Luis Mendo: Designer turned illustrator on making things that could only come from you

Luis Mendo, a Spanish-born illustrator based in Nagano, Japan, shares his transformative journey from a successful career as an art director in Amsterdam to a life centered around hand-drawn, deeply personal work rooted in Japanese craftsmanship. After a sabbatical in Tokyo that became permanent, he embraced a slower, more intentional way of living and creating, rejecting the productivity-driven culture of the West in favor of the Japanese shokunin ethic—doing things properly, with care and presence. His work, featuring bird-like figures that serve as philosophical companions, reflects a human touch that cannot be replicated by AI. He argues that as artificial intelligence becomes more accessible, human presence, authenticity, and the value of friction in creative processes will become the rarest and most valuable currencies. Mendo uses AI tools sparingly—not as creative partners, but as practical aids for translation and administrative tasks—emphasizing that true creativity emerges from the messy, slow, and imperfect process of making. His story is a powerful meditation on redefining work, life, and creativity through intentionality, craft, and the courage to rebuild one’s life on one’s own terms.