The Meadow Board Book

For the past few weeks, I have been working on this extremely illustrated board book project - The Meadow. It's another great cooperation with the wonderful folks at B4U Publishing - check out their website here, they have so many fab projects! 

Anyways, the book is full of bugs, bees, flowers and other plants, it's also very interactive - lots of peek-a-boo holes, flaps to flip through, look and finds etc. It's really fun!

Will definitely let you know when the book is available for purchasing! Happy Thursday!

If you'd like to see more illustrations, please check out my Behance: https://www.behance.net/gallery/24582371/The-Meadow


My work finally on Behance!

I was so much behind on this - I just couldn't get myself to finally create web galleries of my illustrations and book projects. But now I made it! Hundred years after all my creative friends went online, I finally joined the Behance world and am so excited to get feedback from fellow creatives and browse all the wonderful projects out there. See you there!
https://www.behance.net/marianeradova


Axioma's Big Book of Jobs is Out!

Yesterday I got an email from publisher Ivana Kocmanova of Axioma Praha. that our Big Book of Jobs is out. I can't wait to get the samples! This book was so much fun! If you'd like to order a copy of your own, please visit Axioma's website, where you can easily get as many books as you like. They also have other titles, which are great too! http://www.axioma.cz/knihy/encyklopedie/nina-chce-byt-rockovou-zpevackou-mala-encyklopedie-povolani.htm

Easter Illustrations for Slunicko Magazine

From time to time, I just really love it when a short-term job comes in. I can fully focus on just the illustration part for a day or two and enjoy working, because there is usually less administration and emailing involved :-) Such case is always a very lovely cooperation with the Czech magazine Slunicko. This time they asked for a cover with Easter theme (already!). Loved it!

 

Space Illustration

For the past couple of days I have been working on a space illustration for Focus Pico magazine, in cooperation with my wonderful agent Ines from Illustopia agency. I just loved the theme! Tried to pick colors that would support the whole colorfullnes (is that even a word? haha) of the galaxies and planets and spaceships. Here is a little sneak peek - made a few shots of the whole illustration. Moving on to the next project!
 



Winter!







 



 

Back to work after the Montreuil book fair! I am very happy that most of my jobs are winter and Chrismas themed now, it makes much more sense than working on something like this in the end of the Summer (that happenes too!) So this one was just pure joy and will be on the cover of a kindergarten workbook. I keep myself busy with the Calendar and Chrimstas sales, too. Will be also doing a workshop with kids this weekend for a design shop called Kapsula https://www.facebook.com/Kapsula.popupstudio
Stop by if you're around!

Montreuil Book Fair 2014


I know, I know! It's starting to feel like I am doing a Tour de European book fairs this year (I actually might be doing it as I think about it, haha!). Anyways, I've been really busy last few weeks and then right after I met all the deadlines I had to, I jumped on the plane and together with my wonderful illustrator friend Daniela Olejnikova (check out her work at www.daniole.com) we took on to Paris (ah oui...). Daniela was actually invited by the Literary Centre to take part in some workshops with children and to present her work in front of quite a few publishers who seemed interested in what she does. I decided to go ahead and join her, because I always feel I learn a lot when I travel, meet new people and try to do the illustration business outside my own country.


As for the Montreuil book fair (http://www.salon-livre-presse-jeunesse.net/), I have to say I really liked it and enjoyed it. For an illustrator, it just feels more welcoming than Frankfurt Buchmesse, although I still think Bologna Book Fair offers the most opportunities of all the European fairs I've been to. Montreuil is aiming purely on the children's and young adult market. And it does so with the help of illustration, so it seems like the right place to be for an illustrator. However, the approach is a bit different from the others. You register on the website to get a professional admit and then somehow, you're supposed to sign up for the meetings with the publishers (note: there are only French publisher available for appointments, but they do speak English, so don't be shy, heh), which are scheduled really tight. Now, I might sound a bit dumb, but I really was not able to figure this out. I could not even find an English version of the site, aaaaaah. Well, I do realize that sometimes it is not that easy to get around France (and French) without any knowledge of their language. I do have some knowledge, but it seems like it still wasn't enough. Anyways, now I know what Mice is, be sure you look for that when you enter the website and don't speak French. Watch out for the registration date for the publisher appointments (I've spoke to some illustrators while waiting in line and was told the site fell down immediately after the reg started) and hope for the best. Have some knowledge on what you're aiming for. Know the publishers. Don't be depressed if you did not get a spot with Thierry Magnier, when your place might rather be with Milan. Montreuil book fair will still be a great experience, even though you might feel that the market competition is just overwhelming (the place for publisher appointments really looked like a speed-dating spot). Just have the courage, grab your books and portfolio and go. It's fun! And it's in Paris! Ha!

Before I finish this little blog, I would really like to thank the wonderful people at the Ecoles de Conde in Paris. I was able to be a part of the conference they held for Daniela and another great young illustrator from Lithuania, Karolis Strautniekas (http://strautniekas.com/) and it just felt so welcoming. I would like to thank especially to the professors, Francois and Isabelle (sorry if I misspelled the names, aaah) who invited us for dinner in their own home. Thank you!






 



Here is a blog they keep at the school: http://condeciap.blogspot.sk/2014/11/daniela-olejnikova-karolis-strautniekas.html

Oh and one more thing - or rather a tip - if you ever find yourself going to Paris and are on a budget - be sure to check out a charming little hotel called Hotel Stella - http://hotel-stella.voila.net/, it is in the heart of Paris with lots of restaurants and cafes around and you won't spend a fortune staying here. It really is a great little place!

Zona Bez Penazi Promo Banner




A friend of mine asked me to do a promotional banner for a nice event they do every year here in Slovakia - they call it "Zona bez penazi". People can just come and exchange things they don't need anymore, that someone else might find use for. There is more info on their website in case you'd like to check that out: http://www.projekt-zivot.sk/zona/

The assignment said it needs to show things people usually bring - like books, clothes, toys etc. And I was allowed to make it look childish :-) So here I come! I thought you might like to see some sketches as well, so I am showing those this time, too. Let me know what you think! Speak soon!

Kindergarten Book Project in Progress





Hello there! I have no time to slack on this week! :-) Seems like there will be a lot to do in the upcoming weeks. Recently, I've been working on a project for kindergartens, lots of animals, children, nature stuff and so on. It's been quite a lot of fun actually! I'll be doing more posts on this. Hopefully I'll be able to get the MATS school post ready too for you guys to read! Speak soon!

New Work - Fairy Tale Illustration






 

 

Long time no see! Finally I got a minute to blog a bit about what I've been up to recently. And guess what! I've been actually drawing some cute human characters, not animals this time! And it actually was not a painful thing to do! :-) And a sneak peek for the next post - I am taking the Make Art that Sells class now, organized by Lilla Rogers Studio, so I'll tell you more about that soon! (so far a great experience!)

Getting ready for Frankfurt Bookfair!

 








Hello again! This year, I've decided to take part on the Frankfurt Buchmesse, which, at least so I've heard, is the biggest book fair in Europe. I've been trying to prepare as best as I could. Mostly, I have used my experience from the previous Bologna bookfair visits. Here is my blog on the Bologna preparations, in case you'd like to take a closer look at it: http://marianeradova.blogspot.sk/2014/03/before-bologna-take-off-tips-on-how-to.html]

I figured it would be best to bring some brochures with my illustrations and, of cours, contact details, so the publishers could reach me if they like my work. Also, I reprinted some of the postcards I had in Bologna and added new ones as well. There is my email address, cell number and website link on the back of the card. I really hope I'll be able to reach as many publishers as I can. Keeping my fingers crossed! Will keep you posted on how it goes!

PS1: I'm taking my sister with me to help! Ha-ha!
PS2: How do you like the cards? I'm really pleased with the printer job!

Kindergarten Workbook Done




Last night I finally finished an activity book for kindergartens. I was two days pat my deadline already, so felt quite nervous, but seems like I haven't caused much trouble (yet). Moving on to getting ready for the Frankfurt Bookfair. Hope to hunt down some new work! Keeping my fingers crossed!

The Road Boardbook



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Another one from the series, is called A Road, you could have probably guessed it from the pictures :-) This one shows all kinds of roads and vehicles. It was so much fun creating it!