About Me

Hello! You can call me Sherms!

I am an Illustrator and designer based in Singapore. I mostly draw original art featuring yokai and also design immersive merchandise inspired by Asian retro aesthetics. I also frequent art and hobby conventions around the world! 

Why “Sherms no Kamishibai Ya”?

Kamishibai (紙芝居) is a traditional Japanese way of telling stories using pictures. The name roughly translates to “paper drama” or “paper play.”

A traveling storyteller, known as a kamishibaiya, shows an illustrated board one at a time while narrating the story. Kamishibai was popular in Japan from the 1920s to the 1950s, before TV became common.

Through my experiences traveling to conventions and events, my illustrations and designs have sparked curiosity and interest in the fascinating lore of yokai. I enjoy sharing and explaining these stories, much like the old kamishibaiya used to do.

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Holding on to 2 pieces of bamboo connected by a thin rope, the storyteller claps his hyoshigi loudly and announces his presence. One by one, the children run in anticipation to get their favorite candy and the best seats in the house, right up front and center. The storyteller begins unfolding a wooden box to reveal an elaborate frame holding several brightly colored illustrated boards. 

Clearing his throat, the show begins. His loud voice fills the ears of all nearby with fantastical narration, along with the occasional comedic dialogue, as he flips through the illustrations, guiding his audience through the grand story.