Could you tell us at the beginning nSomething about yourself? How and what do you create? How did you even Did she get it for illustration?
My name is Terezie Vavrošová, I am a painter, illustrator, interior designer, and maminka in one. Creating has accompanied me my whole life, I have been painting and drawing since childhood, I have also tried other forms of creation, such as sewing and tattooing, but only on parental leaveI am lazy se začala intenzivněji věnovat akvarelové malbě, která si mě získala. Postupně they also came with charginglines for book illustration and thus reached digital illustration.
What kind of illustration do you enjoy the most? Do you have any favoriteWhat style or technique do you most often engage in?
It is the already mentioned watercolor, which I often use as a basis even in digital illustration. I appreciate its delicacy, gentleness, and even transparency, and it fits very well with my favorite motifs of animals, plants, and flowers.
What animals do you illustrate most often? Are there any that you especially like? or do you return to them?
I really enjoy painting forest animals such as foxes, badgers, wolves, bears... But the illustrations of birds probably bring me the greatest joy. Their colors and diversity are fascinating to me.
If I look at your work, the illustrations for Kolorky have a different style than your other projects. How were they actually created? What was your approach to creating these illustrations?
To be honest, we searched for the right illustration style for Kolorky for a while, as my first design was more "watercolor" and detailed, but in the end, after a few more proposals, we agreed on this simple minimalist style, which is more understandable for young children and at the same time cheerful and modern.
What criteria did you use to choose the colors of these animals?
You have probably noticed that the animals do not have realistic colors but are stylized into playful color combinations in pastel tones. I hope this will make them more engaging for children and that playing with them will be more fun and the animals more memorable.
Was there any animal that was particularly difficult for you to illustrate? What was the process like when you were dealing with it?
Definitely a meerkat. I struggled to capture its typical posture, which often resulted in funny silhouettes :) But in the end, I think it turned out well and looks like a meerkat.
Do you have a favorite among the animals you illustrated for Kolorky? Is there an animal that grew close to your heart during the creation process?
Among my favorites is the pig rolling in the mud. It is cheerful and a little different from all the others. But the forest animals I love the most have grown closest to my heart. For example, the badger, it painted itself completely on its own.
How do you like the final Kolorky products, such as memory games, puzzles, and leporellos with your illustrations? How do you feel when you see your illustrations as a finished product?
It is wonderful, and for me still a bit unbelievable to see my illustrations on such beautiful products. I like how the products are meticulously crafted down to the last detail. Graphic design, typography, high-quality printing, rounded corners, beautiful boxes. Simply gorgeous!
What animals or other illustrations can you still imagine on these products? What do you think small children and their parents would appreciate?
I would like Australian animals - for example, a koala, kangaroo, or platypus. But I could also imagine something completely different on these products - fruit, dinosaurs, or vehicles, which I think would be popular with children.
Who or what inspires you the most in your work? Can you name any specific inspirations or artistic movements that influence your work?
I can't think of any specific direction to draw from. I paint what brings me joy, and that is nature. Mostly flowers and animals, whose likeness I try to capture both with watercolor and sometimes in a more stylized digital form.
Do you remember any favorite book or illustrator from your childhood who influenced or inspired you?
Since childhood, I have loved books illustrated by Adolf Born and also (not only) prehistoric illustrations by Zdeněk Burian. From the present day, I am inspired by two children's book illustrators - Emilia Dziubak and Kateryna Michalicyna, whose illustrated books are loved not only by me but also by my daughter, and we already have a nice collection of them.
How do you spend your free time? Do you have any hobbies that personally fulfill you? and at the same time, can influence your creation?
My free time = painting :) And besides family and work, I don't have much free time left. But when I do find some, I like to play the piano, read a book, or go out with my family to nature or a gallery.
Thank you for the interview and we look forward to creating more beautiful things together. ;)