Just half way through her MA at Camberwell, this talented illustrator is already picking up beefy commissions. We catch up with Martina Paukova to find out more about her humorous depictions of everyday life.
How would you describe your style?
I guess it could be described as set of cartoony drawings with black outlines and flat areas of colour. I like to draw simple characters set in environments filled with simple everyday objects and, potentially, tongue-in-cheek details. Squeezed perspectives and an underlying commentary also tend to be present.
Where do you find your inspiration?
To be honest I don’t think I have a definite answer for this. I suppose I’m continually inspired by the creative output of my fellow illustrators, colleagues and friends. Their creative take on things – the realities and small, quirky, self-contained worlds they manage to create – inspires and tickles me in a big way. But often the idea or the picture is triggered purely by circumstantial coincidence. Coffee and the internet help too.
You’ve got some great clients in your portfolio. Tell us about a commercial project you’ve particularly enjoyed working on.
I used to think fondly of the oversized eleven-metre-long mural doodle I did for University of the Arts last summer. Now my favourite project is definitely the most recent commission for Protein Journal. Here I had to create four pictures dealing with the realm of new technologies and their impact on our social wellbeing. Pure joy.
What’s your plan for the rest of 2014?
I will graduate next year from the MA Illustration course at Camberwell College of Arts. The course is part-time which suits me particularly well as it allows me to freelance as well as working as a digital technician at Central Saint Martins – an environment I also really enjoy. The remainder of 2014 will see me focusing on my final major project, handling upcoming freelance commissions, and guiding (as much as I can) new digital hopefuls at CSM.
What would be an ideal commission?
I would definitely enjoy a project where I’d have to use paint, brushes and three-dimensional objects on top of my usual digital tools. That is something I keep playing with in my head while wishing for some suitable time to spend on it.
martinapaukova.com
