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Illustrator: Clara Encinas
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Digital Journal of Illustration |
Index
SPOTLIGHT | 18 Rita Tu
THE BEST CHILDREN’S BOOKS OF 2018 FOR ALL AGES | 22 Fiona Noble, Imogen Carter, Kitty Empire and Kate Kellaway | www.theguardian.com
THE BEAUTY OF THINGS | 28 CLARA ENCINAS
AROUND THE WORLD | 36
A NON-CONFORMIST WORLD | 38 Exclusive Interview with IGOR KARASH
CREATIVE SPACE | 46 BRIGHTNESS GALLERY | 48 #WINTER
In This Issue of
Brigh |4
DRAW YOUR EMOTIONS Hi, my name is Natalie Pudalov. I’m an illustrator. At an early age my parents migrated from Russia to Israel, where later, I studied in the Jerusalem Academy of Art & Design. I also studied one semester in the Stuttgart Academy of Art & Design in Germany as part of a student exchange program. I completely fell in love with Germany during my time there. I now spend a few months each year in Germany.
htness 10
Natalie Pudalov
Art Director & Editor In Chief
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Brightness Studio info@brightnessmag.com
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a s k q u e s t i o n s a b o u t y o u r s u b s c r i p t i o n , p l e a s e e m a i l u s at: sub@brightnessmag.com
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Digital Journal of Illustration |
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“BEFORE YOU CAN HAVE A SHARE OF MARKET, YOU MUST HAVE A SHARE OF MIND.” LEO BURNETT
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Digital Journal of Illustration |
Letter From The Editor
NEW BEGINNINGS
Hasmik
(Narjes Mohammadi)
Independent Illustrator
Editor In Chief
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Bryant McGill once said: “Every ending is creating the space and opening for an amazing new new beginning.” This New Year we are celebrating new beginnings as well as the third anniversary of “Brightness” magazine. With the support of our fans and readers, we have been privileged to publish 11 issues in the last two years. We are incredibly grateful for your wonderful submissions and supportive feedback that helped us make “Brightness” magazine what it is today. We are looking forward to continue featuring incredibly talented artists and introducing exciting new illustration techniques in the coming year. This New Year we wish brighter and more inspiring days fraught with peace and beauty for everyone.
ILLUSTRATION BY NARJES MOHAMMADI ( HASMIK)
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Digital Journal of Illustration |
Natalie Pudalov
E XC LU S I V E I N T E RV I E W W I T H NATA L I E P U DA L O V
Draw Your EMOTIONS www.nataliepudalovart.com
BIOGRAPHY Hi, my name is Natalie Pudalov. I’m an illustrator. At an early age my parents migrated from Russia to Israel, where later, I studied in the Jerusalem Academy of Art & Design. I also studied one semester in the Stuttgart Academy of Art & Design in Germany as part of a student exchange program. I completely fell in love with Germany during my time there. I now spend a few months each year in Germany. | 10
Exclusive Interview
Have you always wanted to be an artist? I think being an artist is a state of mind; you don’t really choose it, it chooses you. Your work is deeply personal, a sort of record of your emotions, thoughts and experiences. Is your work like a kind of personal therapy, or do you hope that your works will resonate with a wider audience? I draw from my emotions in my work because by sharing my feelings I hope that it will touch a wide audience. Of course, illustration is also a kind of personal therapy for me. Especially the coloring process is therapeutic because I draw inspiration from my thoughts, feelings, memories and other personal things. Can you talk to me a bit about the things that influence your work? I can draw inspiration from interesting exhibitions, good movies, and small, everyday occurrences, but my main source of inspiration are the long walks in nature that I take with my dogs. I think nature and everything in it – animals, plants, mountains, fields, etc. – are an important part of my life and the way I see the world.
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Digital Journal of Illustration |
Natalie Pudalov
How do you get ideas for each piece of art? My brainstorming process differs from one project to the next. When I begin a book project, I start by collecting and reading relevant information on the theme of the book. I try to imagine the finished work, and develop opinions and emotions on the text of the book. If I’m working on a self-promotion project, I try to brainstorm some ideas every day. The ideas come to me in different ways. Sometimes it is enough just to sit outside and look at the relationships between people, animals and the surrounding. How has your art evolved over the years? Usually that is a question for critics, because it’s easier to see changes from the outside. I do think that the characters I draw today are less grotesque and more realistic. I try to use more monochrome gamma than I did in the past.
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Exclusive Interview
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Digital Journal of Illustration |
,,
Natalie Pudalov
The first advice I would give is not to compare your process of development or creation with someone else’s
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Do you have a favorite photograph or painting which inspires you? I love so many artists from various spheres and various eras. I love the classics from the ancient period, as well as artists from the revival and modern periods. Of course, I also enjoy the works of Bruegel, Bosch, and Modigliani in addition to surreal and conceptual art in general.
What is the most challenging part about being an artist? 1. Beginning every project from scratch as if I’ve never painted/created before. 2. Depicting formless concepts such as emotions. What is the best part about creating art using various art supplies and found objects? I think that when you are not tied to one technique and don’t tunnel-vision on a specific learned style, you can let your creativity roam free and come up with many unique ideas. It’s much better to keep an open mind and use everything that’s available out there. An open-minded attitude makes it possible to create something new: sometimes that cannot be recreated. Do you enjoy creating your works by hand or do you do more of your work on the computer? What is the process you have for creating your illustrations? Most of the time my work is drawn by hand. I use the computer for scanning, creating illustrations for books, and editing print editions of my works. One of my preferred methods creating art involves processing pictures on mdf boards with layers of acrylic color. I often use collages and various old papers for this purpose. Old papers are my favorite media for pencil drawings and quick thoughts. What do you believe is a key element in creating a good piece of illustration? I think that a good illustration consists of an interesting concept or idea, well-developed characters and interesting color choice. If all these elements are present in an illustration, the work will be very interesting and new. What factors should illustrators keep in their mind to improve their work? The first advice I would give is not to compare your process of development or creation with someone else’s, and secondly, if you draw a lot and are inquisitive, then you will definitely move forward at your own pace. Lastly, I would suggest attending exhibitions and/or other things that inspire you to come up with new ideas.
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Exclusive Interview
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Digital Journal of Illustration |
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Natalie Pudalov
Exclusive Interview
I know that you like to attend or appear at Bologna Children’s book fair. What has been your impression of this expo like? How has it helped to develop your work and sense of illustration as a business? I love the Bologna Book Fair very much, and have appeared at the event several times. The fair is a great meeting place for friends and colleagues from all over the world, which also makes it a great event to establish new connections with people from different fields. The last point is especially important because illustrators often live reclusive work lives. I, myself, have met many people at the event with whom I later became good friends. The Bologna Fair is a great opportunity to visit exhibitions, to see what is new, and what has changed during the past year. These events are very inspiring and are a great way to learn. Bologna Children’s book fair is one of the largest fairs of its kind in the world. So much so that I wasn’t constrained by an author or editor in the types of works that I could exhibit, which made my art very personal. I had the freedom to incorporate my personal touch in the texts, concepts, and illustrations that I submitted. What are your thoughts on the pressure to fit into a fixed style in order to attract an agent or a certain type of client? At the beginning of my career I often had to agree and accommodate different requirements, but over time I realized that I did not enjoy working on such projects, which is why I stopped accepting them. Now, I try to take only projects that I enjoy What do you feel was the best lesson you learnt while studying? Is there anything that has stuck with you or do you feel like you’ve disregarded the advices of your tutors as your practice has developed? Some of the best lessons that I have learned are: to “think over the concept”, develop characters, and to not be afraid to start something new. When you’re studying you have a lot of work, so you need to think quickly, which leaves no time for fears. I remember my time studying in different countries fondly because I was given time to create whatever my imagination came up with. What do you have planned for the future? I would like to be part of many new and interesting projects, while establishing more connections with interesting people in this field. Finally, I am looking forward to start publishing my illustrations with my own texts.
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Digital Journal of Illustration |
Spotlight
I was born in 1986, in a small city called Pamplona. I had a happy childhood and a somewhat complicated adolescence (who doesn’t?) When I finished high school, I went to study Fine Arts to the University of the Basque Country (UPV-EHU Bilbao). They were incredible years... After graduating, I returned to Pamplona and I got specialized in Graphic Design. In the meantime, I had several work experiences related to graphic design and animation. With the idea of embracing everything I learnt, I did the Postgraduate in Art Direction in Interactive Advertising by the Polytechnic University of Catalonia. All this, gave me a very important basis, but all I learnt about illustration was by myself, sharing knowledge with colleagues and having eyes wide open. Although my illustrations are better known for illustrated children’s books, I have a very extensive record. I am used to create simple line illustrations, mostly figurative. I like to give the power of several stories in a single image. Apparently, my creations are essentially beautiful, but beyond what you see, they always hide darker and deeper messages. Right now I’m in a very colorful phase, but I love drawing in black and white. I start to build my illustrations using regular elements, my ‘fetish elements’, such as boxes, plants, hands, houses... And then I combine them with everyday situations mixed with magical, fantastic and energetic elements.
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liebana Goni
I l l u st r a t o r www.liebanaillustration.com www.facebook.com/LiebanaGoniIllustration www.instagram.com/liebana_illustration
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The Creative Space Spotlight
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Article
The best children’s books of 2018 for all ages
Fiona Noble, Imogen Carter, Kitty Empire and Kate Kellaway | www.theguardian.com
hildren’s books have had a record-breaking few years. The sector was worth £381.9m in 2017, according to Nielsen BookScan, and 2018 may well top that. One in every three physical books sold is now a children’s book. Judging by bestseller charts and supermarket displays you’d be forgiven for thinking that most of those were by celebrities. Famous faces certainly continue to sell in big numbers: David Walliams’s The Ice Monster (HarperCollins), David Baddiel’s Head Kid (HarperCollins) and Greg James and Chris Smith’s Kid Normal series (Bloomsbury) are among the year’s most notable. But beyond this, a rich and varied landscape of books for children and young adults is very much in evidence. This year, Jacqueline Wilson returned to her best-loved heroine in My Mum Tracy Beaker (Doubleday) and magical “middle-grade” fiction became the hot ticket, in adventures like Jessica Townsend’s Nevermoor (Orion) and Abi Elphinstone’s Sky Song (Simon & Schuster). Fresh interpretations of classics conjured up some of the season’s most beautiful gifts, including Lauren Child’s Mary Poppins (HarperCollins) and Jessie Burton’s The Restless Girls (Bloomsbury), illustrated by Angela Barrett. In picture books, the Oi! Frog series (Hodder) by Kes Gray and Jim Field began to challenge Julia Donaldson (and her various illustrators) in popularity. Poetry is having something of a boom, particularly anthologies like Chris Riddell’s Poems to Live Your Life By (Macmillan) and I am the Seed That Grew the Tree (Nosy Crow), gloriously illustrated by Frann Preston-Gannon. Children’s nonfiction has seldom looked better and sales are soaring, led by Matthew Syed’s You Are Awesome (Wren & Rook) and Fantastically Great Women Who Made History (Bloomsbury). | 22
Why such a renaissance? The stock answer is that children’s books offer an antidote to screen time. But I think it’s more profound than that. In troubled times, books have the power to help children and young people make sense of the world, and a look at 2018’s award winners reveals just how writers and illustrators are responding to our challenging times. Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris’s The Lost Words (Hamish Hamilton), a winner at The Bookseller’s British Book Awards, is a symphony to the wonders and vulnerability of the natural world and a stand against the disappearance of wild childhood. Katherine Rundell’s The Explorer (Bloomsbury) and Geraldine McCaughrean’s Where the World Ends (Usborne), which claimed the Costa and Carnegie prizes respectively, are ultimately stories of bravery, survival and resilience. Stories for Boys Who Dare to be Different (Quercus) by Ben Brooks and illustrated by Quinton Winter, looks beyond gender stereotypes at alternative male role models and won the Specsavers National Book Award. Angie Thomas’s The Hate U Give, awarded the Amnesty CILIP Honour, is a political call to arms rallying against racism and prejudice, and its success is helping to fuel long-overdue investment in writers from more diverse backgrounds. Fiona Noble
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Julian Is a Mermaid by Jessica Love (Walker)
THE BEST PICTURE BOOKS, CHOSEN BY IMOGEN CARTER
In troubled times, books have the power to help children and young people make sense of the world, and a look at 2018’s award winners reveals just how writers and illustrators are responding to our challenging times.
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Call me optimistic, but change definitely seems afoot in children’s picture books, with more female characters and people of colour taking centre stage. More of a trickle than a flood… nonetheless, as many of them stole the show, hopefully the industry will continue evolving in line with the world itself. Julian Is a Mermaid by Jessica Love (Walker) is fabulous in every sense. Riding the subway home from swimming with his Nana one day, Julian, a young afro-Latin New Yorker, is entranced by a trio of ladies dressed up like colourful mermaids. Back at Nana’s, while she’s in the bath, he resolves to transform himself into a mermaid too, trashing the place in the process. The moment Nana first sees Julian in trailing skirt, lipstick and a headdress fashioned from ferns is both moving and a landmark for acceptance and gender portrayal in picture books. “Oh,” she simply says (ignoring the mess), and hands him a necklace to complete his look before sweeping him out of the house to join in at a mermaid parade. With a palette that’s both earthy and carnivalesque, Love has created the year’s most striking illustrations, and urges readers, with minimal words, to be who you want to be, dress how you like, find your own tribe. The sultry heat of New York, where Californian-born Love now lives (and where there’s an actual mermaid parade annually), radiates from the pages, and its cast of cool extras – old guys hanging out, two girls sipping soda – seem to have wandered straight off the streets of Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing. A remarkable debut that should be sashaying off the shelves, it will particularly appeal to those parents and carers with a penchant for RuPaul’s Drag Race.
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Article
Billy and the Beast by Nadia Shireen. Photograph: Penguin Random House
Aided by all the kit she stashes in her curly bouffant, the bold and brilliant heroine from Nadia Shireen’s Billy and the Beast (Vintage) saves her woodland friends from a terrible green beast. A refreshing picture book star, Billy wears a cagoule and wellies, she’s warm but no-nonsense, and proposes, after the beast has been beaten, they all go home for chips. Elsewhere, more role models, from Boudicca to Beyoncé, can be found in Elena Favilli and Francesca Cavallo’s Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls 2 (Timbuktu Labs). A publishing phenomenon, the first collection of tales about inspiring real-life women spawned dozens of imitators, but this follow-up proves the original is still the best. My funny favourites of the year are Baby’s First Bank Heist (Jim Whalley and Stephen Collins, Bloomsbury), which zips along in rhyming verse, telling the tale of a kid so desperate for a pet that he turns to a life of crime. Collins’s drawings are so rich in detail that repeated reading pays off. (Spot the animals cunningly hidden by Frank in his house or ‘The Getaway’ film poster on the bus where Frank sits, rotund as a watermelon, babygrow stuffed with bank notes).Dave the Lonely Monster (Simon & Schuster) is a whiskery, purple monster holed up in a retirement cave, having quit terrorising the townsfolk and taken up knitting. This riot of colour and craziness from the creators of Dogs Don’t Do Ballet, Anna Kemp (words) and Sara Ogilvie (pictures), finds old raver Dave teaming up with a six-year-old knight to persuade a crowd of bored locals that love – not monster bashing – is the answer, by getting them to hit the dancefloor. Meanwhile, the animals in The Antlered Ship (Frances Lincoln) from Dashka Slater and illustrators the Fan Brothers are sailing the seven seas. While some, like Victor the pigeon, seek adventure, Marco the fox wants answers. “Why don’t trees ever talk?” “Do islands like being alone?” A thoughtful, philosophical tale which beautifully captures the natural world, it also features 2018’s most motley crew of pirates. Non-fiction picture books are a booming market, and some of the year’s best explore natural history. While this sub-genre is full of innovation – outsize formats, pop-ups, pull-outs – sometimes there’s a style-over-substance problem with dry copy and toobusy pages. Migration (Bloomsbury) keeps things simple, telling the tales of 20 animal journeys over 20 clear but captivating double-page spreads. The duo behind it, travel/ wildlife writer Mike Unwin and illustrator Jenni Desmond, like all of the other creators here, know just how to make children’s precious imaginations soar.
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Twice Magic by Cressida Cowell.
THE BEST CHAPTER BOOKS, CHOSEN BY KITTY EMPIRE
There’s nothing middling about this year’s so-called “middlegrade” books. Unburdened by the imperative to be as hardhitting as YA, but permitted to roam beyond the comfort of picture books, this bookshelf bowed with peril, humour and comings of age – often all within the same two covers. Famous names abounded, of course, and themes emerged. My Mum Tracy Beaker by Jacqueline Wilson (Doubleday) was not a gratuitous return to Wilson’s defining heroine, all grown up with a headstrong daughter of her own; it had urgent things to say about celebrity, material comfort and love. Dragon-wrangler Cressida Cowell came back strong too. The second instalment of her new universe, Twice Magic (Hachette), found her misfit young Wizard and her magically misfiring Warrior princess striving to unite their enemy tribes against a clear and present danger: the malevolent Kingwitch, so horrible you can smell him on the page. In recent years, Piers Torday has emerged as a major new voice; his 2018 offering, The Lost Magician (Hachette), rewrote The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe as a tale of war-weary siblings entering a parallel world. There’s a conflagration raging there too, between fantastical storybook characters and the harbingers of cool, hard logic – a false binary that has to be resolved, if some truly annihilating forces are to be stopped. Cue the “never reads” – the ghoulish ranks of the badly informed, the unimaginative and the incurious. Remind anyone of any other worlds? Crime remains a buoyant sub-genre in this age group. The Last Chance Hotel (Chicken House) by first-timer Nicki Thornton was all kinds of fun: a locked-room murder mystery paced breathlessly, but fruited with humour, poignancy and great character names (Dr Thallomius, Count Marred). The orphaned Seth is a Cinderella figure, cooking for the titular hotel, taken over for a strange convention. One of the guests expires after a fancy dessert, and Seth must nail the culprit to clear his own name and discover his true identity.
Big Ideas For Curious Minds: An Introduction to Philosophy from The School of Life. Photograph: The School of Life
Natasha Farrant, who has been shortlisted here and longlisted there, reimagined the boarding school novel with acuity and an unexpected criminal undercurrent. Recently bereaved, the bookish Alice is banished to a kind of roughand-ready Bedales-alike somewhere in Scotland in The Children of Castle Rock (Faber). A forced orienteering mission coincides with her need to locate her adored – but flaky – father. There are goosebumps of both kinds as people show up who will stop at nothing to get what Alice has. Unreliable adults came under scrutiny in former adult novelist Adam Baron’s almost realistic and contemporary Boy Underwater (HarperCollins), which involved a missing person, a painting and a dire lack of swimming lessons. Mental illness was treated candidly, but with sympathy. The grownups didn’t make things OK: it was down to Cymbeline Igloo and his friends to face his crisis bravely. The nonfiction shelves were vast too, but one pick was Big Ideas for Curious Minds: An Introduction to Philosophy (The School of Life) – a plain-speaking guide to philosophers, what matters and how to deal with things. A nine-year-old of my acquaintance was struck by a Mary Wollstonecraft idea – “why we hate cheap things” – about rarity and value. Plus, they boiled down the meaning of life on pages 112-114.
THE BEST CHILDREN’S POETRY BOOKS, CHOSEN BY KATE KELLAWAY TS Eliot was talking to his chauffeur about his book on cats (Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats – first published in 1939 – and later the basis for Cats, a musical possessed of more than nine lives) when the idea of writing a companion piece about dogs came up. The chauffeur said his own dog had no pedigree, that he was lovable but not “consequential”.
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Digital Journal of Illustration |
Article
An illustration by Chris Riddell from A Kid in my Class. Photograph: Chris Riddell/Otter Barry Books
Charmed by the adjective and its implications, TS Eliot resolved to write a book of consequential dogs. Sadly, the book never materialised. Or rather, it has had to wait for Christopher Reid who was once, like TS Eliot, poetry editor at Faber and is, in his own right, a topping poet who now brings hounds, curs and pooches to heel in an entertaining, frolicsome and nondeferential homage. With Old Toffer’s Book of Consequential Dogs (Faber), Reid might even unwittingly have started a new genre: rescue poetry. Whatever you want to call it, he catches in his buoyant, amusing and playful verse, the joy dogs bring into the world. The range of dogs includes absurdly academic Flo, whose bemused parents are at a loss to understand how they produced such a high-flyer. There is a hint that Flo’s intellectual prowess may not be quite as meteoric as they dotingly imagine: “For years we’ve lived in expectation/ of Flo’s first, major publication.” Then there is Lola, a lively, courageous French poodle who joins a circus in Finsbury Park and, finally, let us not omit the romantic heros in Don Juan – “Romeo, a Schnauzer from York Way” and “Juliet, an adorable red setter from the City Road”. Elliot Elam’s smart, affectionately lifelike black-and-white drawings against a mustard background convey the all’s-well-with-me insouciance that is the good dog’s default position. Reid ends in merrily evangelical mode with a poem that could double as a canine Christmas carol; “Fill Your Home with Happy Hounds!” he urges; “Embrace the dog that’s friend to man,/ Get in as many as you can.” Who needs holly and ivy with hounds around? This is a must-read for this Christmas – for bark and bite – and is slim enough to smuggle into any child (or adult’s) stocking. Children are an altogether trickier subject in Rachel Rooney’s unusual, absorbing A Kid in My Class (Otter-Barry). She has divided her poems into the different types of child one might meet in a single class – an absorbing psychological handbook, while wisely acknowledging that life’s patterns are endlessly varied. She introduces characters with nuanced confidence, chaperoned by Chris Riddell’s breezily offbeat illustrations. She even sneaks in (every class has one) a furtive young poet scribbling in front of a Venetian blind. Everything, for this child, is a poem in the making. The orderly vogue for organising poetry in calendar format persists and this year sees I Am the Seed That Grew the Tree (Nosy Crow/National Trust). It is a handsome, heavyweight book, jauntily stencilled with oak leaves and blue tits and contains enough good poems – Emily Dickinson, Thomas Hardy, Ted Hughes and others – to give it ballast but, within the mix, is let down by some unpardonably duff contemporary work. (“Oh lonely trees/ As white as wool/ That moonlight makes/ so beautiful.”) If what you are after is a tip-top poetic calendar, you would be better off with A Poem for Every Day of the Year and/ or A Poem for Every Night of the Year (Macmillan), each edited by Allie Esiri and full of wonders, published last year and earning their status this year as classics.
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A detail from the jacket of Bone Talk by Candy Gourlay. Photograph: PR
THE BEST YOUNG ADULT FICTION, CHOSEN BY FIONA NOBLE Hilary McKay’s The Skylarks’ War (Macmillan), nominally for ages 10 upwards, is one of those rare books that defies categorisation. Following the Penrose family – Clarry, her brother Peter and charismatic cousin Rupert – through the events of the first world war, their idyllic childhood summers contrast with the horror of what lies ahead. A timeless story of love, loss and growing up that already feels like a classic. Also creating some of the finest work of his career is David Almond in The Colour of the Sun (Hodder), a semiautobiographical novel that showcases his transcendent, otherworldly storytelling. Over the course of a single summer’s day, protagonist Davie’s journey through his home town and into the sunlit hills shows us life, death and the wonder of the everyday. Candy Gourlay’s mesmerising Bone Talk (David Fickling) gives voice to a near-forgotten period of history, the 1899 US invasion of the Philippines, and characters seldom heard, pitching a boy’s coming of age against the backdrop of colonialism. For Samkad, life in his remote mountain tribe is about to change for ever, as the first white men arrive in his village during the invasion, talking peace but harbouring cruel intentions. Rich in the culture and traditions of this community, Gourlay’s writing utterly transports the reader. Elaborate world-building, inspired by west African mythology, is also evident in Tomi Adeyemi’s fantasy epic Children of Blood and Bone (Macmillan). In the land of Orisha, a 16-year-old girl is her people’s only hope to restore magic and overthrow the oppressive ruling classes. Resonant themes of racism and persecution lie at the heart of a passionately realised, action-packed thriller. A debut that attracted both big advances and a film deal, a sequel will follow in 2019.
Closer to home, debut author Muhammad Khan takes the story of Bethnal Green schoolgirls fleeing to Syria as the starting point for I Am Thunder (Macmillan) His 15-year-old protagonist Muzna feels invisible, stifled by loving but controlling parents and the spectre of racism. Charmed by the charismatic Arif, she encounters radicalisation and uncovers a terrible secret. Despite the gritty plot, it’s an uplifting and empowering read, made human by its complex and vulnerable heroine. Fairytale retellings, an ever-popular trope of teenage fiction, have this year been delivered with blood and bite. Melissa Albert’s debut The Hazel Wood (Puffin) centres on a cult book of fairytales, often terrible and murderous. When Alice’s mother is kidnapped, the extraordinary truth about the book leads her into the supernatural hinterland of the stories. Realism and fantasy blur in this strange and bewitching tale. In The Surface Breaks (Scholastic) Louise O’Neill harnesses the darkest visions of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid in her contemporary retelling, transforming the mermaid’s plight into a tale of feminist awakening. Feminism has also informed much of the year’s best nonfiction, from the rousing contemporary essays of Feminists Don’t Wear Pink (and Other Lies) (Penguin) curated by Scarlett Curtis to Suffragette: The Battle for Equality (Macmillan), a lavish illustrated history from David Roberts. Graphic novel Women in Battle (Hot Key) offers a whirlwind tour through 150 years of the fight for women’s rights. Marta Breen’s witty text and Jenny Jordahl’s dynamic art covers topics including reproductive rights, gay marriage and the #MeToo movement. International and inclusive in outlook, it’s both relevant and inspirational. | 27
Digital Journal of Illustration |
CLARA ENCINAS
THE BEAUTY
OF THINGS EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH CLARA ENCINAS I was born in a south town - one of those with sunny summers and freezing winters. Since I was a child I loved to draw. I started reading very early and I never left the habit of carrying pencils and books everywhere. I feel a special affection for graphite, watercolors and collage. I like soft shades of color and fine and elegant lines that seem to caress the paper. My work looks for innocence and delicacy: the beauty of things.
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Exclusive Interview
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Digital Journal of Illustration |
CLARA ENCINAS
1. Hi Clara. Tell us about yourself and how you started out in the field of illustration. Hi everyone! My name is Clara. I am 25 years old and I was born in a small village in southern Spain. I am a freelance illustrator and a cat lover! I’ve always loved drawing since childhood. I carried colored pencils everywhere, but I had never considered it as a profession until I was a little older. I think I was an artist at heart before even knowing who or what an artist was. Then I began buying all the illustration albums I could get my hands on, which got me interested in the work of the illustrators. I fell in love with the profession! I graduated from the college of Fine Arts with a Masters in Graphic Design. Although my first job was as a graphic designer, I had always wanted to be an illustrator and I had realized that I had to work hard to become one. My endeavors have paid off since as of a few months ago, I have become a full-time freelance illustrator! 2. What helped you develop your taste and style? Are you a self-taught? I spend a lot of time looking at the books and other works of my fellow artists on the internet. I think researching and looking for references is the most important part of finding your own style. I tried out many techniques during my time in university, where I met many artists with different styles. Although almost none of my courses were related to illustration, I learned concepts about light, color and composition that I later applied to my work. Despite my formal education, I would say that I’m partially self-taught; I think all artists are to some extent. Teaching art is very difficult. The only way of becoming an artist is to become interested in the subject and practice your craft by yourself. 3. What is the message behind your illustrations? What does your art aim to say? I always want to tell stories. I do not want my illustrations to have only one meaning. I like that my illustrations resemble a game. Sometimes I mix elements that are not connected in a straightforward way, so that the person looking at my work will try to create a story to connect the seemingly unrelated aspects. I just hope that when people look at my work they can let their imagination roam free, invent stories, and see the beauty that surrounds them. 4. Let’s talk about your wonderful drawing skills. What would you say is your strongest skill? I’m definitely most comfortable with graphite. When I started drawing, I always experimented with colors. I have a wooden box filled with more than 300 different colored pencils, but one day I started working with graphite and felt very comfortable doing so. Since then I’ve practiced a lot with the technique, which I believe, has led to my best works.
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CLARA ENCINAS
5. Most of your works are drawn by pencil. It seems you enjoy working with it the most. Tell us about your drawing preferences. As I said, I love working with graphite. I also like colored pencils and collage. I prefer dry media, but I have always wanted to learn how to use watercolors. I love its transparency and the fact that you can let a shape show through another. Some of my favorite illustrators use this technique. I really enjoy faded colors, simple lines, and patterns, but I also like details. I always try to incorporate natural elements into my works and I love drawing fabrics! 6. Where do your ideas come from and how do you transform them into a book? Ideas can come from anywhere. I am very inspired by nature, art, and the work of other artists. I have many botanical books and fashion magazines. Children’s fashion magazines are particularly inspiring! A film, a book, a poem, a photograph... anything can be a source of inspiration. Transforming ideas into a book is more difficult. I am currently working on that process. You have to imagine a scheme where each drawing has its place in telling the overall story. 7. How do you decide what to include and what not to include in a book? Mmm ... this is a difficult question. It is hard for me to choose between my illustrations. I become attached to my works, so I always want to include them all. I suppose one has to think seriously about which illustrations are indispensable to the story and which ones are not. Someone advised me to put all the illustrations side-by-side and choose the ones that can tell the story by themselves without the aid of the text. 8. Which artists have influenced your work the most? There are so many artists that have had a profound influence on my work! My role-models change over time, so it’s hard to name a specific one. My favorite illustrator is definitely Rebecca Dautremer. She is amazing! I love the landscapes and imaginative characters she draws! I think that she is incredibly talented with colors and is the best at depicting scenes. I am obsessed with her books! I also like Tamypu’s lovely illustrations, the monochromatic worlds of Amy Sol and the little stories of Pei-Hsin Cho. I have learned how Troy Brooks and Marco Mazzoni use colored pencils and admire the watercolors of Iraville and Kim Minji. I enjoy Cécile Metzger’s use of faded colors, the way Joanne Nam uses lighting in her works, the nature-themed illustrations of Lara Gastinger, Monica Barengo’s use of graphite, and finally the illustrations of Zoe Keller and Ozabu. 9. What do you think when you look back at your own work from a few years ago? I think it is the work of someone who is interested in art but still does not know where to go. I am glad I have worked hard all this time. When I started drawing I practiced drawing manga. Then I became interested in studying anatomy on my own to try to create more realistic illustrations. I still have to work hard to define my style. I am sure in a few years I will feel much more comfortable with my work. 10. How important is it to invest time in one’s personal projects? It is super important! Personal projects let you experiment to your heart’s content without being limited by a client. You can make a thousand mistakes, try different techniques, and experiment with styles without worrying about anything. I think personal projects are the best way of finding your style and are fantastic overall, which is why I always try to spend a few hours every day working on them.
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CLARA ENCINAS
11. What do you do when you run out of ideas and get stuck? I take a break! It is useless to force inspiration. Being an illustrator is more than just drawing. There are many other things you can do to further your career when you have hit a mental block. I like to read illustrated books, watch animated films, organize items in my Etsy shop, update my website or take photos for my social media. I also spend time looking for publishers and brands to work with, or new artists that I can learn from. If you feel overwhelmed by being in front of a piece of paper, go for a walk! Maybe you will have a wonderful idea while sitting in a coffee shop, visiting a museum or walking through the countryside. Sometimes inspiration comes right away. Other times it may take a few days before it visits you, but it always comes back! 12. What’s the best thing about being an illustrator? The best parts of being an illustrator is that I work in the profession I like the most in the world and I can work from home with my cat and a big cup of coffee. Being an illustrator helps me focus more on the beauty around me and cultivate my imagination even as I grow older. Drawing makes me happy, and I want to believe that I can share that happiness with my audience. 13. What are you working on at the moment? I have a long list of projects in my head. I am working on a series of personal illustrations, so that I can practice working with colors. I really want to become more proficient in that respect. I am also working on an idea that could become a book. It is still just a small folder full of crazy sketches, but I hope that it will grow little by little. I am not very good with words, but I can tell stories through my illustrations. www.cargocollective.com/claraencinas www.behance.net/claraencinas | 35
Digital Journal of Illustration |
Around The World
Rahele Jomepour www.facebook.com/jomepour www.albertwhitman.com PLAYDATE is a picture book written by Maryann Macdonald and illustrated by Rahele Jomepour Bell. It is a book for children with minimal text and maximum impact, as portrayed through both the well-chosen words and the fun-filled, evocative illustrations. The illustrations for the story introduce a diverse group of children who the reader will get to know them more while turning the pages and read the book. The pictures let the readers explore the story behind the words. PLAYDATE will publish in April of 2019 from Albert Whitman & Company. You can pre-order it now from Amazon.
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Marcela Lopez www.marcelopez.com
I am working on a project called Woman in art and is about the role of women in society and culture and how they inspire me in my work. It is important to me to talk about woman because I feel we are in a moment of change and freedom and we can be heard through our actions and work. We have a voice and we want to use it for a better world. The first part of the project is about women who make music, singers, composers, instrumentalists, who speak through art about society, feelings, feminism, etc. Women who inspired me because her style of life, her aesthetic, her voice and the lyrics of her songs, make me reflect and dream. When I draw in my studio I am always accompanied by music because it relaxes me, inspires me and many times the lyrics, the voice, the videos of the song or rhythm, helps me to develop a concept, character or a situation. So, I decided to make a list of artist that I always listen to and I have wanted to make a tribute to them making illustrated portraits and trying to capture their essence. Artist from all over the world, with different ages and musical genres like Florence Welch, Anohni, Aurora, Elsa y Elmar, Hiromi, Ibeyi, Cocorosie, BjÜrk, Natalia Lafourcade, Amy Winehouse and others. In this project I also worked a little bit with patterns, I am a freelance illustrator and a patterns designer and I just love to make them, so for each artist I made a pattern on her clothes, floral, abstract, geometric or minimal design. The second part is about women in art history so I´m planning to do a portrait of each one with illustrations of their works as a tribute of all women who fought for their dreams and are now an important part of the art.
DENA Gallery www.denagallery.com
In the last week of December 2018, a collection of 54 illustrations on the subject of ancient Iranian stories was presented in Dena gallery, Tehran, Iran. This collection included of a variety of different styles and techniques by young talented artists as well as professional ones from Tehran, Ardebil, Shiraz and so on. This collection was a combination of imagine and reality characters, as redesign historic and ancient characters in contemporary period. This eye-catching collection curated by Negin Ehtesabian. Parisa Ahmadi, Saideh Ahmadi,Paria Akbarpuran, Shirin Babazadeh, Rahele Barkhordari, Neda Basharkhah, Neda Basharkhah, Samira Beheshti, Mahni Tazhibi, Fereshteh Jafari Farmand, Asal Hazeqi, Abas Khanqoli, Nasim Khajavi, Tahmineh Khajavi, Mahshid Darabi, Shaiesteh Dash Teimuri, Narges Delavari, Mohsen Damndan, Mahshid Raghemi, Afruz Rajaiee, Ilgar Rahimi, Saba Soleimani, Amin Soleimani, Atefe Shafiee Rad, Shabnam Sabagh, Mohammad Reza Sedigh, Mahdie Safaieenia, Ehsan Abdolahi, Fina Abdi, Aram Alaiee, Golnooh Attar, Somaieh Alipoor, Ghazal Fathollahi, Kosar Fathi, Delaram Faghani, Shiva Ghazi, Masud Gharebaqi, Shirin Gholipour, Nazila Gholinejad, Pedram Kazeruni, Nilufar Kabudin, Parviz Lotfollahi, Mohammadi Hossein Matak, Rahman Mojarad, Hamideh Mohebi, Farzaneh Madhush, Atieh Markazi, Atefeh Malekijoo, Sahar Mirhosseini, Farideh Nasib, Lili Nazmi, Marjan Hamdami, Mahbube Yazdani | 37
Digital Journal of Illustration |
Igor Karash
E XCLUSIV E INTERVIE W WITH IGO R K A R AS H
A NON-CONFORMIST
WORLD
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Exclusive Interview
Igor Karash is an illustrator and designer based in St. Louis, Missouri. Igor grew up in Baku, Azerbaijan where he studied architecture, and later graduated from the Kharkov State Art & Design Academy in Ukraine with a Masters in the graphic arts and illustration. Igor’s illustration work is diverse and includes picture books, classic literature, novels, and concept art for theater and film. Igor develops a visual language unique to each project, adding a new layer of interpretation enhancing the text. Igor’s work has been showcased and recognized by numerous prestigious book illustration competitions including American Illustration 32 and 34, House of Illustration and Folio Society (UK), Hiiibrand (China), AOI Awards (UK), Luerzer’s Archive “200 Best Illustrators Worldwide 2014-2015 and 2016-2017”.
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Igor Karash
Hi Igor, let’s start by talking about the process behind your illustrations and then continue with your experiences as an art professor at the Webster University. thank you for inviting me to share some thoughts on illustration and on my personal practices. My process is fairly basic: I usually begin with academic and visual research, allowing me to dive into a theme that requires a visual contribution. When I start to feel overwhelmed by research material, I shut out the external sources and surround myself with drawing and painting supplies. My initial approach to drawing is almost automatic. I usually feel intimidated by the untouched surface of paper (or screen) so I rush to make splashes of color, textures, or pencil crosshatches to create some atmosphere where I can explore a concept, scenery and characters. After this preliminary stage, I move into more precise sketching while finalizing the concept and composition. Here, I use additional research materials for visual references such as environments, period costumes, architecture, etc. I never directly place these images in my work | 40
but use them to make sure that nothing in my drawing contradicts some sense of reality or objective knowledge. Also, I leave some space for improvisation in the final outcome... otherwise I would feel bored. Can you give us a short autobiography? What originally made you want to become an illustrator / artist? I was born in Baku, Azerbaijan which was then a part of the Soviet Union. My early interest in art was inspired by my uncle, Vadim Kogan, who was a designer and illustrator. At that time, the design profession required highly developed artistic skills, so his small flat in the heart of Baku, Icheri Sheher, was a real artist’s studio. I was fascinated with everything my uncle touched on: urban development, furniture design, interiors, and graphics. He taught me the basics of his methods in illustration and design. My formal education consisted of several years spent in architectural school in Baku, and then the KSADA – Kharkov State Art & Design Academy in Ukraine, where I studied book design
Exclusive Interview
and illustration. I was first published in Moscow and produced a few scenic designs there. After relocating to America in 1993, my career developed around design and architecture. In 2012, my work for the Folio Society in London kickstarted my return to the illustration world. Since then, I have received several illustration awards and was featured in highly respected illustration annuals. Currently, I am teaching illustration at the DADAH (Department of Art, Design & Art History) at Webster University in St. Louis.
art magazine. I remember in my early days, I tried to see things through the lense of different artists, and that was a big part of my learning process. One day, I realized that simple ink lines and brush strokes are already doing exactly what I want them to; they are projections of my emotional state and thought process. This was the beginning of my own visual story.
What influences have shaped your taste and style? Do you think there is a link between an artist’s style and their background (i.e. place of birth, childhood experiences, etc.…)? Absolutely! At the heart of my early artistic experimentations was my hometown, Baku. It has unique character, cultural and historical layers, inspiring architecture, and cubistic irrational geometry that has greatly influenced me. I also believe in style that grows inside of you, and that it’s not something easily picked-up from pages of a glossy
Your style is so unique and profound. You mentioned in your statement that the REVOLUTSIJA DEMONSTRATSIJA exhibition provoked you for creating latest series of work and that you are inspired by the Russian avant-garde. My question is: what was the most interesting or attractive aspect of the exhibition that inspired you to produce so many illustrations? I am extremely passionate about the Russian avant-garde. You know, young people like everything that is forbidden. This art movement was forbidden in my country for almost half of the cen| 41
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Igor Karash
Exclusive Interview
tury. In other words, it was a shining example of independent thought that differed from the official doctrine of “social realism.” Back to the exhibition REVOLUTSIJA DEMONSTRATSIJA, it was a fascinating show where visitors were exposed to it all: architecture, theater, furniture, print, mass media, sculpture, and textiles. Although I did find the mood to be overly celebratory, and little pointed to the years of political oppression and the bloody terror of revolutionary years of the totalitarian regime. So, to answer your question: I was not reacting so much to what was included in the exhibition but to what was missing. This is precisely why the exhibition provoked me to release my feelings and thoughts on these tragic years into my series of illustrations entitled Monsters of Revolution. Rather than try to recreate a historical sense of these events (even though I have used some real personalities), I wanted to tell the story of the Russian revolution through absurdist and grotesque methods. Do you want to develop a consistent and recognizable style, or are you willing to push and explore different directions as time goes on? I never thought too hard about developing an easily recognizable style. There are a few reasons for this: One being that our system (the creative field in the USSR) wasn’t market-driven. The other being that my understanding of the role of the illustrator was more about the ability to find a well-defined visual solution to each project. I was more interested in developing unique visuals for a particular text rather than preserving my personal style. Sometimes I worried more about my inability to break with my typical approaches to previous projects. Now I struggle a bit with this stylistic pattern: the illustration marketplace is centered on cohesive style rather than on artists who can create unique vision for a project. Do you use digital techniques or traditional ones? Why? Could you please tell us a little about the process through which you create your illustrations? If you don’t mind, may I have a short film of that process? I am a product of fairly traditional educational methods and techniques, where everything was planned, sketched, drawn, and painted by hand. Some photographic editing techniques were used for designing book publications and prototypes, but other than that it was all drawing and painting. I still use many of these techniques in my work. Initially, I was a big skeptic of computer-generated art. But lately, with recent advances in digital drawing tablets, I am more involved with creating art digitally. I think that artists and illustrators are finally equipped with technology that allows them to be themselves, work intuitively, and use their own stylistic and aesthetic platform with ease. In fact, my latest series Monsters of Revolution was all was done digitally with a drawing tablet. I should mention here that knowledge of traditional methods is a great asset for making work digitally and I am always reminding my students of this. You have a special color palette, which is a combination of red and black with shades of grey and yellow. Does this palette have any particular meaning? Is there a story behind it? In respect to my stylistic approach, my color palette relates more to the conceptual and symbolic nature of each project. Tragic black and red tones are used for my GULAG series and my latest work about the Russian revolutionary past. In my mind, this color palette creates a strong association with the graphic attributes of the Soviet regime.
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Igor Karash
But if you look at my other projects, such as the Folio Society books, they all are very different: My illustrations for The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories are done with the use of mystical greens and in War & Peace I tried to create a symphony of colors, some of which stood for particular threads of the narrative – gold for the aristocratic world, reds for war, earthy tones for expressing a theme of peasantry, and blues for character’s dreams and a theme of fate. You moved to the USA many years ago. What is the difference between art, particularly illustration, in your hometown and America? At that time, differences were greater than now. In the USSR, we had two subcultures: the official: loyal to the regime and based on realistic and representational methods, and the underground subculture: a non-conformist world. I didn’t feel that I could do something I don’t believe in, so I didn’t take the path of promoting official doctrine. At the same time, I wasn’t brave enough to openly protest the system. So, the non-conformist movement wasn’t an option either. But there was an interesting cultural niche in the Soviet Union: illustrated book and theater, animation, graphic arts, where (for the reasons that lay outside of my comprehension) the rules of engagement were different. It was a very imaginative, non-didactic, highly intellectual art, that was related to many important tendencies in the global scene. I felt that this world was the right place for me and always dreamed of becoming an illustrator or scenographer. However, in the US all these worlds co-exist: realism, abstract, conceptual, illustration and theater. Everything is on the surface and it takes time to navigate and choose the things you believe in and want to explore further. Little by little, I am finding my niche once again which is exactly where it was before – centered around illustration. If you don’t mind sharing, what’s the weirdest client feedback that you’ve received so far? The weirdest things happened in Russia, there were many comments like “Oh! This is too good for us” or “Our people (meaning the common population) will not understand this reference, idea or concept”. In the States, so far so good. If a client is not into something, their reasoning is usually well explained. You invest equal amounts of time and resources into your personal and commissioned projects. How important is it to invest in personal projects? At this point, I would say more things are happening on the personal stage. I have realized that personal work is extremely important to me as an artist and as an educator. It’s a great opportunity for me to express my own thoughts, experiment with media, and develop unique illustration proposals that I hope will find the right publisher. As for my teaching experiences, I do believe that I have to follow my own recommendations to my students about everyday engagement with drawing and illustration. So, I try to practice what I preach! What do you do when you run out of ideas or get stuck? Taking a deep breath and turning up good music from the almost forgotten Russian rock-band Voskresen’e (this name has a double meaning: Sunday and Resurrection. I listened to them for an entire year and a half while working on my illustrations for War and Peace. So, good music helps me a lot. One other solution is minimizing the use of internet, social networks and reading a good book instead. If the ideas are still not coming, I push myself into painting or drawing anything without clear intention or switch it up to a different theme or project. Unfortunately, I am not the type of person to take long walks through nature. I am a bookish stay at home kind of guy. Although I do walk with my dog! You recently helped to establish an illustration program at the Webster University in St Louis. What would you say is the most important facet of DADAH (Department of Art, Design and Art History)? The DADAH at Webster University has always had a good reputation for their fine arts program and contemporary concerns, but they have also created a great design program. Many students over the years also expressed their interest in illustration so, a little over three years ago, the department contacted me about the possibility of teaching illustration. In my opinion, the greatest asset of DADAH is their multidisciplinary approach and a friendly relaxed environment where students can study many different art, design and liberal arts subjects. In my classes I have a mix of students with different backgrounds – some are design majors while others focus on fine arts. These two groups have different skill sets, so working in an illustration class right next to each other is a great benefit for their learning process. Many illustration colleges have curriculums that teach plenty of techniques, but they don’t prepare students for working in the art market. Do you plan on preparing students for working life? Our illustration program aims to bring some real-life experiences into the classroom. This being a reason I was brought on board. My experiences in illustration and design were outside academia and are based on collaboration with creative professionals and clients ranging from graphic design and environmental graphics to theater and illustration. Many of the assignments that I prepare for my students are based on this strategy: techniques are important, but the main goal is to provide students with knowledge of creative process, and being able to work with collaborators and clientele. Many of our
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Karash
projects deal with the illustration marketplace: we touch on the ability to create a sketch-pack and proposals to publishers. Many projects have an entrepreneurial flavor while others explore illustration as an ideation tool where students learning to illustrate design ideas and concepts. We also developed a self-marketing component to the program by introducing an Illustration Portfolio class where students will be busy building their own brand. How important do you think illustration is nowadays? I believe that the role of illustration is constantly changing and feel that illustration has become more desirable compared to previous decades. Traditionally associated with supportive role, contemporary illustration has become a serious tool for expressing opinions and ideas on many fronts and does so in a very emotional and direct way. I tend to think that artistry and emotional advantages make illustration much more marketable. I can also say that many people in creative fields are tired of photography and design as the main forms of visual communication. Illustration helps to set up a greater emotional connection with the story, and in many cases, better tells the story! The opportunities are endless: picture books, the editorial world, graphic novels, product design, advertising, and the whole world of social media! My last question concerns art festivals. You have appeared in many art festivals in different countries. What are the positive and negative aspects of art festivals? Do art festivals have negative aspects? I think that participation in illustration competitions and festivals is important, and it played a crucial role in my return to illustration. After many years of working in the design industry, I won the Folio Society and House of Illustration Book Illustration competition (2012) and my work was published the same year, allowing me to re-enter the illustration market. The other aspect of illustration competitions that I admire (no matter what the results are) is that they create a sense of belonging to the illustration community and give a strong impulse for creating new work. There are definitely some downsides, there are some festivals that are fairly expensive to enter. I also wish that there will be tighter connectivity between art-forums and competitions with publishers and prospective clients. What’s the best thing about being an art professor? The best part is that it keeps you on-edge: somehow you have to be able to find a good solution and give the right answer. It also requires being involved in ongoing research, reading, refreshing your perspective, and sharpening your mind. There’s also an element of learning from the younger generation – they keep surprising and inspiring me!
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Creative Space
Enter Villa Verbeelding and discover a world full of words and images. Imagination and the pleasure of reading are key words in this white villa, where books come to life in every room. Visitors of all ages go on an interactive journey through various permanent exhibitions on books and illustrations. In 2019, there will be an exhibition on woodcut in contemporary picture books with original work by Luk Duflou, Merlijne Marell, Isabelle Vandenabeele and Vanessa Verstappen. In summer, an interactive installation shows the world of illustrator Mélanie Rutten. Villa Verbeelding also organises lectures and workshops on a regular basis, for children and adults. In summer, the literary festival Zin in Zomer (Feel like Summer) brings interesting combinations of literature and other media: illustration, music, film, … On August 25th 2019, there will be a whole festival day devoted to illustration. Every August, there is a 4-day Summer School Villa Verbeelding on illustration (in collaboration with PXL-MAD School of Arts). In August 2018, the groups were coached by top illustrators Carll Cneut (BE) and Rébecca Dautremer (FR). In 2019, there will be another Summer School in the same period. Stay tuned and subscribe for the newsletter!
Villa Verbeelding Bampslaan 35, 3500 Hasselt (BELGIUM) +32 11 22 26 24 info@villaverbeelding.be www.villaverbeelding.be www.zininzomer.be Facebook: villaverbeelding Instagram: @villaverbeelding
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e Creativ Space THE
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Brightness Gallery
Brightness
Gallery
This section is devoted to the works of some of the best illustrators from all around the world. As with any real gallery, ours too aims to introduce and present those creative and elegant artworks which are created by both of professional and enthusiastic young artists. However, as opposed to the real galleries, this one will not be restricted by physical barriers or geographical borders, which implies that artists could easily connect to a wider range of audience worldwide.
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Winter Christmas is forever, not for just one day, for loving, sharing, giving, are not to put away like bells and lights and tinsel, in some box upon a shelf. The good you do for others is good you do yourself.
N orman W. Brooks
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Brightness Gallery
ELISABETE FERREIRA
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ERIC FAN
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ANA RODRÍGUEZ
RAHELE JOMEPOUR
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CONCHA PASAMAR
CONCHA PASAMAR
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Brightness Gallery
MARIACARLA TARONI
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MAGGE GAGLIARDI
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VIIVE NOOR
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FRANCESCA AZZANO
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Brightness Gallery
HELDER TEIXEIRA PELEJA
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SOLMAZ JOSHAGHANI
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Brightness Need You!
Needs You! BECOME A VOLUNTEER
We’re looking to recruit volunteers to join our team. ( Brightness ) is an international digital magazine discussing and exploring the field of illustration. We are making an effort to improve the standing of illustration as an independent profession in the world. As another major objective, we feature outstanding and creative contemporary illustration projects in various fields.
So, we are looking for volunteers to help us in these areas: - French/Spanish to English translation (assistant needed). - Publishing and collecting illustration news from around the globe (illustrator or illustration student needed) Obviously, you’ll be part of our team and we will publish your name as one of our own colleagues.
Email us at: VOL@BRIGHTNESSMAG.COM
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Welcome Articles From Writers
Brightness welcome articles , researches and interviews from writers, activists, journalists and also from artists around the world, on topics that we deal with regularly or on topics that you think need a wider circulation in illustration subject. We are most likely to publish those articles which are well-written, concise, offer a unique progressive perspective and have appeal to national and international readers. Please keep submissions under 1000 words. Since we have a small editorial staff, we cannot spend much time editing submissions. Please send us final drafts of your work. We do not guarantee that we publish all the articles we receive. They will be published after a confirmation by twice of the managers. Please send all submissions as plain text within the body of an email - you can also attach the article, for the safer side. Please include your name, contact information. A short paragraph bio is a must. If you wish, you can also send a thumb size photo of the author. We’ll be glad to publish it along with the article. You can submit your articles to a r t @ b r i g h t n e s s m a g . c o m One word of caution. When you are submitting articles use the word -submission- in the subject line. Finally, it is very important to respect copyright and write the names of artists who their arts are used by you in the caption.
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