Satoshi Kitamura

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Renowned illustrator Satoshi Kitamura began his career as an artist working in advertising before moving from Tokyo to London, where he started writing and illustrating children's books. Since then he has published more than 20 of his own books, as well as illustrating many more. He also translates children's books from English into Japanese, including David McKee's Elmer books (which you can spot an allusion to in our Gallery...).

Satoshi has a gift for illustrating poetry, which has borne fruit particularly in his collaboration with the poet John Agard; and in his illustrations for The Ring of Words, for which he won the National Art Library Award in 1999. His work also demonstrates an appreciation of music, which he has depicted in his art using bright lines and patterns. In a recent interview with The Big Picture he said, "I’m very influenced by music, and I like musical instruments...My approach to illustrating music is spontaneous. Music and painting come from the same source. They are just different aspects of the same thing."

In addition to books, his credits include designing posters for Tokyo Underground and signage at Birmingham Children's Hospital (UK); and one of his signature cats, this one called Browser, is a logo for the Seven Stories in Newcastle, UK.

Satoshi divides his time between Japan and London.

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