About me
Hello hello! I'm Eli, an ALT in Tokyo, travelling Japan and creating art as I do so! If you're interested in reading about my travels, or wish to see my art inspired by my adventures, this site is the place for you! I've only been in Tokyo for a year, but living in the city for the first time really drained my creative energy. However, I took a much needed escape in summer 2025, travelling along the Hokuriku Shinkansen, which both taught me a lot, and refuelled my creative energy! With this newly found inspiration, I plan to write blogs about travel in Japan, and make art about it too. That's the purpose of this site! If that sounds interesting to you, sign up to my monthly newsletter below! Don't worry, I won't spam you. It's only one email per month, with a summary of things I have added to the site!
Back in the UK, I used to primarily make digital art, however my graphics tablet was one of the things I sadly had to leave behind; additionally, my laptop kicked the bucket a few days after I arrived, so the extent tech available to me now is my phone that can't even play videos and my switch... In any case, it's not as if Japan is lacking in art stores! I have of course been to Sekaido, which I plan on making a video about when I get a device I can edit videos on, as well as some other smaller art stores which in total honesty, I prefer... I will be making a video or at least blog about the hidden gems of Tokyo art stores too one day! So I'm using this chance to get back into traditional art! I prefer watercolours and ink, but I quite like coloured pencil sketches and marker art too! Unfortunately my watercolours were the only things I brought with me, so at least for the time being, that's just what I have to work with!
I only really got into art once I'd finished high school; the way we were taught had caused me to actually hate making art, and I only took it as a GCSE as I was considering going into architecture. We were never allowed the space to enjoy art, always being told exactly what to do and how to do it and never given any artistic freedom, so I failed art at GCSE, but my love for it was slowly rekindling over the following few years, as I was able to make the art that felt true to myself!
I feel like a lot of people who enjoy making heavily stylised art have this experience in school... I am able to do realism, but making a drawing look like a photo is just not my goal; just mimicking reality is not what I want out of art! However, now I have the freedom to create what I want to create, art has suddenly become fun again! Funny how that works...
I also enjoy experimenting with different crafts! I have plans to start a series on YouTube called 'Try new things!', which, as uncreative a title that sounds, I think will be a lot of fun. In the past I've done a lot of crochet, but I've tried all sorts from jewelry making to larp weapon-making...
There are so many things on my list of things to try, including sashiko and woodwork, but that list is ever expanding... I do look forward to trying all these things and sharing them with you!
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If you crochet too, I also plan to start making my own patterns... I still have my etsy shop open, even though I can't sell physical items anymore, and I love making my own crochet patterns, so I may just start using my store for that in future!
Although I am currently happy with where I am on my art
journey currently, I also know I still have a long way to go! With that in mind, I look forward to taking that journey with you!