Gen Okamoto sees himself as an illustrator rather than a fine artist. For that reason, in his printmaking he uses different techniques to produce "tones and softer shadows, a kind of texture," which he is looking for as the most desirable for his kind of creative expression. Sometimes people ask him why his subjects are often Western women. "Because," he answers, "I consider women to be the most beautiful creations on Earth." Especially, he adds, he wants to draw them if they are like three-dimensional Greek sculptures, "with a touch of an illustrative style." He succeeds in depicting young modern women who project emotions of wistful dreaming and slight mystery.

Gen is 30, unconventional, confident of his artistic concepts and daring to try to make his independent way in life. His light-hearted facade belies what is at base a strong commitment to his craft. He is an only child. "My father was a television commercial cameraman. My mother was a movie script supervisor. But there was no artistic atmosphere in my house, not at all," he emphasized. He began to draw at 17 when he was a bit bored and unmotivated. "My textbooks were my drawing pads. They were also my pillows in my high school days," he quipped.

Gen drew illustrations that he thought appropriate for snowboards. His designs attracted the attention of the Japanese owner of a snowboard company in California. At 19, although he failed to get into art school in Tokyo, Gen was designing specifically for the California snowboard company. "I had no exceptional skill, but I did have sense for graphic design," he said. Having made a hopeful beginning, he moved to Hollywood to study graphic design and animation at Los Angeles City College. He needed to enroll in an art class, which was one of the requirements set by the college. "I took a printmaking class because it was right across the hall," Gen said.