Blank Canvas: My So-Called Artist’s Journey (Kakukaku Shikajika) #1

The cover of this opening volume sets a wonderfully personal tone: a barefoot young woman clutches a spiral sketchbook to her chest, a paintbrush held between her teeth, with lush tropical foliage and bright yellow flowers blooming behind her. Akiko Higashimura's warm, loose linework gives the image an immediately autobiographical feel, perfectly matching the self-deprecating charm promised by the subtitle *My So-Called Artist's Journey*. If you've ever chased a creative dream with more heart than certainty, this 2019 series looks like it was made for you.