"First of all, I wanted to create something super eye-popping. When you're watching a marathon, it's the person that dashes out first from the starting line that stands out. I wanted it like that. (laughs) Donkeys have this image of hardworking animals that carry people and their goods without ever taking a break. But I don't think donkey are necessarily conscious of this, and I like that about them. I'd like users to seek this donkey for advice, since a techo acts as a drawer that gradually collects its user's thoughts and emotions over time.
I made a collage that includes scenic photos of foreign countries. I made sure they weren't perfectly in focus, but just enough to get the feeling across. Everyone's got dreams of going on a trip somewhere. I was hoping to design a cover that gave people the same feeling of excitement as making plans for the future.
I put together a collage of ripped notebook paper from a children's notebook, sun-bleached washi stationary paper, and a traveling ticket from India. I think a techo usually turns into a jumbled mess of work plans and private diaries, so I wanted to get a head start making a cover that stimulated the imagination of its user before they even start using it.
I used all kinds of art materials when I created this design, but I can't explain very well why in particular I used certain colors in certain spots. (laughs) A lot of it I painted, drew, and pasted without any real thoughts in mind. So I was surprised when I looked back and saw that I'd drawn a candle in this spot.
I've been in a band for a long time, but we haven't performed much lately. Here I drew an amp and guitar that I've got in my room.
The pen holder is actually made with two different colors, red and pink. I made the inside of the cover this dark shade of pink, too, in hopes that it would cheer up and invigorate the user ever time he or she opens the cover.
Here's a picture of the envelope Ryoji Arai used to mail us the design's proof when he first finished it. It was covered in funny illustrations of people and animals apologizing profusely because he'd cut it so close to the deadline. It almost looked like the envelope he used to mail us the design was the actual design itself! Arai is always so generous in this way, going the extra mile to surprise others.
