Nicole Y
Hello everybody! It's Nicole from iiKiui. Here's a little about me and my bunnies!
About iiKiui
As many of you know, my name is Nicole and I run the Youtube channel, iiKiui (If you want to know how I got to that name, look in the FAQ).
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My art usually features female characters and I work in several mediums, the main one being watercolors. I also love working in alcohol based markers.
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I initially created my channel to share my art, but ultimately my main goals were to inspire others to create original art and to create art that could make a difference. I really love animals and bringing awareness to endangered species and the environment is one of my long term goals.
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From the Beginning
I've always been interested in art, ever since I was in preschool. From preschool to the seventh grade, I only really drew horses. I'm not sure what my fascination was with horses, but they were my main focus. I even borrowed books about caring for horses from the library on a monthly basis! Maybe this explains why I like My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic so much.
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From seventh grade on, I expanded my drawing subjects to humans, ultimately going through the "anime/manga" phase of my life.
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I took lots of art classes in school: middle school, high school and college. I knew I loved art, but I never really thought of it as a career because people would tell me there was no money with it.
When I went to college, I didn't have a clear direction to where I was going or what I was pursuing. I started taking classes to see what sparked my interest and psychology caught my eye. I started to study it more, mainly because it was intriguing to me. However, I knew art called to me.
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I started studying graphic design because that's what was offered at my college. I enjoyed it and I was good at it, but it really drained me. It was super time consuming for me because I would overthink things so much to the point where I would question my own ideas.
Kaylie and I on the beach in Hawaii collecting seashells!
Meg and I hanging out in her room.
When I graduated with an Associates in Art and an Associates in Art in Humanities (because I took so many psychology classes), I decided to go to a trade school.
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The consultation for the Art Institutes in San Francisco was what changed my career path. I went in as a graphic design major, but when the counselor saw my portfolio, she said I would be more suited for animation and boy was she right.
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This unexpectedly changed the direction I was going in and I'm so grateful for that day. Fast forward three years and I've graduated with a Bachelors in Media Arts and Animation!
My family brings out the best and most fun part out of me! It's always a blast being with them!
Tomi and Tofu are pretty much inseparable.
Brothers hanging out.
Tomi (Tomichi BunYee)
Tomichi BunYee, also known as Tomi, is a Netherland Dwarf rabbit currently at the age of six.
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I first got Tomi when he was eight weeks old and a completely different color. Some may think he was a completely different rabbit!
Tomi at 8 weeks. Look at how orange he was!
Baby Tomi!
Tomi (2019) after I've moved to Oregon. I think he enjoys having lots of room to roam all the time!
I usually would describe Tomi as a cat. He's very affectionate at times, but once he's done with getting pet, he will hop away.
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He would also hop into my bed at night time and I would find him at my feet under the covers in the morning. It was pretty surprising the first few times, but after a while I got used to it. However, he would also make a habit of waking me up my hopping straight onto my face!
Tomi likes to hang out in my bed when it's all warm.
Tomi is really independent and usually takes care of himself, but he's weak to two things: treats and water. I'm not entirely sure where his love for water came from, but he will rush over and drink loads of water at a time.
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As for treats, once he hears the crinkle of the bag, he will rush over so quickly that he cannot stop in time before running into my legs!
Some more proof that he really liked to sleep in my bed.
Must have been comfortable!
Tofu (Tofu BunYee)
Tofu BunYee, also known as Tofu, is a Holland Lop rabbit currently at the age of one.
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Tofu's story is a little different from Tomi's. I got Tofu as an impulse buy, but not a reckless one. I visited a pet store near my house that was closing, so I went in with my sister, Megan, to see if there was anything I could get for Tomi.
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When I arrived, I saw Tofu, who was not named Tofu at the time, and he followed me around the cage to where I would be. That, of course, pulled on my heartstrings.
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I found out later that he was the last pet in the store and it seemed like they were having a hard time selling him. I remember seeing a large dog bark at him and come close to pushing his cage off the pedestal it rested on.
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At that moment, I decided I would buy Tofu and give him a home so he could be happy.
Tofu is such a quirky rabbit with a unique personality. Opposite of Tomi, I usually describe Tofu as a dog. He is so energetic, demands attention all the time, and can be slightly aggressive if you bother him.
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He loves sitting on anything hardwood, unlike Tomi, and will sprawl out in what I like to call "Superman Pose".
He's so cute!
Tofu in the bookcase.
Included in his quirks, he dislikes a few things. Since I got him at five months old, he may have developed these before he came home with me.
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He freaks out when he can smell oranges and the scent of dog. I'm guessing these are things that were traumatizing for him as a baby, but that's just my hypothesis.
The "Superman" Pose