Currently based in the US

I’m Mio, a freelance illustrator and 2D animator with rigging experience in Cubism and Toonboom Harmony. I find joy in the simple study of painting and intrinsically push myself to grow whenever I can by observing the little moments around me. I started taking digital art seriously as far back as 2008 and began working as a freelancer in 2016.

My work

Art has been my most efficient means of communication; often I’ll want to share my experiences or the observations I have through art and for the longest time, illustrating small moments was enough to do that. As I grew and learned how to better think about art through the mentorship of others though, I came to find that animation and more long-form work was better suited to informing that kind of communication, and so set off to study the art of movement.

The bulk of my work consists of illustrations and splash art, character design work, and rigged animation. I have some prior experience with streaming, audio setups, vocal cleanup, and various adobe software, but I primarily work out of Clip Studio Paint and Live2D Cubism to make high-end professional V-tuber models. My work diversifies a little from there in the way of streamer overlays, emotes, and some light coding all in service of equipping my clients with content-ready tools.

Spring boarding off that, my academics have led me to be a Resident Mentor on SCAD’s Lacoste Campus in the Fall of 2024. As an RM in the challenging foreign landscape of the Lacoste campus, I placed the needs of my students and classmates before my own. Whether delivering medical supplies, being a first responder, providing support, organization and communication, or mitigating disputes and investigating lost items, I ensured I was an effective liaison. I brought my leadership as an Army Sergeant and patience to the role, forming strong bonds with RMs, students, and faculty. Alongside this, I’ve contributed key animation and corrections for various capstone films and continue to operate my personal business alongside it all.

About my background

Currently I’m working full time to finish my BFA in 2D character animation at a private art university. To this end, I enlisted in the US Army to facilitate my tuition costs, as that was my only means of a higher education without any external support; a financial luxury I’ve simply never had. In my time as a soldier, I’ve gained fierce discipline and motivation to blow through my goals and push my limits. Even still, it’s in my nature to learn about experiences from all walks of life around me, be it from my professors, underclassmen, or otherwise. Emotionally, I’ve married myself to the pursuit of artistic development and I’ve put everything on the line to walk this path.