CREATIVE SPACE

from Brightness Illustration Magazine No.23

STILL LIFE LANDSCAPE METHOD

Me and a couple of my colleagues started an initiative a couple years back to organize a community to unite and support Russian-speaking and Russian-based illustrators. Here in Russia illustration industry (especially book illustration industry) is in a very different state than in the EU/UK/USA. The main issue is that it is heavily underfunded, which means fair terms (and fair pay) are even harder to achieve. There’s also no official body for illustration in Russia and no easily accessible resources on licensing/financing. So, until now illustrators were basically on their own. It so happened that a few practicing illustrators including myself shared the same concerns and wanted to act upon them. That’s why we created our project, Иллюстраторская среда (Illustration Environment in Russian). What we wanted to do first and foremost was to provide illustrators with accessible information resources and create a platform where an open industry discussion could be held. This is the main focus of our community right now.

We have two main platforms on which we are most active:

Our Instagram instagram.com/Illustratorskaya_sreda where we host regular livestream talks with industry professionals (editors, agents, practicing illustrators, designers, authors, animators and more)

And our website illustratorskayasreda.ru

which has a few categories, including Blog (where we post various articles, interviews and industry insights) and Resources (featuring online materials on pricing, finance, licensing etc). Most of our resources are free and openly accessible to everybody, as our goal is to provide all illustrators with fundamental information, they may need to remain informed and safe in their professional practice. We share responsibilities with my colleagues equally, each of us has text materials, work on Instagram, time for live translations etc. Personally, I also do all the design of the website and Instagram page. For now, we only work in Russian, but we have many plans and hopes for development!) Thank you for the opportunity to tell about our work to a wide audience, this is important for us!

CreativTHE e

Space

www.illustratorskayasreda.ru Instagram:Illustratorskaya_sreda

PERFECT YOUR IDEAS

Exclusive Interview with Elena Repetur

1. Tell me about yourself.

I was born in Kazakhstan, but grew up in Russia. I graduated with a degree in animation from Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography located in Moscow where I currently live.

2. How would you describe your illustration style? Does your work represent your personality?

My illustration style is called expressionism. I would say my drawings contrast themselves a lot; they are soft yet a little rough making it dynamic and emotional. I have often heard that my illustrations are naive, but I believe there are some differences between my art and those of a child’s. I do draw inspiration from watching children drawing and pour the emotions I felt during that time into my art.

3. What are your thoughts on artists being pressured to fit into a fixed style as a means of attracting an agent or a certain type of client?

I think sometimes the pressure to conform to the needs of the client can be crushing and prevents the author from experimenting. Experimentation is important in the growth process of an artist. For example, Picasso’s art style kept evolving, but you could still recognize his paintings. That being said, it is possible to find the balance between the needs of the client and the artist in order to create a true masterpiece.

4. Which project taught you the most?

The book I am currently working on. It is my first book and I haven’t finished it yet, but I have already learned so much because of it. I made so many mistakes and received feedback which helped me grow as a person.

5. Which recent projects are you most proud of?

I just finished a book about a good, little shark and I’m really looking forward to seeing the final product. I love all my projects and feel proud of everyone involved in the process of making them, even more so when they are published.

6. What are your plans for the future?

I would like to continue publishing my illustrated children’s stories. I feel like I have a lot to learn as an author, but I hope to be a storyteller that children will love.

7. Your work is so beautifully dynamic and seems to be influenced by different techniques. Can you describe your approach to color, texture and combination of different mediums?

Thank you! I love integrating different techniques in my drawings. Someone once told me that if I didn’t like my sketch then I should work on it until I’m satisfied with the result. You should never abandon your ideas, but perfect them. This approach brings about a beautiful complexity to an artwork. I love examining illustrations from art exhibitions, bookstores, and social media and using the analysis as a tool of sorts for my works.

8. What is your process when creating a new book?

First, I draw a rough layout, taking in account the overall design of the characters. Then, I add texts using InDesign. If the placement of the text is not in harmony with the sketch, then I redraw until I find the perfect balance. A more detailed drawing of the characters comes next. For me, designing the front cover and characters is the most important part and perfecting it may take time.

9. Were there any local female creatives that you looked up to when you were growing up?

I grew up during the soviet era of Russia so I had little to no exposure to female artists. Fashion in the USSR was in poor taste so my mother often sewed beautiful clothes for me. My grandmother drew flowers with colored pencils as a hobby, but the first professional female artist I learned about was Frida Kahlo. I love and respect my mother’s and grandmother’s artistic talents as much as I do Frida Kahlo’s.

10. Are there any challenging aspects of being a female in your industry?

Personally, the difficulty lies in the fact that I am a mother as well as an artist. My child does not go to kindergarten, so maintaining a work-life balance is quite difficult.

11.Can you tell us more about your most recent or ongoing projects?

I am working on a book about a cheetah who wants to run faster than his peers, but is unable to do so, until he is mentored by a mysterious mousetail. The book is called “Heh, the Cheetah Who Couldn’t Run” by Olga Vasilkova.I also wrote and illustrated a book about a shark who did not want to eat. I am currently continuing my work on Odysseus the dog among many things. All these stories are published under Albus Corvus Publishing House.