Alumni stories

Kentaro Yoshida: riding the waves of art and design

Design, Architecture and Building

Kentaro Yoshida: riding the waves of art and design

Breaking the barriers

“Sometimes you need to break the barriers. Once you get through them, your life becomes easier and easier.”

That’s the advice Kentaro Yoshida offers future UTS College students. As a UTS College alum, Kentaro is an artist who has made his mark in the world of graphic design and illustration, bringing his own style of imagery to Australian surf culture. His work is inspired by his love of Japanese myths and comic books.

Highlights

From: a fishing village in Japan, 300km northwest of Tokyo

Inspiration: Japanese myths, comic books, Australian surf culture, and his Mum who is also an artist.

Study path: 

  • Diploma of Design & Architecture at UTS College
  • Bachelor of Visual Communications (UTS)
 

Career path:

  • Graphic designer, Glidz International – branding and advertising concepts
  • Graphic designer, miamia – digital design and illustration for major telecom brands
  • Mid-weight digital designer, M&C Saatchi – campaigns for Commonwealth Bank, Google, Optus, NRMA, IAG, Lexus, Freedom

Now:

  • Independent illustrator and artist
  • Lives on Sydney's Northern Beaches where he first learned to surf
  • Works with clients including Billabong, Converse, Hurley, Vans Australia, O’Neill, Universal Sony and Aloha Surf Manly
 

Fun fact: Known for hand-painting surfboards, murals and any blank surface he can find.

From Japan to Sydney

Kentaro grew up in a Japanese fishing village 300 km northwest of Tokyo. His mum, a glass artist, encouraged his creativity from a young age. “Seeing my mum make a career as an artist made me think that I, too, could be an artist or creator,” he says.

He came to Australia at 18, having chosen Sydney as the ideal international destination to learn English. When he first arrived at UTS College, he was the only Japanese student. “There were students from Indonesia, Hong Kong, China, Korea and some Europeans. I was the only Japanese student – so it was kind of easy to hang out with these different groups,” he recalls.

Today, UTS College welcomes students from over 75 countries, including Japan, creating a rich cultural mix and opportunities to connect.

I enjoy making things all the time.
It doesn’t feel like a real job. I’m having a lot of fun.

Building a foundation

Kentaro completed a Diploma of Design & Architecture at UTS College before moving on to study a Bachelor of Visual Communications at UTS. At UTS College, he learned how to write academic essays and give presentations, and gained experience collaborating with people of many different nationalities.

During his UTS degree, Kentaro did an internship with the surf brand O’Neill, creating designs that were later used on some of their clothing. For the first time, he saw how he could combine his passion for surfing and art.

Early career and growth

Kentaro started his career as a graphic designer at Glidz International, working on rebranding, logo design and advertising concepts. He then moved to miamia, where he designed user interfaces for mobile and tablet sites and created digital illustrations and promotional content for major telecom brands.

In 2012, he joined M&C Saatchi Sydney as a mid-weight digital designer. Over seven years, he worked on campaigns for well-known clients including the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Google, Optus, NRMA, IAG, Lexus and Freedom.

Independent artist

Now based on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, Kentaro works independently as an illustrator and artist. He balances commercial projects with his own creative practice, which includes hand-painted murals, surfboards, and artwork inspired by his Japanese heritage and Australian surf culture.

Advice for future creatives

Kentaro encourages young people to network and push past their comfort zones. He believes that once you break through challenges and find the right pathway, new opportunities open up and life becomes a little easier.
Reflecting on his career, Kentaro says: “I enjoy making things all the time. It doesn’t feel like a real job. I’m having a lot of fun.”