My Design Blog
Sometimes I Write About Design
2022 Upcoming Events
Our talks, workshops, and seminars provide in-depth instructions covering various science, art, and science art topics. Throughout the year, Ikumi gives online and in-person events that offer opportunities to learn and experiment.
Combine Art and Science into a Career?
If you are thinking about combining art and science into a career, start here: Hi! My name is _____, and I'm a student at _______. I'm interested in the field of medical and scientific illustration. If you wrote something like this above, I'm really excited that you...
7 Frequently Asked Questions I get as a scientific Illustrator
Thanks for coming to my talk! Any questions? As a scientific illustrator, I get all sorts of questions. Scientific illustration is one of those jobs that is not in the immediate consciousness of a society. We are not famous like firefighters, librarians, teachers, and...
Inktober 2020: Tools
It's that time of the year again. Inktober art by Ikumi Kayama 2016-2019 Using less plastic! When I first started the Inktober challenge in 2016 or so, I used the trusty Sakura Microns. They are widely available and rather inexpensive. The ink is permanent and...
[Workshop] Beginning Watercolor Weekend Workshop at Univ of MD
Beginning Watercolor Workshop Saturday/Sunday November 10-11, 2018 10am-3pm Stamp Student Union Studio A (Arts & Learning Center) University of Maryland, College Park I'm excited to work with University of Maryland and Studio A again. This time, we're happy to...
5 Things to Keep in Mind When Drawing for the Blind
One of the many great things about being near the Smithsonian is that neat projects are everywhere! There are so many things that still need to be researched, shared, and illustrated. Last month, I met Dr. Francisco Lima, a researcher specializing in educating blind...
[Watercolor Time-Lapse] Year of the Dog!
Happy New Year! Where do illustrations come from? Frequently asked questions about my work are kind of funny: "Did you do that?" "Where do they come from?" "How do you do it?" etc etc...so here's a time-lapse video showing the process of how I paint. I...
Illustration Friday: Umbrella Cockatoo
Umbrella Cockatoo with an umbrella Since discovering Illustration Friday, I've always wanted to submit a piece. I love their rule: illustrate anything that has anything to do with their word of the week. The rule is just specific enough that there is a starting point...
Time-Lapse Painting Videos
This week I've been painting few birds in addition to regular studio work. I purchased an iPhone tripod adapter for my gorilla tripod...
DC Eagle Cam: Drawing Eaglets Every Day
DC eagle cam + accordion sketchbooks = Drawing eaglets every day! Why am I doing this? First, I wanted to do more watercolor. I love it so much, and it's fun and challenging. To me, quality art comes from practice. And of course, birds are one of my favorite subjects...
Grand Opening of Studio Kayama Gift Shop!
Studio Kayama is proud to announce the grand opening of our new online Gift Shop! Items that were formerly only available for purchase at special exhibitions can now be ordered online. The shop has signed and numbered prints, matted prints, and 5-packs of blank-inside...