Charlie Yellow

Charlie Yellow is a Japanese-born illustrator based in Chicago who brings yurukawa (cute but quirky) to life. She celebrates everyday charm and the beauty of diversity—or even hidden thorns—through colorful illustrations, zines, and riso prints.

work in progress

Some Days You Just Draw Bad

Tried sketching at a café today and… wow. Truly terrible. But hey, still my “progress,” so up it goes!

Shredding Music with a Fan?!

Stumbled onto a YouTube thumbnail of a guy rocking out on a fan like it’s a guitar—and wow, it turned out epic.

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August Street Art Forage (With a Side of A/C)

Too hot to wander outside all summer, so this month’s street art forage includes a few things I spotted indoors too.

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POP NEWS Cover by Me!

Got to illustrate the “Last Drop of Summer” cover for Amsterdam’s RISO POP monthly newspaper—such a fun project!

My Epic Quest for Norwegian Brown Cheese

A magazine article sparked a craving for Norwegian brown cheese—what followed was a little urban adventure worthy of a storybook.

Discovering "Friluftsliv"

Learned a new Norwegian word—friluftsliv! It’s all about outdoor life, and now I can’t wait to step outside again.

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Gold Star for Just Picking Up My Pen Today!

Finally feeling better, and my doodling urge is back! Today I sketched a boxer and a tipsy characters as rehab practice.

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A Morning Detour to McKinlock Gate

An early downtown errand turned into an unexpected art encounter—Chicago’s full of these surprises if you just take the long way around.

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Caught the Design Ah NEO Exhibit Just in Time!

Living in the US, I never thought I’d catch “Design Ah NEO”—but I did, and it was awesome!

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What’s That Green Thing Crawling Up the NEW CITY Building!?

Spotted a giant green balloon installation stretching up four stories—Chicago balloon artists really went all out.

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Hang in There, Little Quarterback!

Back from Japan and still wiped out, but my husband’s “Hang in there, my little quarterback!” pep talk weirdly hit the spot.

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Found: A Leo Lionni Exhibit

Found it while transferring trains in Shibuya! This surprise Leo Lionni exhibit pulled me right in—with scissors, textures, and childlike joy.

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Paul Klee and Friends: A Lucky Encounter in Shizuoka

I randomly found out there was a Paul Klee exhibit happening in Shizuoka—and I’m such a fan I even own an art book! Total lucky timing.

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Cute Posters & Random Design Finds Around Japan

Japan is a paradise of characters and cute posters—you stop every five seconds to take a photo and never make it to your destination.

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The “Design Ah” Record I Found in Japan

Saw the “Design Ah” exhibit in Japan—saving that story for later. But first: the dreamy record I grabbed at the gift shop!

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The Art of Food Samples in Japan

Plastic food displays: cute, realistic, and ridiculously helpful. Why don’t we have these everywhere?

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The Funniest English Prints Ever in Japan

Back in Japan for a week—ran errands, went shopping, and laughed way too hard at the weirdest English prints.

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I Need a Doraemon Door, Urgently

Had to rush somewhere out of the blue and kept thinking, “If only I had Doraemon’s Anywhere Door right now…”

monthly recap

Monthly Charlie’s Playground: July 2025

July’s over! Here’s a recap for anyone who missed posts (or doesn’t know where to start).

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Corn Season Is Here and I’m Losing It!

Corn season in Illinois = pure happiness. I’m literally going downtown just for corn now.

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The Happy Potato (and Why I Bought It for Myself)

Found a super cute kids’ book in Amsterdam—turns out it’s also a masterclass in storytelling.

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Found My Dream Stacking Color Pencils in Amsterdam!

I’ve been hunting for stacking color pencils all year… and found them at a museum gift shop in Amsterdam, of all places!?

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Sticker Forage in July at 1821 W Hubbard St

Found a guardrail full of weird stickers at Spudnik Press’s building. Couldn’t stop staring. Sharing my faves for July’s sticker forage!

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Another Day at Spudnik Press!

Checking colors, fixing tiny details, and double-checking everything right up to the very end.

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Big News: My "Something Long" Is at Quimby’s!

Two weeks late but still exciting—my zine “Something Long” is at Quimby’s Bookstore in Chicago!