใคใฉในใใๆใใฎใๅฅฝใใ ใฃใใฎใงใใใฎ่ฆ็ด ใจใในใกใฟใซใขใผใใฎไธ็่ฆณใ็ตใฟๅใใใใใฎใไฝใใใใจใใใจใใใใ่ช็ใใพใใใ
ไปใฏใใกใใฎๅถไฝใ่ชไธปๅถไฝใฎใกใคใณใงใใ
ๅ่ช่บซใใฎใญใฃใฉใฏใฟใผใๅคงๅฅฝใใงใใใฃใจๅคใใฎไบบใใกใ็นใซใกใฟใซใๅฅฝใใชไบบใใกใซ็ฅใฃใฆใปใใใจๅฟใใๆใฃใฆใใพใ๏ผ
ใกใชใฟใซใดใขใฌใผใซใทใชใผใบใฎใกใคใณใญใฃใฉใฏใฟใผใงใใใใช(NEO)ใฏใใใซใผใฟใซใในใกใฟใซใๅฅฝใใชใใณใใฌใฎใพใณใใงใโ ๐ช
BS: Finally, please tell us your hopes for the future.
BS: ๆๅพใซใใใชใใฎๅฐๆฅใฎๅธๆใซใคใใฆใ่ฉฑใไธใใใ
Yu-ki: This is my first year of freelancing and I’d be happy if I could continue to make a living solely from painting. I am also presenting my work at NFT and hope it goes well there too!
As well as being active as an illustrator, I would like to participate in physical events and develop more merchandise so that my original character, Gore Girl, can be loved by even more people than they are now!
Yu-ki: ็พๅจใใชใผใฉใณใน1ๅนด็ฎใงใใใใใฎๅ ใ็ตตใ ใใง็ๆดปใงใใฆใใใใฐๅฌใใใงใใ
ๅใฏNFTใงไฝๅใ็บ่กจใใฆใใใฎใงใใใใใกใใฎๆนใใใพใ่กใใจใใใชใจๆใฃใฆใใพใใ
ใใใฆใคใฉในใใฌใผใฟใผใจใใฆใฎๆดป่บใฏใใกใใใฎใใจใ่ช่บซใฎใชใชใธใใซใญใฃใฉใฏใฟใผใงใใใดใขใฌใผใซใไปใใใใใใใฎไบบใใกใซๆใใใใใใซใใใฃใธใซใซใคใใณใใธใฎๅๅ ใๆดใชใใฐใใบๅฑ้ใใใฆใใใใใจๆใฃใฆใใพใใ
Thank you for joining us!!!
ใๅๅ ใใ ใใใใใใจใใใใใพใใโผ๏ธ!
We give our greatest thanks to Yu-ki for participating in this interview.
Special thanks to Hideki Narita for his translation skills.
To support Yu-ki
https://twitter.com/yuki12278947 https://twitter.com/carnagesociety https://yukineon0617.wixsite.com/carnagesociety https://instagram.com/carnagesociety_metal https://instagram.com/carnagesociety_
Interview by: Just Panda
Edited by: Just Panda
Proofread by: Kelly
Beyond Senpai 